Remote Status Indicators for Pluggable Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network communication devices, such as those used in passive optical networks, lack local indicators for status information due to their small form factor, making it difficult to monitor their operational status.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that store status data in a memory within the network communication device and signal changes using a pluggable connector, allowing the host device to retrieve and display this status data on a local indicator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the network communication device uses a small form factor to reduce device size and improve compactness, then the device becomes more compact and easier to install, but the device lacks space for local status indicators making it difficult to monitor operational status
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the pluggable connector and host device to transfer status data from the network communication device to a location where indicators can be displayed. The connector acts as a communication bridge, carrying status information from the compact device to the host device's indicator system, thereby resolving the contradiction between small size and status visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the status information by transmitting it from the network communication device's memory to the host device. Instead of displaying physical indicators on the small device, the status data is copied and displayed on the host device's local indicators, allowing status monitoring without adding physical components to the compact device.
2Ease of operation
If the network communication device integrates local status indicators to enable direct status monitoring, then status visibility is improved, but the device complexity and form factor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the status indication function from the network communication device itself and relocates it to the host device. By separating the status monitoring capability from the communication device, the patent reduces the communication device's complexity while maintaining ease of status monitoring through the host device's indicator system.
Solution Approach 2:
The host device serves multiple functions: it acts as both the communication interface and the status display system. By making the host device universal, it can handle both data communication and status indication tasks, eliminating the need for separate indicator components in the communication device.
3Speed
If status data is continuously transmitted over the pluggable connector to enable real-time monitoring, then status update responsiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic status data transmission instead of continuous transmission. The status data is updated and transmitted at specific intervals or when status changes occur, rather than continuously. This periodic approach maintains real-time monitoring capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method includes storing status data for a network communication device connected to a host device by a pluggable connector in a memory of the network communication device. A change in the status data is signaled using a signal on the pluggable connector. The status data is sent from the memory of the network communication device to the host device over the pluggable connector. The status data is displayed on a local indicator of the host device.