Advantech has been granted a patent for a small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver that can be programmed to perform service or management functions on a communications network. The system includes a programmable processor that can be remotely programmed to download different firmware or program logic from a remote station via the network. GlobalData’s report on Advantech gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Advantech, smart factory applications was a key innovation area identified from patents. Advantech's grant share as of June 2023 was 1%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
The patent is granted for a programmable sfp transceiver system
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11689288B2) describes a system and method for programming a small form factor pluggable optical transceiver (SFP) installed at a network node in a network. The system includes a programmable processor that is coupled to the SFP and the network node. A discoverer is configured to discover the programmable processor and request the downloading of different firmware or program logic. The programmable processor is designed to detect a predetermined message from the discoverer and respond to indicate its connection to the network. The discoverer can then transmit a management packet to the programmable processor, requesting the downloading of the different firmware or program logic from a remote station connected via the network.
The system also allows the programmable processor to download one or more service assurance functions from the remote station to be performed by the SFP. These service assurance functions include monitoring network traffic, diagnosing network traffic issues, performing remote in-service Layer 1-4 loopback, conducting ITU-T Y.1564 and RFC-2544 performance testing, and monitoring actual customer statistics from a web browser or portable test set.
Additionally, the system includes multiple standard SFP ports connected to the network at the network node. The remote station can program the programmable processor to loopback test packets by swapping media access control (MAC) and internet protocol (IP) addresses in the packets and inserting them into the network paths of the standard SFP ports. The programmable processor can also be configured as an embedded traffic generator, allowing the remote station to program it to generate test packets and insert them into the network paths of the standard SFP ports.
The method for programming the SFP involves discovering the programmable processor by detecting a predetermined message from a discoverer. A management packet is then transmitted from the discoverer to the programmable processor, requesting the downloading of different firmware or program logic from a remote station. The programmable processor is remotely programmed by downloading the requested firmware or program logic in response to the management packet.
Overall, this patent describes a system and method that enables the programming of SFPs in network nodes, allowing for the downloading of different firmware or program logic and the performance of various service assurance functions. It also provides the capability to loopback test packets and generate test packets using the programmable processor.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
