Optical Backplane Segmentation for Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical backplane systems require entire cabinet replacement and service interruption during upgrades, as they lack sufficient optical channels, necessitating a complete shutdown for replacement.
Innovation Solution
The optical backplane system is designed with a hierarchical structure of upper-level and lower-level optical interconnection modules, allowing for incremental upgrades of lower-level modules without impacting services, using a support frame and interface fastening slots for efficient replacement and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the optical backplane does not include a sufficient quantity of optical channels, then the optical backplane needs to be replaced with a new optical backplane including more optical channels, but this replacement process requires the device to be powered off, resulting in service interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The optical backplane is divided into multiple independent optical channel cards that can be individually replaced. Each card contains a portion of the optical channels, allowing incremental upgrades without replacing the entire backplane. This segmentation enables service continuity as other cards remain operational during replacement of a single card.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic replacement of optical channel cards during operation. The hot-swappable design enables cards to be inserted or removed while the device remains powered on, allowing the system to adapt its capacity dynamically without service interruption.
2Productivity
If the optical backplane needs to be replaced to increase optical channels, then the system capacity is improved, but the entire cabinet needs to be replaced and service is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The optical backplane system is segmented into independent replaceable cards rather than requiring replacement of the entire backplane or cabinet. This allows incremental capacity increases by adding or replacing individual cards, minimizing service interruption to only the specific card being replaced rather than the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of replacing the entire optical backplane to achieve capacity increase, the system allows partial replacement of only the necessary optical channel cards. This partial action approach achieves the required capacity expansion with minimal service interruption and without replacing more components than necessary.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional optical backplane is replaced, then more optical channels are available, but the replacement process is complex and requires complete system shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The optical backplane is segmented into standardized, independently replaceable cards with uniform interfaces. This segmentation simplifies the replacement operation as each card can be individually swapped without affecting other cards, making the process more manageable and less complex than replacing an entire integrated backplane.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical channel cards are designed with universal interfaces and standardized form factors that allow them to be interchangeably replaced. This universality simplifies the replacement operation as the same card design can serve multiple positions and functions, reducing the complexity of the replacement process.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses an optical backplane system, a switching system, and a switching system upgrade method. The optical backplane system includes a first upper-level optical interconnection module, a first lower-level optical interconnection module, and a second lower-level optical interconnection module. The first upper-level optical interconnection module includes M1 first interfaces and N1 second interfaces in connection relationships. The first lower-level optical interconnection module includes L1 third interfaces and K1 fourth interfaces in connection relationships. The second lower-level optical interconnection module includes L2 third interfaces and K2 fourth interfaces in connection relationships. The first upper-level optical interconnection module is connected to one of the L1 third interfaces of the first lower-level optical interconnection module by using one of the N1 second interfaces. The first upper-level optical interconnection module is connected to one of the L2 third interfaces of the second lower-level optical interconnection module by using another one of the N1 second interfaces. All the first interfaces and the fourth interfaces are configured to connect to processing modules. All M1, N1, K1, K2, L1, and L2 are greater than 1.