Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED OFFICE ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2024-04-25 in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 has been considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Status
Claims 1-10 are pending in this Office Action. No claims have been allowed.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for the obviousness rejections set forth in this Office Action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
As reiterated by the Supreme Court in KSR, and as set forth in MPEP 2141 (R-01.2024), II, the factual inquiries of Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. §103, are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and content of the prior art;
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue;
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art; and
Considering objective evidence indicative of obviousness or non-obviousness, if present.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims, the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 C.F.R. § 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US20190074925A1) in view of Shu et al. (US20200220624A1) and further in view of SFF-8472 and Ramalingam (US20170097782A1).
Claim 1
Yang teaches an optical transceiver/optical module including a tunable (wavelength-tunable) optical transmission unit (tunable sending component including a tunable laser), a tunable (wavelength-tunable) optical reception unit (tunable receiving component including a tunable filter), and a control unit (MAC/processor) that controls transmission and reception. “[0068] As shown in FIG. 6, in a specific implementation instance, FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the OLT-side optical module 512 or the ONU-side optical module 522. The optical module includes a receiving component 610, a limiting amplifier (LA) or a post amplifier (PA) 620, a sending component 630, a laser diode driver (LDD) 640, a multiplexer (MUX) 670, a demultiplexer (DEMUX) 660, and a Media Access Control (MAC) module 650. The receiving component is a tunable receiving component. The tunable receiving component 610 may further include a tunable filter (TF) 611 and a component 612 used for electrical-to-optical conversion and pre-amplification. The sending component 630 may be a tunable sending component, and mainly includes a tunable laser (TL).
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[0073] Optionally, the multiplexer 670 may be a frequency combiner and couples, in a frequency domain, a data signal driven by the LDD 640 with the control signal generated by the processor 650. For example, when a control signal may be a low-frequency signal of0 to 10 MHz, the multiplexer 670 multiplexes the low-frequency control signal and a high-frequency data signal in the frequency domain. [0074] Optionally, the multiplexer 670 includes a high pass filter (HPF) and a low pass filter (LPF), which are respectively configured to filter a data signal and a control signal before coupling. [0075] Optionally, the HPF or the LPF may also be implemented outside the multiplexer 670. For example, the HPF is implemented in the LDD 640, and the LPF may be implemented in the processor 650. [0076] Optionally, when the sending component 630 is current-driven, the LDD 640 provides a drive current for a data signal, and the processor 650 provides a drive current for a control signal. In this case, the multiplexer 670 may be omitted, or only the drive current of the LDD 640 and the drive current of the processor 650 are superposed to drive the sending component 630. In this case, the LDD 640 and the processor 650 are connected to a cathode or an anode of the sending component 630. [0079] Optionally, the demultiplexer 660 is configured to decouple the data signal and the control signal received by the receiving component 610. Optionally, the demultiplexer 660 includes an HPF and an LPF. Optionally, the HPF or LPF may also be implemented outside the demultiplexer 660. For example, the HPF may be implemented in the limiting amplifier LA or the post amplifier 620, and the LPF may be implemented in the processor 650.” Yang, FIG.6, ¶ [0068], ¶¶ [0073] - [0076], ¶ [0079].
Yang further teaches that channel-setting/control information is carried in a control portion of the signal and that the control message includes fields such as a “local to-be-sent wavelength field” and a “local to-be-received wavelength field / expected to-be-received wavelength field.” The “local to-be-sent wavelength field” conveys the wavelength/channel being sent (i.e., first channel information), and the “local to-be-received / expected to-be-received” field conveys the wavelength/channel to be received or expected (i.e., third channel information indicating the receive channel). “[0036] With reference to the fourth aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, when the sending component and the receiving component of the local optical module are components with a tunable wavelength or capable of tuning a wavelength, the optical module sets operating wavelengths of the sending component and the receiving component according to configuration information. [0119] In the 803, if no wavelength application acknowledgment message is received within the specified time T2, further determining may be performed. If a specified number of times for sending a wavelength application control message on a Nth wavelength is less than a specified numerical value, jump to step 802; this indicates that a wavelength application attempt still needs to be made on the specified Nth wavelength. Otherwise, jump to step 801; this indicates that the wavelength application is still unsuccessful after a specified quantity of attempts are made on the specified Nth wavelength, and an attempt of applying for another wavelength still needs to be made by going to 801. [0120] The message indicating that a wavelength is idle may be an SN-Request message in a broadcast or multicast form and is broadcast or multicast to all ONU-side optical modules 522 that can receive the wavelength, to request the modules to report an SN. [0129] The message data field may further include one or more fields, for example, a local to-be-sent wavelength field, a local to-be-received wavelength field, or an expected to-be-received wavelength field. The local to-be-sent wavelength field is used to deliver, to a peer optical module, a wavelength sent by a local optical module. The local to-be received wavelength field or the expected to-be-received wavelength field is used to deliver, to the peer optical module, a wavelength of an optical signal received by the local optical module or a wavelength of an optical signal expected to be sent by the peer end. Alternatively, the message data field consists of one or more TLV (Type, Length, and Value) structures. Each TLV structure represents an attribute, a parameter, a configuration, or performance monitoring that is to be exchanged between an OLT-side optical module and an ONU-side optical module, and includes three fields: T, L, and V. The field T represents an information type of the TL V structure, the field L represents an information length, and the field V represents specific data, content, information, or the like to be delivered.” Yang, ¶ [0036] ¶ [0119] ¶ [0120] ¶ [0129].
within analogous art, Yang teaches that wavelength/channel information can be expressed as a channel number and that the local-to-be-sent field value indicates a particular channel/wavelength. This supports that the first channel information indicates the channel of the first channel-setting optical signal. “[0135] In the third manner, the wavelength information is expressed by using a channel number. In this case, a wavelength needs to be pre-numbered or a channel for standardizing a wavelength is used to describe wavelength information. For example, it is agreed that 1310.12 nm is a channel 1, and 1311.55 nm is a channel 3. If a channel number is used for description, when a value of the local to-be-sent wavelength field is 1, it indicates that a local to-be-sent wavelength is 1310.12 nm. When a value of the local to-be-sent wavelength field is 3, it indicates that the local to-be-sent wavelength is 1311.55 nm. [0136] Because spectral widths of different types of lasers may be different, when the OLT-side and ONU-side optical modules use lasers of different spectral widths, a problem of interference between adjacent wavelengths or in a same channel may exist. It is assumed that there are multiple optical modules at an OLT side, and a wavelength interval between optical modules may be 100 GHz, that is, a 100- GHz channel interval is supported. If a spectral width of a laser of an ONU-side optical module is greater than 100 GHz, an optical signal exceeding a channel interval leaks to an adjacent channel. Therefore, when the ONU-side optical module sends data or a control message to an OLT-side optical module, communication between another ONU-side optical module and a corresponding OLT-side optical module is interfered. To resolve the problem, the message data field may further include: an allowed laser spectral width field, a channel interval field, or a system type field. When control management information delivered by the OLT-side optical module to the ONU-side optical module includes an allowed laser spectral width field, assuming a value thereof is 0.4 (representing 0.4 nm), it indicates that only an ONU-side optical module whose laser spectral width is less than 0.4 nm is allowed to respond to the control message of the OLT-side optical module. When a control message delivered by the OLT-side optical module to the ONU-side optical module includes a channel interval field, assuming that a value thereof is 100 (indicating that a channel interval is 100 GHz), it indicates that only an ONU-side optical module applicable to a 100-GHz channel interval is allowed to respond to the control message of the OLT-side optical module. When a control message delivered by the OLT-side optical module to the OLT-side optical module includes a system type field, assuming that a value thereof is 1 (it is assumed that 1 represents coarse wavelength division multiplexing; 2 represents dense wavelength division of a 100 G channel interval; 3 represents dense wavelength division of a 50 G channel interval; ... ), it indicates that only an ONU-side optical module applicable to a coarse wavelength division multiplexing system is allowed to respond to the control message of the OLT-side optical module. [0138] When a message frame has a fixed length, specific structures of several messages for optical port auto-negotiation between the OLT-side optical module and the ONU-side optical module are described below by using examples. Actual message structures may also include only some of the fields. [0139] In the broadcast or multicast SN Request message, as shown in Table 1, the message type may be expressed by using one field. For example, "000000001" indicates that the message is a broadcast or multicast SN-Request message, or the message type is expressed by using two fields. Higher four bits indicate that the message is a broadcast or multicast message or is a unicast message (0001 here represents a broadcast or multicast message), and lower four bits indicate that the message type is SN-Request message. When the message type is expressed by using two fields, if a first byte is "00000001", it indicates that the message is a unicast SN Request. If the first byte is "00010001", it indicates that the message is a broadcast or multicast SN-Request message.” Yang, ¶ [0135] ¶ [0136] ¶ [0138] ¶ [0139].
Yang teaches a storage component that stores correspondence between upstream and downstream wavelengths (channel settings), corresponding to the claimed storage unit that allows the arithmetic unit to write and retain channel information. “[0102] In one embodiment, when the ONU-side optical module 522 uses the receiving component 610 and the sending component 630 that have tunable wavelengths, a status machine of the ONU-side optical module 522 implementing optical port auto-negotiation with the OLT-side optical module 512 is as follows. The status machine includes four states: State 1 is an initial state and is used to represent a state that the ONU-side optical module 522 enters after being powered on or reset, or a state that the ONU-side optical module 522 enters after being powered on and enabled. In this state, the processing module selects a wavelength according to a particular algorithm rule (for example, random selection or a method according to ascending order of channels) and configures a tunable receiving component to the selected receive wavelength. That is, the tunable receiving component may receive a downstream control signal of the selected wavelength. State 2 is a wavelength hunt state. In this state, the optical module 522 listens to a downstream control message on the selected downstream wavelength. If no wavelength idle message is received within a specified time, return to the state 1; otherwise, enter state 3. State 3 is a wavelength pre-locking state, which indicates that in this state, the optical module 522 has detected that a wavelength corresponding to a particular OLT-side optical module 512 is not occupied, or indicates an application to use a corresponding wavelength. State 4 is a wavelength locked state, which indicates that the ONU-side optical module 522 has locked a wavelength corresponding to a particular OLT-side optical module 512, or indicates that optical port auto-negotiation has been completed. [0109] Optionally, the optical module further includes a storage component. The storage component is configured to store a correspondence between upstream wavelengths and downstream wavelengths. [0110] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical port auto-negotiation processing interaction process that uses the ONU-side optical module 522 and the OLT-side optical module 512 includes the following steps. [0111] Step 801: The optical module 522 selects a wavelength according to a particular algorithm specification and configures a tunable receiving component to work at the selected wavelength.” Yang, FIG.8, ¶ [0102], ¶¶ [0109] - [0111].
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Yang further teaches selecting/configuring a receive wavelength/channel, listening for a downstream message on that channel, sending an upstream application/control message, and returning to selection/listening when the expected message is not received. This corresponds to the arithmetic unit determining, based on received channel information, the channel to be received, controlling the transmitter to include channel information in a channel-setting signal, and changing channels when no response is received.“[0015] With reference to the first aspect and any possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a sixth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, a message frame of the wavelength idle message includes an allowed laser spectral width field, a channel interval field, or a system type field. [0098] Before a state 701, the OLT-side optical module 512 needs to set a to-be-sent wavelength of the tunable sending component 630 and/or a receive wavelength of the tunable receiving component 610 according to configuration information. The configuration information is delivered to the OLT-side optical module 512 by an OLT device by using an interface between the OLT device and the OLT-side optical module. The configuration information may be one or more registers in the OLT optical module 512 or one or more configuration bits in one or more registers. [0111] Step 801: The optical module 522 selects a wavelength according to a particular algorithm specification and configures a tunable receiving component to work at the selected wavelength. [0112] Step 802: Listen to a downstream message on the downstream to-be-received wavelength; perform 803 if a wavelength idle message from the OLT-side optical module is received; and return to step 801 if no wavelength idle message indicating that a wavelength is idle is detected within a specified time Tl. [0113] Step 803: Send a wavelength application message on an upstream wavelength corresponding to the downstream wavelength and wait for the OLT-side optical module 512 to send a wavelength grant message; perform 804 if the wavelength grant message is received within a specified time T2; otherwise, go back to 801 or 802.” Yang, FIG.7, ¶ [0015], ¶ [0095], ¶¶ [0111] - [0113].
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Further, Yang teaches receiving downstream optical control messages (channel-setting signals) that include wavelength/channel fields, decoupling the received control message from the received optical signal for processing by the MAC/processor, and using the peer-provided wavelength/channel information to control the tunable receiving and sending components, as discussed above Yang ¶ [0073]- [0075], ¶ [0079], FIG. 6; ¶ [0098], FIGS. 7-8).
Yang does not expressly teach that a transceiver receives a channel-setting optical signal (00B optical signals) containing channel information (current channel number) and locks the channel based on the received channel information, However, in an analogous art, Shu teaches that a transceiver receives a channel-setting optical signal (00B optical signals) containing channel information (current channel number) and locks the channel based on the received channel information, which corresponds to the wavelength-tunable reception unit forwarding second channel information to the control/arithmetic unit for determining the receive channel. Shu also teaches acknowledgement-based channel lock on the transmit side. “[0008] In one example embodiment, a method of tuning optoelectronic transceivers in an optical network may include powering on an optoelectronic transceiver, setting the channel wavelength of the optoelectronic transceiver, transmitting a request command from the optoelectronic transceiver through the optical network to another optoelectronic transceiver, and waiting to receive a second request command from another optoelectronic transceiver. [0036] The present disclosure includes wavelength band polling configurations that may be implemented with out of- band communication signals to automatically tune the wavelength of bidirectional tunable transceivers in an optical network. Automatic tuning and selection of transceiver wavelength may facilitate optical transceivers being implemented in WDM or DWDM systems. In particular, the configurations described may decrease the steps needed to deploy optical transceivers in WDM or DWDM systems, because the transceiver does not have to be tuned by a user during or after installation. [0094] In some aspects, the transceiver operating on band A may be a master transceiver and the transceiver operating on band B may be a slave transceiver. The master transceiver may begin a full channel slow scan in the target band, and the current channel number may be transmitted via 00B optical signals (e.g., to the corresponding transceiver). The slave transceiver may receive the transmitted 00B optical signals and may lock the target channel and send and acknowledgement to the master transceiver once it receives the target channel information via the 00B optical signals. The slave transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. The master transceiver may receive the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver and may stop the full channel slow scan and lock the current channel as the target channel once it receives the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver. The master transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. Once the channel pairing is confirmed, the slave and the master transceivers may switch to channel pairing mode. [0099] In some configurations, the NMS may identify which transceivers are on which side of the optical network. For example, for two corresponding transceivers, the NMS may identify that one of the transceivers is on one side of an optical network, and the other transceiver is on the other side of the optical network. Additionally, or alternatively, the NMS may identify one of the transceivers as a master transceiver, and the other transceiver as the slave transceiver. Further, the NMS may transmit a request command to one or both of the transceivers of a pair of transceivers. The request command may include wavelength tuning and/or power tuning information. In some embodiments, the request command may identify that the transceiver is the master transceiver or the slave transceiver. In some configuration, the request command may be transmitted as an 00B optical signal. Shu, FIG.5, ¶ [0008], ¶ [0036], ¶ [0094], ¶ [0099].
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Shu additionally teaches out-of-band (00B) optical signals that convey channel/wavelength information and request/acknowledgement messaging during scanning and channel negotiation [Shu ¶ [0008], ¶ [0018]- [0019], ¶ [0036], Fig. 5]. Shu further teaches that if an acknowledgement (or expected response) is not received within a predetermined time (timeout), the transceiver changes to another channel/wavelength and transmits a further request command during continued scanning/negotiation [Shu ¶ [0018]- [0019], Fig. 5 steps 506-512]. Yang does not expressly teach the particular mismatch condition recited in claim 1 in which, after the other optical transceiver receives a first channel-setting optical signal identifying a first channel, the other optical transceiver returns a second channel-setting optical signal that includes (i) channel information (second channel information) identifying the channel of the returned signal and (ii) additional channel information (fourth channel information) explicitly identifying a channel different from the first channel previously indicated by the first channel-setting optical signal, and the receiving transceiver forwards that additional channel information for updating transmit tuning. However, Shu expressly teaches that, during a full-channel slow scan, a “current channel number may be transmitted via 00B optical signals” and, when acknowledgement is not received, the scan continues by moving to another channel so that a later transmitted request/00B identifies a channel number different from a previously transmitted channel number [Shu ¶ [0094], Fig. 5 steps 506-512]. Shu further teaches bidirectional request commands exchanged between corresponding transceivers that include wavelength tuning information and can be transmitted as 00B optical signals [Shu ¶ [0008], ¶ [0099]]. Thus, when the peer advances from an earlier channel to another channel during scanning/negotiation, the peer’s returned request command (second channel-setting optical signal) includes explicit wavelength/channel tuning information identifying that different channel, which is forwarded/processed by the receiving transceiver’s control logic to update the channel to be transmitted (and/or the channel to be received) for convergence. In further view of Yang’s multi-field channel messaging that includes multiple wavelength/channel indicators within a control message (e.g., separate fields corresponding to local to-be-sent / local to-be-received / expected-to-be-received wavelength/channel values) [Yang ¶[0129], ¶[0135]], it would have been obvious to implement the peer’s returned channel-setting message to carry both a current channel indicator and an additional (different) channel indicator for directing the other transceiver’s tuning, yielding the predictable result of faster, more reliable channel convergence. Shu does not expressly teach user/host writable EEPROM is non-volatile and that maximum writes are limited. However, within analogous art, SFF-8472 teaches that user/host writable EEPROM is non-volatile and that maximum writes are limited and repetitive uses are not recommended. “…….10.4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations [Address A2h, Page 00h / 01h, Bytes 128-247] For transceivers that do not support pages, or if the Page Select byte is written to 00h or 01h, addresses 128-247 represent 120 bytes of user/host writable non-volatile memory - for any reasonable use. Consult vendor datasheets for any limits on writing to these locations, including timing and maximum number of writes. Potential usage includes customer specific identification information, usage history statistics, scratch space for calculations, etc. It is generally not recommended this memory be used for latency critical or repetitive uses. Table 10-4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations, A2h 128-247, # Bytes 120, Name User EEPROM, User writable EEPROM……...” [SFF-8472, §10.4 (p.43)]. within analogous art, Ramalingam further teaches write suppression using a fast frontend memory and selectively transferring only valid information to a lower-endurance non-volatile memory. It would have been obvious to write only the final (determined) Tx/Rx channel settings to nonvolatile storage (and avoid writing intermediate values) to improve endurance and reliability. “Techniques are disclosed for write suppression to improve endurance rating of non-volatile memories, such as QLCNAND SSDs or other relatively slow, low endurance nonvolatile memories. In an embodiment, an SSD is configured with a fast frontend non-volatile memory, a relatively slow lower endurance backend non-volatile memory, and a frontend manager that selectively transfers data from the fast memory to the slow memory based on transfer criteria. In operation, write data from the host is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager. The data is moved from the fast memory to the slow memory in bands. For each data band stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks invalid data counts and data age. Only bands that still remain valid are transferred to the slow memory. After a given band has been fully transferred, it is erased and re-usable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager…… [0011] In operation, write data from the host system is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager, and each write can be acknowledged by the frontend manager as complete once the write to the fast memory is complete. The data may be subsequently moved from the fast non-volatile memory to the relatively slower nonvolatile memory in large chunks referred to herein as fast bands, which may include, for example, one or more blocks of memory specified by a logical block address (LBA), depending on the desired granularity. In a more general sense, fast bands may be used to refer to any segment of the fast non-volatile memory. In one example embodiment, the fast non-volatile memory is an SLC-NAND based memory array, and the slow non-volatile memory is a QLC-NAND based memory array. Other embodiments may include other fast and slow memory types, depending on the desired relative access speeds and endurances. In any case, the frontend manager is programmed into the SSD controller (e.g., embedded in the SSD firmware) or otherwise provisioned to direct all incoming host writes to the fast memory. For each fast band of data stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks the number of LBAs that are invalid as well as the age of the data. Age of the data can be measured, for example, with respect to how many Megabytes ago that data was written to the fast memory (e.g., since this data was written to the fast memory, another x Megabytes (MB) of data has been written to other locations of the fast memory), although any suitable age indicator can be used as will be appreciated in light of this disclosure. An mLBA may become invalid, for instance, because the block specified by the LBA has been written to another location or otherwise replaced, and thus there is now a fresher version of the block specified by the LBA. Only data stored at LBAs that still remain valid are evicted to the slow memory. After a given fast band has been fully evicted, it is erased and therefore, re-usable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager…... [0014] Write suppression as used herein is defined to be the ratio of host writes over slow semiconductor memory (e.g., QLC NAND) writes. SSDs are typically subject to writes that have locality. Over several Gigabytes of writes, typical workloads tend to have writes that overwrite/invalidate past writes and hence not all the host writes end up in the lower endurance, slower (higher bits per cell) NAND memory. Thus, an SSD can be configured to accomplish write suppression on workloads using a fast non-volatile memory such as an SLC-NAND memory array (which has l00x+ better endurance and a 4x better read time (Tread) relative to a slower QLC-NAND memory array) and a management process that exposes part of the fast nonvolatile memory to the host, so as to provide a fast-slow concatenated LBA space.” Ramalingam, ABSTRACT, ¶ [0011], ¶ [0014]. A person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) would have been motivated to combine the message-based wavelength/channel negotiation of Yang with the scan/timeout convergence behavior of Shu, and to further implement the “write only final Tx/Rx channel settings” storage behavior using the standardized transceiver management memory architecture of SFF-8472 together with endurance-driven write suppression as taught by Ramalingam, because tunable optical transceivers operate in real networks where peers can start up at different times, initial channel selections can mismatch, and modules must converge quickly and reliably while preserving non-volatile memory endurance.
First, Yang’s control-message negotiation provides a structured mechanism to communicate channel information (local-to-be-sent / local-to-be-received / expected-to-be-received or analogous fields), but practical deployment still requires robust behavior when a peer is not immediately responsive or when the initial channel does not converge. Shu addresses that practical reality by teaching scan/timeout-based retuning logic that iterates across candidate channels until a compatible channel is found. A POSITA would reasonably combine these because they are complementary: Yang supplies the data representation and negotiation messaging, while Shu supplies a robust convergence strategy that improves link bring-up reliability and reduces operator intervention. The result is predictable: faster and more reliable automatic channel alignment in tunable WDM/PON environments. Second, a POSITA would have strong operational reasons to persist the final negotiated Tx/Rx channel pairing. In the field, modules reset due to firmware updates, fault recovery, host resets, and power events; if the final channel pairing is lost, the device must repeat scanning/negotiation, increasing downtime. SFF-8472 defines a well-known management memory map with user/host writable non-volatile memory commonly used to store stable module data. Therefore, it would have been a conventional and expected implementation choice to store the final channel settings in that standardized memory space so the module can rapidly return to service after reinitialization. Third, a POSITA would have been motivated to write only the final Tx/Rx channel settings (and not intermediate negotiation information) because non-volatile memory (EEPROM) has finite write endurance and non-trivial write latency. SFF-8472 cautions against repetitive use of the user-writable non-volatile region, and Ramalingam teaches write suppression/endurance optimization by staging changes and committing selectively to reduce wear. Applying that known endurance-driven principle to channel negotiation is a predictable engineering optimization: during scanning/negotiation, many intermediate values may change rapidly; by committing only the final stable Tx/Rx channels, the design improves EEPROM longevity, reduces negotiation delay caused by non-volatile writes, and improves reliability without altering the underlying negotiation functionality. This is exactly the type of design incentive and predictable-result modification that a POSITA would implement
Claim 2
With respect to claim 2, all claim limitations of claim 1 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam except that the storage unit is explicitly non-volatile. However, in analogous transceiver management art, SFF-8472 specifies user/host writable non-volatile memory (User EEPROM). “……. EEPROM Locations [Address A2h, Page 00h / 01h, Bytes 128-247] For transceivers that do not support pages, or if the Page Select byte is written to 00h or 01h, addresses 128-247 represent 120 bytes of user/host writable non-volatile memory - for any reasonable use. Consult vendor datasheets for any limits on writing to these locations, including timing and maximum number of writes. Potential usage includes customer specific identification information, usage history statistics, scratch space for calculations, etc. It is generally not recommended this memory be used for latency critical or repetitive uses. Table 10-4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations, A2h 128-247, # Bytes 120, Name User EEPROM, User writable EEPROM……...” [SFF-8472, §10.4, (Table 10-4)].
Claim 2 specifies that the storage unit is non-volatile. A POSITA would have been motivated to use non-volatile storage for the stored channel settings because optical modules are routinely power cycled and reset. Persisting the final channel pairing prevents a full re-scan/re-negotiation after restart and reduces link restoration time an important operational goal in carrier and data-center networks.
Additionally, using non-volatile storage for configuration data is a conventional design choice in pluggable transceivers. Industry management standards like SFF-8472 already structure module configuration/status around a non-volatile management memory space accessible to the host. Thus, implementing the claim 1 “write final channel settings” behavior with a non-volatile storage unit is not a speculative change; it is consistent with standard module architectures, improves robustness, and yields predictable benefits (faster recovery and consistent behavior across resets).
Claim 3
With respect to claim 3, all claim limitations of claim 2 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam except that the non-volatile storage is EEPROM. However, SFF-8472 expressly identifies the user-writable non-volatile memory as User EEPROM (A2h, bytes 128–247)., SFF-8472 specifies user/host writable non-volatile memory (User EEPROM). “……. For transceivers that do not support pages, or if the Page Select byte is written to 00h or 01h, addresses 128-247 represent 120 bytes of user/host writable non-volatile memory - for any reasonable use. Consult vendor datasheets for any limits on writing to these locations, including timing and maximum number of writes. Potential usage includes customer specific identification information, usage history statistics, scratch space for calculations, etc. It is generally not recommended this memory be used for latency critical or repetitive uses. Table 10-4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations, A2h 128-247, # Bytes 120, Name User EEPROM, User writable EEPROM……...” [SFF-8472, §10.4, (Table 10-4)].
Claim 3 further specifies that the non-volatile storage is EEPROM. A POSITA would have been motivated to use EEPROM because EEPROM is the common and industry-accepted non-volatile storage technology used for transceiver management memory in MSAs such as SFF-8472, typically accessible via I²C. EEPROM is low cost, widely available, simple to integrate, and well supported by existing host tooling and module controllers.
Because the stored data in this case is compact (final Tx/Rx channel settings), EEPROM is a technically appropriate choice: it supports persistent storage for small configuration payloads and predictable interoperability (host devices are already designed to read/write EEPROM management memory). Therefore, configuring the non-volatile storage unit as EEPROM is an obvious and conventional implementation that yields predictable operational benefits.
Claim 4
With respect to claim 4, all claim limitations of claim 1 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam except the specific requirement that information other than the final Tx/Rx channel pair is written to a temporary storage unit. However, in an analogous endurance-management art SFF-8472 describes user EEPROM potential usage including scratch space for calculations/usage statistics and warns against repetitive EEPROM use “……. EEPROM Locations [Address A2h, Page 00h / 01h, Bytes 128-247] For transceivers that do not support pages, or if the Page Select byte is written to 00h or 01h, addresses 128-247 represent 120 bytes of user/host writable non-volatile memory - for any reasonable use. Consult vendor datasheets for any limits on writing to these locations, including timing and maximum number of writes. Potential usage includes customer specific identification information, usage history statistics, scratch space for calculations, etc. It is generally not recommended this memory be used for latency critical or repetitive uses. Table 10-4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations, A2h 128-247, # Bytes 120, Name User EEPROM, User writable EEPROM……...” [SFF-8472, §10.4, (Table 10-4)].
within analogous art, Ramalingam further teaches staging/storing data in a higher-endurance temporary/front-end memory and selectively committing to lower-endurance non-volatile memory, which supports using temporary storage for intermediate data while writing only final settings to EEPROM “staging data in a fast memory/buffer (temporary storage) and later selectively transferring it to a slower nonvolatile memory, i.e., using temporary storage separate from NVM.”, “[0011] In operation, write data from the host system is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager, and each write can be acknowledged by the frontend manager as complete once the write to the fast memory is complete. The data may be subsequently moved from the fast non-volatile memory to the relatively slower nonvolatile memory in large chunks referred to herein as fast bands, which may include, for example, one or more blocks of memory specified by a logical block address (LBA), depending on the desired granularity. In a more general sense, fast bands may be used to refer to any segment of the fast non-volatile memory. In one example embodiment, the fast non-volatile memory is an SLC-NAND based memory array, and the slow non-volatile memory is a QLC-NAND based memory array. Other embodiments may include other fast and slow memory types, depending on the desired relative access speeds and endurances. In any case, the frontend manager is programmed into the SSD controller (e.g., embedded in the SSD firmware) or otherwise provisioned to direct all incoming host writes to the fast memory. For each fast band of data stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks the number of LBAs that are invalid as well as the age of the data. Age of the data can be measured, for example, with respect to how many Megabytes ago that data was written to the fast memory (e.g., since this data was written to the fast memory, another x Megabytes (MB) of data has been written to other locations of the fast memory), although any suitable age indicator can be used as will be appreciated in light of this disclosure. An mLBA may become invalid, for instance, because the block specified by the LBA has been written to another location or otherwise replaced, and thus there is now a fresher version of the block specified by the LBA. Only data stored at LBAs that still remain valid are evicted to the slow memory. After a given fast band has been fully evicted, it is erased and therefore, re-usable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager…... [0014] Write suppression as used herein is defined to be the ratio of host writes over slow semiconductor memory (e.g., QLC NAND) writes. SSDs are typically subject to writes that have locality. Over several Gigabytes of writes, typical workloads tend to have writes that overwrite/invalidate past writes and hence not all the host writes end up in the lower endurance, slower (higher bits per cell) NAND memory. Thus, an SSD can be configured to accomplish write suppression on workloads using a fast non-volatile memory such as an SLC-NAND memory array (which has l00x+ better endurance and a 4x better read time (Tread) relative to a slower QLC-NAND memory array) and a management process that exposes part of the fast nonvolatile memory to the host, so as to provide a fast-slow concatenated LBA space. [0015] Architecture and Methodology. [0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a solid-state drive (SSD) system 10 configured with write suppression in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen, the SSD system 10 includes an SSD controller 100 operatively coupled with an array of blow non-volatile memory devices (e.g., QLC NAND A-1. .. A-n, Bl ... Bn, ... , ml ... mn) as well as an array of fast non-volatile memory devices (e.g., SLC NAND or 3D cross-point memory 1, 2, ... n, although other fast nonvolatile memory types can be used as well). The controller 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a fast frontend (FFE) manager 103, a slow non-volatile memory controller 105, a fast non-volatile memory controller 107, and a host interface 109. Each of these components 101, 103, 105, 107, and 109 can be implemented with conventional technology, except that the FFE manager 103 is programmed or otherwise configured to execute or direct write suppression and the components are arranged and interconnected to facilitate concatenated non-volatile fast and slow memory with write suppression, as variously provided herein. Other suitable arrangements and interconnection schemes capable of achieving such write suppression will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
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Ramalingam, FIG.1, ¶ [0011], ¶ [0014], ¶ [0015], ¶ [0016].
Claim 4 adds a temporary storage unit used to store information other than the final Tx/Rx channel settings. A POSITA would have been strongly motivated to include temporary/volatile storage because channel negotiation necessarily creates many rapidly-changing intermediate values (trial channels, timer values, retry counters, peer-message histories, partial convergence state). Writing such intermediate information to EEPROM would be inefficient due to EEPROM write latency and would prematurely consume EEPROM write endurance.
SFF-8472 explicitly cautions against repetitive use of the user-writable non-volatile region, which directly signals a practical design constraint: EEPROM should not be used as frequently-updated scratch memory during negotiation. Ramalingam teaches write suppression and endurance management by staging data in a higher-endurance front-end memory and committing only necessary final state to the lower-endurance non-volatile memory. A POSITA would apply that exact principle here: use temporary storage (RAM/buffers/registers) for intermediate negotiation information while committing only the final stable Tx/Rx channels to EEPROM. The result is predictable and desirable faster negotiation, fewer EEPROM writes, longer EEPROM life, and cleaner recovery behavior because intermediate state can be discarded without polluting persistent storage.
Claim 5
With respect to claim 5, all claim limitations of claim 1 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam as set forth above, except wherein the arithmetic unit controls the wavelength-tunable optical transmission unit so as to stop the transmission of the first channel setting optical signal after the arithmetic unit determines the channel to be transmitted and the channel to be received. However, Yang teaches suspending/ceasing periodic sending of wavelength idle (channel-setting) control information after a wavelength is determined, corresponding to stopping transmission of the first channel-setting optical signal after channel determination, “[0049] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of optical port auto-negotiation of an OLT-side optical module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0086] The receiving component bio suspends sending the wavelength idle information when receiving a message, sent by the peer optical module, for requesting allocation of the first wavelength. [0092] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, an optical port auto-negotiation processing process of the OLT-side optical module using the receiving component 610 and the sending component 630 that have fixed wavelengths includes the following steps. [0093] Step 701: Periodically send a wavelength idle message and listen to an upstream receiving message, where the wavelength idle message is used to identify that a wavelength is an idle wavelength, or a wavelength is not occupied or not allocated. [0094] Step 702: Suspend sending the wavelength idle information and perform a next step 703, after a wavelength request message sent by an ONU-side optical module is received. [0095] Step 703: Send a wavelength application success message to the ONU-side optical module that sends the wavelength request message, where the wavelength application success message is used to identify a message that the wavelength has been pre-occupied, wait for a response, and if a response message is received, perform step 704; otherwise, go back to step 701. [0096] Step 704: Set an internal state, indicating that wavelength negotiation has been completed, where the wavelength application message or the response message is coupled to a data signal and is sent to the peer optical module by using a data channel. [0097] Optionally, in step 704, before or after the internal state is set, a wavelength acknowledgment message may be further sent to the ONU-side optical module. [0098] Before a state 701, the OLT-side optical module 512 needs to set a to-be-sent wavelength of the tunable sending component 630 and/or a receive wavelength of the tunable receiving component 610 according to configuration information. The configuration information is delivered to the OLT-side optical module 512 by an OLT device by using an interface between the OLT device and the OLT-side optical module. The configuration information may be one or more registers in the OLT optical module 512 or one or more configuration bits in one or more registers. Yang, Fig. 7; ¶ [0049]; ¶ [0086]; ¶ ¶ [0092] - [0098].
However, within analogous art, Shu expressly teaches that after acknowledgement is received, the master transceiver stops the full channel slow scan and locks the current channel as the target channel, corresponding to stopping channel-setting transmissions after determining the channel “terminating scanning and locking the channel once acknowledgement indicates convergence, which likewise supports stopping channel-setting signaling after determination”,“[0008] In one example embodiment, a method of tuning optoelectronic transceivers in an optical network may include powering on an optoelectronic transceiver, setting the channel wavelength of the optoelectronic transceiver, transmitting a request command from the optoelectronic transceiver through the optical network to another optoelectronic transceiver, and waiting to receive a second request command from another optoelectronic transceiver. [0029] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example method of tuning a transceiver in an optical network. [0036] The present disclosure includes wavelength band polling configurations that may be implemented with out of- band communication signals to automatically tune the wavelength of bidirectional tunable transceivers in an optical network. Automatic tuning and selection of transceiver wavelength may facilitate optical transceivers being implemented in WDM or DWDM systems. In particular, the configurations described may decrease the steps needed to deploy optical transceivers in WDM or DWDM systems, because the transceiver does not have to be tuned by a user during or after installation. [0094] In some aspects, the transceiver operating on band A may be a master transceiver and the transceiver operating on band B may be a slave transceiver. The master transceiver may begin a full channel slow scan in the target band, and the current channel number may be transmitted via 00B optical signals (e.g., to the corresponding transceiver). The slave transceiver may receive the transmitted 00B optical signals and may lock the target channel and send and acknowledgement to the master transceiver once it receives the target channel information via the 00B optical signals. The slave transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. The master transceiver may receive the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver and may stop the full channel slow scan and lock the current channel as the target channel once it receives the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver. The master transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. Once the channel pairing is confirmed, the slave and the master transceivers may switch to channel pairing mode. [0099] In some configurations, the NMS may identify which transceivers are on which side of the optical network. For example, for two corresponding transceivers, the NMS may identify that one of the transceivers is on one side of an optical network, and the other transceiver is on the other side of the optical network. Additionally, or alternatively, the NMS may identify one of the transceivers as a master transceiver, and the other transceiver as the slave transceiver. Further, the NMS may transmit a request command to one or both of the transceivers of a pair of transceivers. The request command may include wavelength tuning and/or power tuning information. In some embodiments, the request command may identify that the transceiver is the master transceiver or the slave transceiver. In some configuration, the request command may be transmitted as an 00B optical signal.” Shu, Fig. 5; ¶ [0008]; ¶ [0029]; ¶ [0036]; ¶ [0098]; ¶ [0094]; ¶ [0099].
Claim 5 requires stopping transmission of the first channel-setting optical signal after the channel decisions are made. A POSITA would be motivated to stop channel-setting transmissions after convergence because those signals are bring-up overhead. Once the Tx/Rx channels are determined, continuing to transmit channel-setting signaling provides little benefit while consuming bandwidth/time that could be used for payload data.
Stopping the channel-setting signal also reduces unnecessary transmitter duty cycle (power/thermal load), reduces the chance of receiver disturbances or false triggers that could destabilize the link, and fits normal protocol design: negotiation/handshaking transitions to steady-state operation after acknowledgment/lock. Thus, adding explicit “stop after determination” control is a predictable efficiency and reliability improvement that a POSITA would implement as a conventional optimization in negotiation-based systems.
Claim 6
With respect to claim 6, all claim limitations of claim 1 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam except wherein the arithmetic unit changes the channel of the first channel setting optical signal to a channel that has not yet been set and outputs the first channel setting optical signal while the second channel setting optical signal is not received. However, Yang teaches selecting another wavelength/channel when no message is received within a specified time (timeout/retry), corresponding to changing to a channel not yet set and outputting another channel-setting optical signal in a state where the peer signal is not received “returning to selection (Step 801) if no wavelength idle message is detected within time T1 and going back to 801/802 if a wavelength grant message is not received within time T2, thereby changing to another wavelength/channel when the expected message is not received”, “[0015] With reference to the first aspect and any possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a sixth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, a message frame of the wavelength idle message includes an allowed laser spectral width field, a channel interval field, or a system type field. [0050] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of optical port auto-negotiation of an ONU-side optical module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0110] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical port auto-negotiation processing interaction process that uses the ONU-side optical module 522 and the OLT-side optical module 512 includes the following steps. [0111] Step 801: The optical module 522 selects a wavelength according to a particular algorithm specification and configures a tunable receiving component to work at the selected wavelength. [0112] Step 802: Listen to a downstream message on the downstream to-be-received wavelength; perform 803 if a wavelength idle message from the OLT-side optical module is received; and return to step 801 if no wavelength idle message indicating that a wavelength is idle is detected within a specified time Tl. [0113] Step 803: Send a wavelength application message on an upstream wavelength corresponding to the downstream wavelength and wait for the OLT-side optical module 512 to send a wavelength grant message; perform 804 if the wavelength grant message is received within a specified time T2; otherwise, go back to 801 or 802.” Yang, Fig. 8; ¶ [0015]; ¶ [0050]; ¶ [0102]; ¶ [0110]- [0113].
However, within analogous art, Shu similarly teaches a timeout during scan and re-tuning to another channel wavelength when a response is not received “scanning/tuning the wavelength/channel when an expected command/request is not received”, varying channel wavelengths during scan and re-tuning until a message is received, consistent with the claimed behavior “[0008] In one example embodiment, a method of tuning optoelectronic transceivers in an optical network may include powering on an optoelectronic transceiver, setting the channel wavelength of the optoelectronic transceiver, transmitting a request command from the optoelectronic transceiver through the optical network to another optoelectronic transceiver, and waiting to receive a second request command from another optoelectronic transceiver. [0029] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example method of tuning a transceiver in an optical network. [0036] The present disclosure includes wavelength band polling configurations that may be implemented with out of- band communication signals to automatically tune the wavelength of bidirectional tunable transceivers in an optical network. Automatic tuning and selection of transceiver wavelength may facilitate optical transceivers being implemented in WDM or DWDM systems. In particular, the configurations described may decrease the steps needed to deploy optical transceivers in WDM or DWDM systems, because the transceiver does not have to be tuned by a user during or after installation. [0084] Although in one example embodiment, the channel wavelength iteratively increases until the second request command is received, in other configurations an appropriate wavelength may be identified in other manners. For example, the channel wavelength may be changed at random, rather than increasing. In such configurations, the channel wavelength may be varied with or without repeating previous channel wavelengths, until a message is received from the corresponding transceiver. [0092] As mentioned above, the transceiver may scan to identify which channel and/or which wavelength it should operate on. In some configurations, the channel and/or the wavelength may be sent along with the request command, and the request command (with the channel and/or the wavelength) may be sent as 00B optical signals, as described with respect to step 506. In other configurations, the request command may not include the channel and/ or the wavelength information, and in such configurations the request command may not be sent as 00B optical signals. In some circumstances, scanning with the channel and/or the wavelength information may be faster than scanning without the channel and/or the wavelength because the corresponding site can use the received channel information to decide local channel wavelength and skip a potentially unnecessary scan of local wavelength to save scanning time. In particular, skipping a scan of local wavelength to save scanning time may be implemented in configurations where the wavelength of both directions of the optical network (e.g., east and west directions) are set in pair, and the specific links in both directions are designed to be transparent to this pair of wavelengths for the specific port based on the design of passive components for di-directional system to facilitate bi-directional optical transmission. In other words, when scanning with the channel and/or the wavelength information, only one successful try may be necessary to get the required channel information in any direction, which will in turn save scanning time.” Shu, Fig. 5; ¶ [0008]; ¶ [0029]; ¶ [0036]; ¶ [0084]; ¶ [0092]. Shu’s disclosure that the channel wavelength 'iteratively increases' during scan, together with its 'full channel slow scan' [Shu ¶ [0094]] means that successive 00B/request transmissions are made on channels that have not yet been used in the current scan sequence (i.e., not yet been set as the channel of the channel-setting optical signal), at least until the scan wraps or repeats. Thus, Shu supports changing to an untried channel and outputting the channel-setting signal while the corresponding peer signal is not received. Claim 6 requires changing the channel of the first channel-setting signal to a channel not yet set and outputting it when the peer channel-setting signal is not received. A POSITA would be motivated to implement this behavior because non-receipt can occur for many routine reasons: the peer may be powered down, may be tuning at a different time, a channel may be blocked/noisy, or the initial selection may simply not match the peer. Timeout-driven iteration across candidate channels is a standard and practical solution to avoid deadlock and to systematically search the available tunable channel space. This strategy predictably increases the probability of quickly finding a mutually compatible channel with minimal operator intervention. It also reduces link establishment time in uncertain start-up conditions. Therefore, a POSITA would reasonably incorporate the “no-receipt → change to an untried channel → transmit again” behavior as an expected robustness improvement for tunable transceiver bring-up.
Claim 10
Claim 10 recites a method corresponding to the apparatus limitations of claim 1. Yang teaches the stepwise wavelength/channel selection and message exchange, including returning to selection when expected messages are not received “[0110] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical port auto-negotiation processing interaction process that uses the ONU-side optical module 522 and the OLT-side optical module 512 includes the following steps. [0111] Step 801: The optical module 522 selects a wavelength according to a particular algorithm specification and configures a tunable receiving component to work at the selected wavelength. [0112] Step 802: Listen to a downstream message on the downstream to-be-received wavelength; perform 803 if a wavelength idle message from the OLT-side optical module is received; and return to step 801 if no wavelength idle message indicating that a wavelength is idle is detected within a specified time Tl. [0113] Step 803: Send a wavelength application message on an upstream wavelength corresponding to the downstream wavelength and wait for the OLT-side optical module 512 to send a wavelength grant message; perform 804 if the wavelength grant message is received within a specified time T2; otherwise, go back to 801 or 802.” Yang, ¶¶ [0110] – [0113].
Yang does not expressly teach transmitting channel number information via 00B optical signals and locking the target channel after acknowledgement, However, in an analogous art, Shu teaches transmitting channel number information via 00B optical signals and locking the target channel after acknowledgement “[0094] In some aspects, the transceiver operating on band A may be a master transceiver and the transceiver operating on band B may be a slave transceiver. The master transceiver may begin a full channel slow scan in the target band, and the current channel number may be transmitted via 00B optical signals (e.g., to the corresponding transceiver). The slave transceiver may receive the transmitted 00B optical signals and may lock the target channel and send and acknowledgement to the master transceiver once it receives the target channel information via the 00B optical signals. The slave transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. The master transceiver may receive the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver and may stop the full channel slow scan and lock the current channel as the target channel once it receives the acknowledgement from the slave transceiver. The master transceiver may then begin operating on the target channel. Once the channel pairing is confirmed, the slave and the master transceivers may switch to channel pairing mode. [0099] In some configurations, the NMS may identify which transceivers are on which side of the optical network. For example, for two corresponding transceivers, the NMS may identify that one of the transceivers is on one side of an optical network, and the other transceiver is on the other side of the optical network. Additionally, or alternatively, the NMS may identify one of the transceivers as a master transceiver, and the other transceiver as the slave transceiver. Further, the NMS may transmit a request command to one or both of the transceivers of a pair of transceivers. The request command may include wavelength tuning and/or power tuning information. In some embodiments, the request command may identify that the transceiver is the master transceiver or the slave transceiver. In some configuration, the request command may be transmitted as an 00B optical signal.” Shu, ¶ [0094]; ¶ [0099].
Shu does not expressly teach limiting non-volatile writes and write suppression to improve endurance. However, in an analogous art, SFF-8472 teach limiting non-volatile writes and write suppression to improve endurance. “…….10.4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations [Address A2h, Page 00h / 01h, Bytes 128-247] For transceivers that do not support pages, or if the Page Select byte is written to 00h or 01h, addresses 128-247 represent 120 bytes of user/host writable non-volatile memory - for any reasonable use. Consult vendor datasheets for any limits on writing to these locations, including timing and maximum number of writes. Potential usage includes customer specific identification information, usage history statistics, scratch space for calculations, etc. It is generally not recommended this memory be used for latency critical or repetitive uses. Table 10-4 User Accessible EEPROM Locations, A2h 128-247, # Bytes 120, Name User EEPROM, User writable EEPROM……...” [SFF-8472, §10.4 (p.43)].
within analogous art, Ramalingam teaches limiting non-volatile writes and write suppression to improve endurance. “Techniques are disclosed for write suppression to improve endurance rating of non-volatile memories, such as QLCNAND SSDs or other relatively slow, low endurance nonvolatile memories. In an embodiment, an SSD is configured with a fast frontend non-volatile memory, a relatively slow lower endurance backend non-volatile memory, and a frontend manager that selectively transfers data from the fast memory to the slow memory based on transfer criteria. In operation, write data from the host is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager. The data is moved from the fast memory to the slow memory in bands. For each data band stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks invalid data counts and data age. Only bands that still remain valid are transferred to the slow memory. After a given band has been fully transferred, it is erased and reusable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager [ Ramalingam, Abstract].
Claim 10 recites the negotiation/storage behavior as a method. A POSITA would be motivated to implement the combined teachings as a method/state machine executed by the transceiver controller/MAC because negotiation, timeout handling, message generation, and channel locking are inherently procedural operations typically implemented in firmware.
Expressing these operations as a sequence of method steps yields deterministic, testable bring-up behavior: determine receive channel from forwarded peer information; transmit channel-setting messages containing channel fields; handle mismatch/non-receipt through channel changes; then commit only the final stable Tx/Rx channels to storage. The motivations are the same practical drivers as the apparatus: robustness to peer start-up variation, faster convergence, reduced overhead after lock, quicker restoration after resets using persisted final settings, and improved EEPROM endurance by limiting writes (SFF-8472 caution + Ramalingam write suppression). These improvements are predictable and align with standard firmware-driven transceiver design practice.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Shu et al. and further in view of SFF-8472, Ramalingam and Tomofuji (US5383046).
Claim 7
With respect to claim 7, all claim limitations of claim 1 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472 and Ramalingam as set forth above, except wherein the first and second channel setting optical signals are optical signals subjected to on/off modulation by the control unit. Yang does not expressly teach on/off modulation of the channel-setting optical control signals. However, in an analogous supervisory/control signaling art, Tomofuji teaches transmitting supervisory/control information using burst-shaped on/off signaling (bit '0' off; bit '1' on), which would have been an obvious modulation choice for the channel-setting optical signals of Yang/Shu, as follows:
Yang does not expressly teach on/off modulation of those channel-setting signals. However, in analogous optical supervisory/control signaling, Tomofuji teaches burst-shaped on/off signaling (bit 0=off, bit 1=on). “…………In the optical communication systems, supervisory signals for supervising the operational status of repeaters and so forth (signals which represent operational status of units) and signals for controlling status (such as switching an operating unit to a backup unit upon occurrence of a defect, setting a loop-back path, and so forth) should be transmissible through a line which is in operation. According to one of the methods which been studied, a sub-signal such as a supervisory and control signal is amplitude-modulated to a main signal by several percent so as to transmit supervisory and control information between an end station and a repeater. In conventional optical communication systems, optical signals are transmitted between two ground stations through an optical cable. Between these stations, repeaters are disposed at predetermined intervals. The repeaters amplify attenuated optical signals, control signals (commands) from the ground stations control the status of units, and transmit supervisory signals (messages) which represent the status of the units to the ground stations according to the control signals. Such supervisory and control signals are burst signals which are generated when required, not always. FIG. IA to 1D are schematic diagrams for explaining supervisory and control signals. FIG. 1A shows an original supervisory and control data signal. A sine wave with a carrier frequency of f1 is amplitude-modulated according to the value “0” or “1” of each bit. Thus, a burst shaped sub-signal is generated. When the value of bit is “0”, the amplitude of the burst signal is “0” (off). When the value of bit is “1”, the amplitude of the burst signal becomes constant (on). The sub-signal is superimposed on the main signal………...” [Tomofuji, col. 1-2]. 1-5].
Claim 7 adds that the channel-setting optical signals are subjected to on/off modulation by the control unit. Even if a primary negotiation reference does not explicitly describe the modulation format for the channel-setting signal, a POSITA would be motivated to select on/off modulation because it is one of the simplest and most robust ways to convey supervisory/control information during early link bring-up when the receiver may not yet have optimized equalization or stable link parameters.
Tomofuji teaches burst-shaped on/off signaling (bit 0 = off, bit 1 = on) to convey control information. A POSITA would apply that known, field-proven supervisory signaling technique to the channel-setting signals of the negotiation system because it is easy to implement using standard transmitter gating/driver control and it provides predictable improvements in detectability and robustness. This is a classic example of applying a known signaling technique to an analogous control-signaling problem to obtain predictable results without undue experimentation.
Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Shu et al. and further in view of SFF-8472, Ramalingam, Tomofuji and Elahmadi (US20170201812A1).
Claim 8
With respect to claim 8, all limitations of claim 7 are taught by Yang, Shu, SFF-8472, Ramalingam and Tomofuji except a transmitter including a laser diode driver (drive unit) that outputs a drive signal corresponding to an input signal and drives an optical output unit to output a modulated optical signal However, Yang teaches a driver (LDD) providing a drive current (drive signal) and a tunable laser outputting an optical signal modulated according to the drive current, “[0069] The OLT-side optical module 512 may also be a fixed-wavelength optical module. In this case, the receiving component 610 does not include the tunable filter 611 and may include a fixed-wavelength filter. When the OLT-side optical module 512 is a fixed-wavelength optical module, the sending component 630 is also a fixed-wavelength sending component. [0073] Optionally, the multiplexer 670 may be a frequency combiner and couples, in a frequency domain, a data signal driven by the LDD 640 with the control signal generated by the processor 650. For example, when a control signal may be a low-frequency signal of0 to 10 MHz, the multiplexer 670 multiplexes the low-frequency control signal and a high-frequency data signal in the frequency domain. [0074] Optionally, the multiplexer 670 includes a high pass filter (HPF) and a low pass filter (LPF), which are respectively configured to filter a data signal and a control signal before coupling. [0075] Optionally, the HPF or the LPF may also be implemented outside the multiplexer 670. For example, the HPF is implemented in the LDD 640, and the LPF may be implemented in the processor 650. [0076] Optionally, when the sending component 630 is current-driven, the LDD 640 provides a drive current for a data signal, and the processor 650 provides a drive current for a control signal. In this case, the multiplexer 670 may be omitted, or only the drive current of the LDD 640 and the drive current of the processor 650 are superposed to drive the sending component 630. In this case, the LDD 640 and the processor 650 are connected to a cathode or an anode of the sending component 630. [0077] Optionally, when the sending component 630 is voltage-driven, the LDD 640 provides a drive voltage for a data signal, and the processor 650 provides a drive voltage for a control signal. In this case, the multiplexer 670 is configured to superpose voltage signals, and then directly drive the sending component 630 or drive the sending component 630 by using an extra circuit. [0078] Optionally, the multiplexer 670 may be integrated in a laser diode driver. When the sending component 630 is current-driven, the laser diode driver outputs a hybrid drive current signal to drive the cathode or anode of the sending component 630. When the sending component 630 is voltage- driven, the laser diode driver outputs a hybrid drive voltage signal to drive the sending component 630.” Yang, FIG.6, ¶ [0069]. ¶¶ [0073] - [0075], ¶¶ [0076] - [0078].
within analogous art Further, Elahmadi Further teaches a conventional TOSA driver/TOSA transmit chain in pluggable optical transceivers Combining Yang’s negotiation signaling with known on/off modulation per Tomofuji through the driver chain would have been obvious to implement the claimed on/off-modulated channel-setting optical signal output
“[0029] Referring to FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment, a block diagram illustrates an SFP module 400. The SFP module 400 is a compact optical transceiver used in optical communications for both telecommunication and data communications applications. It interfaces a network device line card 402 (for a switch, router or similar device, i.e., the host device 110) to a fiber optic or unshielded twisted pair networking cable. The SFP module 400 is a popular industry format supported by several fiber optic component vendors. SFP modules 400 are designed to support SONET, Ethernet, Fiber Channel, and other communications standards. [0030] The SFP modules 400 are available with a variety [0030] The SFP modules 400 are available with a variety of different transmitter (Tx) 404 and receiver (Rx) 406 types, allowing users to select the appropriate transceiver for each link to provide the required optical reach over the available optical fiber type (e.g. multi-mode fiber or single-mode fiber). Optical SFP modules 400 are commonly available in four different categories: 850 nm (SX), 1310 nm (LX), 1550 nm (ZX), and DWDM. SFP transceivers are also available with a "copper" cable interface, allowing a host device designed primarily for optical fiber communications also to communicate over unshielded twisted pair networking cable. There are also CWDM and single-optic (1310/1490 nm upstream/downstream) SFPs. The different categories of SFP modules 400 are based on different PMD Tx Transmitter Optical Subassemblies (TOSA) 404 and PMD Rx Receiver Optical Subassemblies (ROSA) 406. [0031] The SFP module 400 is specified by a multi-source agreement (MSA) between competing manufacturers. The SFP module 400 is commercially available with capability for data rates up to 4.25 Gbit/s or higher. The SFP module 400 supports digital optical monitoring (DOM) functions according to the industry-standard SFF-8472 Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) "Diagnostic Monitoring Interface for Optical Transceivers," the contents of which are incorporated by reference. This feature gives an end user the ability to monitor real-time parameters of the SFP, such as optical output power, optical input power, temperature, laser bias current, and transceiver supply voltage. [0032] The SFP module 400 includes a TOSA driver 408 which is configured to interface to a Tx serial interface on the line card 402. The TOSA driver 408 provides the serial input to the PMD Tx TOSA 404. The PMD Rx ROSA 406 is configured to receive an optical signal and provide the received optical signal to a Rx pre-amp 410 which interfaces to a Rx serial interface on the line card 404. In conventional SFP modules 400, the line card 402 (or another host device) includes a CDR and clocked output, and this functionality is not included on the SFP module 400, i.e. the SFP module 400 does not include an internal reference clock. Additionally, the SFP module 400 includes an I2C management interface 412 which interfaces to the line card 402 to provide the DOM and other MSA-based communications. Note, in the SFP MSA, the I2C management interface 412 has limited functions.” Elahmadi, ¶¶ [0029] - [0032].
Claim 8 ties the on/off-modulated channel-setting signal to a standard transmitter structure including a drive unit and a wavelength-tunable optical output unit. A POSITA would be motivated to implement the channel-setting signal through the existing transmitter driver chain because that chain is the standard physical mechanism by which any modulated optical output is produced in a pluggable transceiver (driver → tunable laser/TOSA).
Elahmadi describes conventional transceiver/host architectures that include the typical transmitter driver path, and Tomofuji/Hayashi provides a concrete on/off control-burst technique. A POSITA would combine these teachings to implement the channel-setting signaling as an on/off-modulated drive signal applied through the existing driver/output path because it avoids adding dedicated extra hardware, reduces cost and complexity, and yields predictable results: the optical output unit will emit the desired on/off modulated channel-setting signal in a manner consistent with how transceivers already generate modulated signals.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Shu et al. and further in view of SFF-8472, Ramalingam, and Elahmadi.
Claim 9
Claim 9 recites an optical communication system with first and second optical transmission apparatuses, each including a plurality of optical transceivers and a multiplexer/demultiplexer for multiplexing and demultiplexing optical signals by channel, connected by an optical cable. Elahmadi teaches a host device equipped with plural pluggable optical transceivers used in WDM transmission and interfacing with WDM multiplexers/demultiplexers, thereby teaching the recited system architecture.
Yang teaches an optical communication system with a central office and terminal devices connected by optical fiber using WDM channels and associated multiplexing/demultiplexing. “[0004] Generally, a PON system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) located in a central office, multiple optical network units (ONUs) or optical network terminals (ONTs) located at a user side, and an optical distribution network (ODN) used to perform multiplexing/demultiplexing on an optical signal between the optical line terminal and the optical network units. The optical line terminal and the optical network unit perform upstream and downstream data transcribing by using optical modules disposed in the optical line terminal and the optical network unit. Because a Gigabit passive optical network (GPON), an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON), a 1 0GPON, or a 1 0GEPON that is currently deployed or is being deployed is a single-wavelength system, that is, there is only one wavelength in an upstream (a direction from the ONU to the OLT is referred to as upstream) direction and a downstream (a direction from the OLT to the ONU is referred to as downstream) direction, an upstream bandwidth and a downstream bandwidth are shared by multiple ONUs, limiting bandwidth improvement of each ONU. For ease of description, the following ONU is an alternative name of an ONU and/or ONT. [0005] To improve a transmission bandwidth of a same fiber, the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector, ITU-T) standard organization is formulating a time wavelength division multiplex passive optical network (TWDM-PON). The TWDM-PON is a time division multiplex (TDM) and wavelength division multiplex (WDM) hybrid system. In the downstream direction, there are multiple (generally 4 to 8) wavelengths to be transmitted in a WDM manner, and in the upstream direction, there are also multiple (generally 4 to 8) wavelengths to be transmitted in a WDM manner. Each ONU may choose to receive data of any downstream wavelength and uploads data by using any upstream wavelength. Specific wavelength allocation is controlled by the OLT, and function control is mainly performed by a Media Access Control (MAC) module of the OLT. Each wavelength works in a TDM mode. That is, one wavelength may be connected to multiple ONUs, each ONU connected to a same wavelength in the downstream direction occupies a bandwidth of a partial timeslot, and each ONU connected to a same wavelength in the upstream direction uploads data in a time division manner. In the TWDM-PON, which wavelength an ONU is registered with is controlled by the OLT. Because a laser diode (LD) implementing electrical-to-optical conversion and a photo detector (PD) implementing optical-to electrical conversion are in an optical module, which is generally a pluggable optical module such as a small formfactor pluggable (SFP), the OLT needs to use a MAC of the ONU to control an optical module of the ONU to select a particular wavelength for receiving and sending. Therefore, two problems exist: one is that complex interaction is needed between an OLT and an ONU; and the other is that an optical module cannot work independently of an ONU and an OLT, that is, an optical module used in a TWDMPON cannot be used in another WDM scenario, for example, cannot be used as an optical module of an Ethernet switch optical port. [0006] Another manner for improving a transmission bandwidth of a same fiber is a wavelength division multiplex passive optical network (WDM-PON). A specific structure is shown in FIG. 3. An operating wavelength of each ONU is determined by an array waveguide grating (AWG) because a wavelength passing through each AWG port is determinate, and an optical module of each ONU works at a different wavelength. In a WDM-PON, there are mainly two types of optical modules. One is that a wavelength of an optical module of each ONU is fixed, that is, an optical module is colored. In this case, N optical modules of different types are needed to deploy one WDM-PON. N is a quantity of ports of an AWG. Storage and management of optical modules are relatively troublesome. The other optical module has a tunable wavelength and is also referred to as a colorless optical module. There are multiple manners for implementing a colorless optical module. CN201010588118.2 provides a self-seeded colorless WDMPON solution. An external cavity laser is implemented by changing an ODN structure and adding a reflector between two AWGs. Autonomous wavelength selection is directly performed by using an AWG, to select a wavelength of each ONU optical module. FIG. 4 is a tunable laser-based WDMPON. A self-seeded colorless WDM-PON needs to modify an existing ODN network and is not suitable for a splitter based ODN network. These splitter-based ODN networks have been deployed on a global scale and are used for GPON or EPON access routing. Allocation and management of a wavelength of a tunable laser-based colorless WDM-PON optical module are still in the charge of OLT and ONU devices. Tight coupling between the devices and the optical module limits that such colorless optical modules can be applied only to WDM-PON devices supporting wavelength allocation and management but cannot be directly used as optical modules of Ethernet switches that are already widely used.” Yang ¶ [0004]- [0006]; Fig. 2; Fig. 6.
within analogous art, Elahmadi further teaches host devices with pluggable optical transceivers communicatively coupled to WDM multiplexers/demultiplexers, teaching the recited first/second transmission apparatuses with multiplexer/demultiplexer and multiple transceivers, “[0017] In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a pluggable optical transceiver providing wavelength tuning information, such as to host devices that do not support wavelength tuning in associated pluggable optical transceivers. In an exemplary embodiment, the pluggable optical transceiver can be XFP or SFP; note, the XFP and SFP MSAs do not necessarily include wavelength tuning information between the host device and the pluggable optical transceiver. The wavelength tuning information can be provided using existing MSA diagnostic information. For example, the wavelength tuning information can be provided as part of the vendor part number field which is an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) string. The present disclosure contemplates conveying a current wavelength on a wavelength tunable pluggable optical transceiver as part of the vendor part number field or some other existing field as specified in an MSA. As such, the present disclosure supports wavelength tuning information in MSAs that do not support such features. [0018] Referring to FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, a block diagram illustrates a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) system 10 with one or more pluggable optical transceivers 100 included in a host device 110. The one or more pluggable optical transceivers 100 can be communicatively coupled to WDM multiplexers/demultiplexers 120 which can be communicatively coupled to an amplifier 130 for transmission. The host device 110 can include servers, routers, Ethernet switches, multiservice provisioning platforms (MSPPs), optical cross-connects, or any other device with requirements for optical transmission. The pluggable optical transceivers 100 are compatible with an MSA, such as XFP, SFP, XENPAK, etc., and the pluggable optical transceivers 100 support wavelength tuning of operating wavelength. The wavelength tuning can be any wavelength between 1528 to 1565 nm. In an exemplary embodiment, the wavelength tuning can be based on the wavelength grids defined in ITU-T G.694.1 (02/2012) "Spectral grids for WDM applications: DWDM frequency grid" or ITU-T G.694.2 (12/2003) "Spectral grids for WDM applications: CWDM wavelength grid," the contents of each is incorporated by reference. In ITU-T G.694.1, the grid is defined relative to 193.1 THz and extends from 191.7 THz to 196.1 THz with 100 GHz spacing. While defined in frequency, the grid is often expressed in terms of wavelength, in which case it covers the wavelength range of 1528.77 nm to 1563.86 nm with approximately a 0.8 nm channel spacing. For practical purposes, the grid has been extended to cover 186 THz to 201 THz and subdivided to provide 50 GHz and 25 GHz spaced grid. Of course, other values of wavelength tuning are also contemplated. [0019] The host device 110 can be any device adapted to operate the pluggable optical transceivers 100, but does not support wavelength tuning diagnostics. Specifically, the pluggable optical transceivers 100 and the host device 110 are compliant to an MSA that does not specific wavelength tuning diagnostics. The pluggable optical transceivers 100 are designed to specifications such that they can be installed in any device 110 designed to host a pluggable optical transceiver 100. These specifications allow the design of the host device 110 to be decoupled from the design of the pluggable optical transceivers 100. Alternatively, the pluggable optical transceivers 100 can also be used for single wavelength applications, i.e. non-WDM transmission. Having WDM and wavelength tunability in the pluggable optical transceivers 100 can avoid the use of an external transponder between the pluggable optical transceivers 100 and the WDM multiplexers/demultiplexers 120. [0020] FIG. 1 illustrates the host device 110 equipped with pluggable optical transceivers 100 where the pluggable optical transceivers 100 are designed to support native optical line rates such as 9 .96 Gbps for SO NET OC-192 and SDH STM-64, 10.3 Gbps for GbE LAN PHY, 10.5 Gbps for 10 G Fiber Channel, and the like. The pluggable optical transceivers 100 are configured to accept an electrical signal and to convert it into an optical signal for transmission to the WDM multiplexers/demultiplexers 120.” Elahmadi, ¶¶ [0017] - [0020].
Claim 9 places the channel-setting negotiation/storage behavior within a WDM system that includes multiple optical transceivers per apparatus and mux/demux components. A POSITA would be motivated to apply the transceiver-level negotiation approach in such a system because multi-channel WDM environments benefit greatly from plug-and-play provisioning manually configuring channels across many transceivers is operationally expensive and prone to error.
Elahmadi provides a known system context with pluggable transceivers coupled to WDM mux/demux structures, where automated tuning/negotiation reduces deployment friction and improves maintainability. A POSITA would therefore integrate the negotiation and channel determination behavior into each transceiver in the system to achieve predictable improvements: faster installation, fewer provisioning mistakes, and faster restoration. Persisting only final settings to standardized management EEPROM (with endurance-conscious write minimization as taught by SFF-8472 and Ramalingam) further improves system-level uptime because after reset/module swap, the system can rapidly return to known working channels without repeating exhaustive scanning.
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123.
Conclusion
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/MOHAMMED ABDELRAHEEM/Examiner, Art Unit 2635
/DAVID C PAYNE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2635