For

APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR ETHERNET DEMARCATION WITH INTEGRAL NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE (NID) DIAGNOSTICS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:

[0001] The present invention relates to improved demarcation devices between service providers and subscribers in telecommunication networks. For example, the present invention relates to demarcation panel modules or standard telecommunications equipment rack cards (e.g., Type 200 Mechanics ^® card or Type 400 Mechanics cards) having network interface device (NID) components, or ports for connecting to enhanced transceivers (e.g., Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers) that have built-in NID components.

Glossary:

[0002] The following definitions, terminology and acronyms are provided for the purposes of illustrations and examples:

[0003] CE: Customer Equipment is a switch/router that is located at the customer premise and connects (directly or indirectly) to Provider Edge device (PE).

[0004] CLE/NTE: Customer Located Equipment/Network Termination Equipment.

[0005] CPE: Customer Premise Equipment is electronic equipment that is placed at the customer site, but belongs to the service provider.

[0006] MEF: Metro Ethernet Forum is an industry forum that is chartered to define Ethernet services and interoperable capabilities.

[0007] NE: Network Element is any router or switch that forwards and processes the messages. [0008] NID: Network Interface Device, or sometimes called Network Demarcation Device (NDD). NID is installed at or near customer premises so that a communication service provider can diagnose and ensure service delivery up to the NID.

[0009] NMS: Network Management System is the software that controls the complete network of a service provider.

[0010] OAM: Operation, Administration and Management. OAM is a tool used by communication service providers to manage equipment and diagnose communication problems.

[0011] PCB: a printed circuit board.

[0012] PE device: Provide Edge device is a switch/router that is located at the edge of a service provider (SP) network and connects (directly or indirectly) to customer equipment (CE).

[0013] PM: a demarcation panel module.

[0014] SFP: small form-factor pluggable (SFP) is a compact, hot-pluggable transceiver used for both telecommunication and data communications applications. The form factor and electrical interface are specified by a multi-source agreement (MSA) and standardized by the SFF Committee in the SFP specification INF-8074i available at ftp://frp.seagate.com/sff/INF- 8074.pdf, in extensions to the SFP MSA document such as other SFF documents available from the SFF Committee, and in similar specifications for other types of transceivers. An SFP is plugged into communication equipment, such as switch and routers, to provide a media conversion, such as converting electrical signals to optical for transport over fiber optics. For example, an SFP transceiver interfaces a network device motherboard (for a switch, router, media converter or similar device) to a fiber optic or copper networking cable. SFP transceivers are designed to support SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other communications standards and have been used for data rates of 10 Mbit/s to 10 Gbit/s. Other form-factor pluggable transceivers are available which operate at similar or higher rates.

[0015] SFP NID: a device that includes NID functionality within a standard SFP [0016] SP: Service Provider is a company that provides data, voice (and possibly video communication), and connectivity for the customers. Examples of SPs are AT&T and Verizon.

[0017] WAN: Wide Area Network refers to a network that covers a large geographical area.

[0018] 802.1 and 802.3 are IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standards for Ethernet communications.

Description of Related Art:

[0019] Carrier Ethernet is a term for extensions to Ethernet to enable

telecommunications network providers (e.g., common carriers or service providers) to provide Ethernet services to customers and to utilize Ethernet technology in their networks. As such, Carrier Ethernet is a standardized carrier-class service and network defined by certain attributes that distinguish it from LAN-based Ethernet such as standardized services, quality of service, reliability, service management and scalability.

[0020] Carrier Ethernet demarcation is a key element in Carrier Ethernet services and transport networks for business, wholesale and mobile backhaul applications, as it enables service providers to extend their control over the entire service path, starting from the hand off points. This is achieved by connecting customer premises equipment (CPE) to the network with provider-owned demarcation devices that are deployed at customer locations, thereby enabling a clear separation between the user and provider networks.

[0021] A network interface device (NID) generally provides a demarcation between two network domains, and is particularly useful to provide a demarcation point between telecommunications infrastructure that is the responsibility of the telecommunications carrier or provider and telecommunications infrastructure that is the responsibility of the a subscriber or customer. Since service providers of Carrier Ethernet are responsible for providing customers with certain contractual quality of service, making network monitoring and diagnostics (e.g., OAM and traffic condition functionalities) important functions to them, large service providers such as Verizon have been using Ethernet Network Interface Devices (NIDs) 18, as illustrated in FIG. 1, as demarcation points for their Ethernet Services for several years.

[0022] The most common type of Ethernet NID deployed supports 10/ 100/ 1000 Mbps services and contains "UNI-N" functions, such as CE-VLAN-ID to EVC mapping, tag push/pop, performance monitoring and some Service Activation Test functions. These NIDs are typically implemented as "half-rack" x 1RU network elements, that is, box-type components configured for mounting in a telecommunications equipment rack that is, for example, 1 RU or 1.75 inches high and half the mounting width of a rack that is typically 19 or 23 inches wide. These conventional NIDs therefore consume a significant amount of the limited and therefore valuable space available at a cell site (e.g., for a Mobile Backhaul Service) or IT equipment room (e.g., in the case of a Business Services customer). These rack-mounted, box-type NIDs offer both optical and electrical UNI ports to the subscriber and are AC or DC powered. Since demand for these conventional NIDs is expected to increase dramatically as businesses continue to move to Ethernet services, a need exists for smaller NIDs that consume less space when deployed yet have the same or increased functionality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The above and other problems are overcome, and additional advantages are realized, by illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, methods and apparatuses employ improved form factors for NIDs such as demarcation panel modules or standard telecommunications equipment rack cards (e.g., Type 200 Mechanics ^® card or Type 400 Mechanics cards) having network interface device (NID) components, or ports for connecting to enhanced transceivers (e.g., Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers) that have built-in NID components.

[0025] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a telecommunications equipment module for providing demarcation between a subscriber and a carrier provider network, and Ethernet service demarcation from the carrier provider network to the subscriber, comprises: at least one network media interface configured to connect to a network Ethernet access medium; at least one subscriber media interface configured to connect to a subscriber Ethernet access medium; a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the network media interface and the subscriber media interface; and a housing enclosing the printed circuit board, the network media interface and the subscriber media interface being accessible from at least one of the front face and the back face. The housing is dimensioned to be inserted into a demarcation panel, the demarcation panel having an opening along a horizontal plane of the demarcation panel that is divided into a plurality of sections into which respective telecommunications equipment modules can be installed. The housing is dimensioned to fit within one of the panel sections. At least one of the network media interface and the subscriber media interface is a cage configured to receive a small- form pluggable optical transceiver (SFP), and the printed circuit board comprises a media interface configured to electrically connect to the SFP.

[0026] In accordance with illustrative aspects of an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the SFP and the PCB comprises a network interface device (NID), and the NID is configured to monitor service delivery by the network Ethernet access medium to the telecommunications subscriber.

[0027] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a telecommunications equipment module that provides demarcation between a subscriber and a carrier provider network, and Ethernet services from the carrier provider network to the subscriber, comprises: at least one network media interface configured to connect to a network Ethernet access medium; at least one subscriber media interface configured to connect to a subscriber Ethernet access medium; a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the network media interface and the subscriber media interface; and a housing enclosing the printed circuit board, the network media interface and the subscriber media interface being accessible from at least one of a front face or a back face. The housing is dimensioned to be inserted into a demarcation panel, the demarcation panel having an opening along a horizontal plane of the demarcation panel that is divided into a plurality of sections into which respective telecommunications equipment modules can be installed. The housing is dimensioned to fit within one of the panel sections with suitable power connection to power the NID circuitry. The printed circuit board comprises a network interface device (NID), the NID being configured to monitor service delivery by the network Ethernet access medium to the telecommunications subscriber.

[0028] In accordance with illustrative aspects of embodiments of the present invention, network media interface is the cage, and the subscriber media interface is another cage configured to receive an SFP or an optical interface. For example, the optical interface is one of an SC, ST and LC optical fiber connector. Alternatively, the network media interface can be a connector for terminating a copper Ethernet line (e.g., an RJ45 connector).

[0029] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a telecommunications equipment module that provides demarcation between a subscriber and a carrier provider network, and Ethernet services from the carrier provider network to the subscriber, comprises: a standard telecommunications equipment card configured for deployment in a standard telecommunications equipment rack comprising shelves with card slots; at least one network media interface disposed on the standard telecommunications equipment card and configured to connect to a network Ethernet access medium; at least one subscriber media interface disposed on the standard telecommunications equipment card and configured to connect to a subscriber Ethernet access medium; and a connection management circuit disposed on the standard telecommunications equipment card and electrically connected to the network media interface and the subscriber media interface to configure the standard telecommunications equipment card as a demarcation point between a subscriber and a network. At least one of the network media interface and the subscriber media interface is a cage configured to receive a small-form pluggable optical transceiver (SFP), and the connection management circuit comprises a media interface configured to electrically connect to an SFP when an SFP is inserted into the cage. At least one of the SFP and the a standard telecommunications equipment card comprises a network interface device (NID), the NID being configured to monitor service delivery by the network Ethernet access medium to the telecommunications subscriber. [0030] In accordance with illustrative aspects of an embodiment of the present invention, the standard telecommunications equipment card is one of a Type 200 Mechanics ^® card and a Type 400 Mechanics card.

[0031] In accordance with illustrative aspects of embodiments of the present invention, the NID is configured to perform at least one of loopback operations, Operation, Administration and Management (OAM) operations, and/or performance monitoring.

[0032] Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description that follows, or will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The present invention will be more readily understood with reference to the illustrative embodiments thereof as shown in the attached drawing figures, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of conventional networks, network elements, and network access facilities;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a representative conventional demarcation panel having panel modules inserted therein which are constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0036] FIGs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G and 3H are block diagrams of printed circuit boards that can be provided in a respective panel modules in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a network in which an SFP NID (i.e., a device that includes NID functionality within a standard SFP) is deployed;

[0038] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a NID that can be employed in a demarcation panel module or card in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a demarcation panel module constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention having SFP cage openings, respectively on the front and back plates of the module for network side and subscriber side access media connections;

[0040] FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the demarcation panel module of FIG. 6A having an SFP or SFP NID inserted in an opening in its front panel in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0041] FIGs. 6C, 6D and 6E are side, front and back views of the demarcation panel module of FIG. 6A;

[0042] FIGs. 7 A, 7B and 7C are, respectively, perspective, front and side views of a demarcation panel module constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention having SFP cage openings on the front plate of the module for network side and subscriber side access media connections;

[0043] FIGs. 8 A, 8B and 8C are, respectively, perspective, front and side views of the demarcation panel module in FIGs. 7A, 7B and 7C having SFPs or SFP NIDs inserted in openings in its front panel in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0044] FIGs. 9 A, 9B and 9C are, respectively, perspective, front and side views of the demarcation panel module in FIGs. 7A, 7B and 7C having SFPs or SFP NIDs inserted in openings in its front panel wherein one of the SFPs or SFP NIDs has a heat fin in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0045] FIGs. 10A, 10B, IOC, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G and 10H are front, back or side views of different demarcation panel modules constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention having different combinations and configurations of network side and subscriber side interfaces;

[0046] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a demarcation card constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] FIG. 12A is a perspective view of a demarcation card constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] FIG. 12B and 12C are front and side views of the demarcation panel module of FIG. 12 A; [0049] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a demarcation card enclosure constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] FIG. 14A is a perspective view of a demarcation card enclosure having a door and constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and

[0051] FIG. 14B, 14C and 14D are front and side views of the demarcation card of

FIG. 14A.

[0052] Throughout the drawing figures, like reference numbers will be understood to refer to like elements, features and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0053] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described herein exemplify, but do not limit, the present invention by referring to the drawings. As will be understood by one skilled in the art, terms such as up, down, bottom, and top are relative, and are employed to aid illustration, but are not limiting.

[0054] Overview

[0055] In accordance with aspects of illustrative embodiments of the present invention, improved NIDs are provided for Carrier Ethernet service providers that: (a) reduce the footprint of the NID (e.g., the amount of space required by the NID at the point of installation), (b) may reduce the on-site power consumed by the NID, (c) prevent having to expend time and monetary resources to send trucks to various sites to install a NID (i.e., a pluggable NID that is easy to install by an IT professional and therefore obviates the need for a service provider to "roll trucks"), (d) provide a solution in instances when a SFP NID cannot be used because it lacks a clearly defined demarcation point between provider and subscriber networks or instances when a SFP NID cannot provide media conversion between, for example, a provider's fiber network and subscriber metallic connections and/or (e) reduce the cost of the NID. Further, illustrative embodiments of the present invention are advantageous in that they provide such improved NIDs to service providers without the loss of functionality or visibility at the demarcation point of the service.

[0056] For example, an illustrative improved demarcation module is provided that can be deployed in a demarcation panel such as those provided by Enginuity

Communications Inc. or other telecommunications equipment vendors. The improved demarcation module comprises NID components and can be deployed in a passive demarcation panel (e.g., a panel that does not comprise active electronic circuits). For example, a panel can be provided with one or more removable demarcation modules that are each configured to interface with the respective access media of the subscriber side and the network side, wherein the respective media can be the same or different, the respective media interfaces can both be front panel interfaces or be deployed on the front or back of the module and therefore on the front or back of a rack or wall- mounted demarcation panel.

[0057J In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a

Type 200 Mechanics ^® card is provided with NID components or a cage for receiving a SFP NID for deployment in a standard telecommunications equipment rack employed at such sites as cell site suites, cell site demarcation cabinets, central offices, customer premises, remote cabinets, controlled environment vaults, huts or standard relay racks or outside plant cabinets. The Type 200 Mechanics ^® card, or other standard mechanics card, is configured to provide a demarcation point between a subscriber and a network, whose respective access media are terminated at corresponding access media interfaces provided on the card. Because Type 200 cards are often used to provide Tl demarcation electronics, this implementation is

particularly useful when transitioning subscribers from Tl service to Ethernet service because an existing Tl demarcation card can be unplugged and a new Ethernet demarcation card constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention can be plugged in its place and powered from the existing power supply.

[0058] For example, the standard telecommunications equipment card with NID components can be deployed in rack-mounted devices configured for installation in a standard telecommunications equipment rack. Further, the card can be a Type 400 Mechanics card. As a further example, a demarcation unit can be a rack-mounted device provided with one or more removable Type 200 demarcation cards that ^' are each configured to interface with the respective access media of the subscriber side and the network side.

[0059] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present, NID functions are provided on Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers (SFP NIDs) and demarcation modules or Type 200 cards are provided that are configured to receive SFP NIDs instead of having NID components therein.

[0060] Carrier Ethernet service providers have increasing need for Carrier Ethernet demarcation devices installed near customer premises to perform, for example, service level agreement (SLA) monitoring to assure delivery of contracted Ethernet services. The improved NIDs constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention are advantageous because they can provide enhanced network monitoring and diagnostics functions to Carrier Ethernet service providers at demarcation points that are deployed increasingly closer to subscribers. As stated above, telecommunications equipment infrastructure is often deployed in telco huts, telecommunications closets, and the like, which are generally space-limited; therefore, efficient use of space at these installations becomes increasingly desirable, particularly for remote infrastructure deployed at or near subscribers' premises. This illustrative embodiment of the present invention permits a standard SFP NID used in other provider applications to be deployed, instead, in a Type 200 Mechanics ^® card or demarcation panel as described in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention and maintain identical remote abilities to provide SLA monitoring and remote diagnostics to significantly reduce provider costs through the use of one type of SFP NID in all applications.

[0061] In addition, ubiquitous use of rack mounted equipment within limited equipment space requires network interfaces that are flexible and reconfigurable as transmission or access technologies and therefore delivery media and connectors change (e.g., Ethernet 10/100 or GigaEthernet (GE) using Cat5 or Cat6 or Cat7 cables and RJ45 connectors, Ethernet over fiber using SC, ST or LC connectors, DS3 using coaxial cable and BNC connectors, Tl/El using Cat5 or Cat6 or Cat7 cables and RJ48 connectors, among others). As described below, the improved NIDs constructed in accordance with illustrative - 12 - embodiments of the present invention, such as demarcation panel modules, or standard mechanics (e.g., Type 200 Mechanics ^® or Type 400 Mechanics) cards configured for removable insertion into a shelf unit or a one-half shelf unit that is rack-mountable or already rack-mounted in a telecommunications rack, are advantageous because they are modular with different access media interface options and therefore provide more cost effective

demarcation points than expensive existing demarcation devices that are dedicated, full- width, rack-mounted, box-type components having preconfigured numbers and types of access media interfaces. Dedicated demarcation devices that are designed to be feature-rich demarcation and aggregation suites with plural preconfigured access media interfaces can be too complex and expensive for deployment at or near many subscriber premises.

[0062] The attachment of modules constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention to demarcation panels, or the deployment of standard mechanics telecommunication equipment cards constructed in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, is advantageous, for example, when delivery services are to legacy switches that may block use of certain SFPs, in instances when media conversion is needed, and in instances when a traditional demarcation point is needed. These demarcation modules and telecommunications equipment cards can comprise NID

components, for example.

[0063] Demarcation Panel Modules

[0064] FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative passive demarcation panel 90, which is used to mount passive network demarcation connectors 70.

[0065] The panel 90 can have a width dimensioned for installation, for example, in a conventional telecommunications equipment rack (not shown) that is 19 or 23 inches wide; however, other panel widths can be used. The panel 90 can be provided with L-shaped brackets 98a and 98b on each end. Each bracket 98a, 98b has one or more apertures 99 for receiving a fastener (e.g. a screw) to mount the panel 90 to corresponding apertures provided in the vertical posts (e.g., the front posts) of the equipment rack. The brackets 98a, 98b can be affixed to the panel 90 by fasteners through apertures (not shown) provided in the portion of the bracket 98a, 98b that is flush with the side of the panel 90 or via other conventional means. The L-shaped bracket 98a, 98b can be rotated 180 degrees and affixed to the side of the panel 90 so that the apertures 99 used for mounting to front posts of a rack can instead be used to mount the panel 90 to a wall or other supporting structure.

[0066] The demarcation panel 90 can be installed for providing a demarcation point and a NID at different locations such as, but not limited to, remote cabinets, cell sites, data centers, multi-dwelling units (MDUs) and commercial buildings. Existing rack-mounted or wall-mounted network interface devices must be installed and wired to a demarcation panel 90. Demarcation modules 70 configured in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention are advantageous because they can eliminate: (a) the need for a rackmounted or wall-mounted network interface device, which can be cumbersome and not flexible in terms of accommodating different access media interfaces (b) the cost and burden of such an installation, (c) the space required for such a network interface device, and (d) the wiring between such a network interface device and the demarcation panel.

[0067] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, miniaturized Network Interface Device electronics are incorporated within a standard demarcation panel module 70, such as those shown in FIG. 2, to substantially reduce the time, cost and equipment necessary to establish service at an Ethernet subscriber. In this case, the circuitry of a SFP NID is placed onto a PCB using the form factor of an existing or new Demarcation Panel Module. This configuration offers the same advantages as described above, but also addresses situations where the length of the Pluggable NID causes interference. The additional space offers significant improvement in heat dissipation and allows for additional functionality. Instead of a Pluggable NID as the network interface, a stardard SFP could be used. For critical circuits, redundant network connections could be incorporated.

[0068] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the demarcation panel 90 includes a front surface 91 having a plurality of openings 92. The openings 92 are divided into a plurality of equally spaced sections 96 along a horizontal plane 94. Each of the sections 96 is configured to receive a telecommunication equipment module (e.g., modules 70a, 70b, 70c, and 70d). Specifically, the housing 100 (FIG. 6 A) of a telephone equipment module 70 enters into and engages a respective one of the plurality of sections 96. Alternatively, the telecommunication equipment module 70 can be a multiple of the width of a section 96 along the horizontal plane 94. For example, the telecommunication equipment module 70d in FIG. 2 engages two adjacent sections 96 of the demarcation panel 90.

[0069] During installation, the telecommunication equipment module 70 is fixed to the front surface 91 of the demarcation panel 90 by housing mounting components 106 in a flange 108 of the housing 100 as illustrated, for example, in FIGs. 6 A and 6B. Preferably, housing mounting components 106 include a hole in the housing 100 and a fastener such as a screw engaging the hole. The housing mounting components indicated generally at 106 mount to a corresponding hole 97 in the front surface 91 of the demarcation panel 90. A flange 108 prevents the housing 100 from fully entering the sections 96 and allows for mounting to take place. That is, a flange 108 (e.g., the flange shown in FIG. 6A) can be disposed adjacent to the front surface 91 of the demarcation panel 90 in the assembled position. It is to be understood that the demarcation panel modules can be configured using various mechanical arrangements (e.g., different dimensions for width, height and/or depth, and different port or interface positions on front or back panels) to work with the demarcation panels of different vendors.

[0070] Vendors such as Enginuity Communications Inc. offer demarcation panels with the flexibility to accommodate different demarcation modules (Ethernet, DS3, DS1, etc.). In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a demarcation module 70 having a form factor similar to that shown in FIG. 6A plugs into a new or existing demarcation panel 90 such as that shown in FIG. 2 and can be used as a receptacle for a Pluggable NID with external demarcation (SFP or RJ45) to address issues such as power requirements, heat dissipation, equipment incompatibility, clearer legal demarcation, and simplified isolation of failures. This illustrative embodiment of the present invention is beneficial to users of a Pluggable NID because it broadens installation options without impacting remote management systems. [0071] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, circuitry of a Pluggable NID is placed onto a PCB using a Demarcation Panel Module form factor, thereby offering the same advantages as described above, as well as addressing situations where the length of a Pluggable NID causes interference. The additional space provided by the PCB (i.e., as opposed to an SFP NID form factor) offers significant improvement in heat dissipation and allows for additional functionality. Accordingly, a stardard SFP can be used as the network interface instead of a Pluggable NID. For critical circuits, redundant network connections could be incorporated.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 2, four illustrative demarcation panel modules 70a, 70b, 70c and 70d are affixed to the demarcation panel 90. Each module is provided with at least two interfaces or ports (e.g., 84a and 84b shown in FIGs. 2 and 3 A) for connecting to the access media of the subscriber and the service provider, respectively. As stated above, different interfaces, ports or connectors can be provided on each module to connect to different access media employed at the service provider side and the subscriber side of the demarcation point provided at the module 70. Further, module interfaces for the subscriber side and the provider side 84a and 84b can both be on the front panel 102 of the module 70 as illustrated by modules 70b, 70c and 70d, or on the front 102 and back 104 plates of the module 70, respectively, as illustrated by module 70a. The demarcation panel modules 70 constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can be deployed in existing demarcation panels 90 either by incorporating power connections into a demarcation panel 90, utilizing existing power connections, or by using another means to connect another power source to the demarcation panel module (e.g., employing power over the Ethernet (PoE) if the module has an RJ45 Ethernet connector and PoE is available nearby).

[0073] FIGs. 3A through 3H provide simplified block diagrams of example printed circuit boards (PCBs) 80 provided in respective demarcation panel modules (PMs) 70 in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention. The simplified block diagram of each PCB 80 in FIGs. 3A through 3H each show two interfaces to the provider side and the customer side, respectively, of a service path. Each PM PCB 80 also comprises connection management circuitry 82 that provides, for example, electrical interconnection between the provider side interface and the customer side interface, and optionally NID components and/or surge and power fault protection circuitry.

[0074] With reference to FIGs. 3A and 3B, the PCB of a demarcation panel module can comprise two SFP cages 84a, 84b with the opening of each cage that receives an SFP being disposed on the front plate 102 of the module 70, or on the front plate 102 and back plate 104, respectively. Accordingly, a telco path to the demarcation panel 90 comprising an Ethernet local access fiber, for example, can be terminated with SC, ST or LC connectors that are connected to the optical interface of an SFP that is, in turn, inserted into one of the cages on the PM PCB (e.g., a cage designated for receiving the provider side fiber).

[0075] The SFP for the telco or service provider side, for example, can be an enhanced SFP that is provided with NID circuitry, SFP NID. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2012/0182900, to Davari, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a type of SFP NID that can be plugged into a removable PM with SFP cage interfaces (e.g., 84a or 84b in FIGs. 3 A and 3B) as described herein in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Other types of SFP NIDs can be plugged into the SFP cages of the demarcation panel modules 70 shown in FIGs. 3 A and 3B.

[0076] More specifically, with continued reference to FIG. 1 , a Network Interface

Device (NID) 18 is a device that governs the flow of communications of packets between networks or portions of networks 12 and 24. For example, a NID 18 is generally used as a demarcation device to mark the hand-off point between a service provider indicated generally at 12 and a customer or subscriber site 14, or between two service providers 12. The main function of a NID 18 is to permit the service provider 12 to monitor the health of the connection and the service up to the NID 18 (hand-off point) using, for example, Layer 1 testing (e.g., loopback operations) or Layer 2 testing (e.g., OAM operations). A NID 18 could also perform more advanced functions, such as rate adaptation, media conversion, policing, shaping, security, performance monitoring, statistics collection and even packet header manipulation. A NID generally could have two or more physical ports such as a port to connect to a service provider's local access fiber 16 and a port that connects the patch fiber 22 to the subscriber's network 24. [0077] Thus, traditionally, service providers have had to deploy NIDs at subscriber locations 14 to act as a managed demarcation point for optically-fed Ethernet or IP services. As stated above, these NIDs 18 are costly, consume power and space, and are an additional point of failure in the service provider's network 12. In most cases, optical Ethernet services use Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers to provide network-side connection of fiber facilities to a NID 18 (e.g., SFPs 20a) and downstream connection of fiber facilities to subscriber network devices or to other service providers (e.g., SFPs 20b and 26), as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0078] In accordance with another approach illustrated in FIG. 4, an SFP NID 20 can be deployed, which is a NID 18 that has only two physical ports and fits inside an SFP, XFP, or Xenpack module. It can also fit inside a dongle that could attach to Ethernet ports that support Power-over-Ethernet (PoE). An SFP NID 20 is powered by the host equipment that it attaches to, and does not require separate power supply. The differentiating factors of an SFP NID 20, compared to conventional NIDs 18 in the market illustrated in FIG. 1, are that it is much smaller and does not require external power. Therefore, it does not require extra space for installation.

[0079] Alternatively, as stated above, the NID components can be provided on the PCB 80 of the PM 70 (e.g., in the connection management circuitry 82). Thermal management of SFP NIDs can be a challenge. Further, the equipment (e.g., router) into which the SFP is plugged may be designed to ignore SFPs that are not sold by that equipment's vendor (for one example, the SFP may have code read from, for example, its EEROM that is invalid for that vendor's equipment) and thereby render the SFP NID inoperative. Also, it may be determined there is inadequate legal demarcation between network service providers and their subscribers when a service provider's SFP NID is plugged into subscriber-owned and subscriber-powered equipment. The panel modules configured in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention can overcome these issues. For example, the PM PCB 80 can have the NID components instead of the SFP. The PM PCB 80 and module housing 100 is generally larger than an SFP and therefore better able to dissipate heat. Also, the panel and attached modules provide a clearer demarcation point than merely plugging in an SFP into the subscriber's equipment.

[0080] With reference to FIGs. 3C through 3H, the service provider side fiber can be, for example, Cat5, Cat6, or Cat7 copper cable instead of fiber cable and therefore connected to a PM by an RJ45 connector 88 on the PM PCB 80 instead of a SFP cage, as shown in FIGs. 3C and 3D. The PM PCB 80 can be provided with NID components (e.g., in

connection management circuitry 82) instead of including them on an SFP NID.

Alternatively, the service provider side fiber can be connected to a PM by an optical interface 86 (e.g., SC, ST or LC connectors) on the PM PCB 80 instead of an RJ45 plug 88, as shown in FIGs. 3E and 3F. The subscriber side fiber connection can also be an optical interface (e.g., SC, ST or LC connectors) 86 instead of a SFP cage 84a, as shown in FIGs. 3G and 3H. The PM PCB 80 in FIGs. 3C through 3H is provided with optional NID components and optionally with surge and fault protection components.

[0081] The removable demarcation panel modules (PMs) with various access media interfaces or connectors illustrated in FIGs. 3A through 3H are advantageous because they allow service providers to more easily and inexpensively adapt existing demarcation panels from legacy access media and services to newer and different access media and services along the service paths to customer premises equipment. For example, a technician need only change a small module on an existing, reconfigurable panel with a new module having the desired fiber interfaces and functions (e.g., with or without NID components, or surge and fault protection components), rather than having to replace a large, expensive piece of rackmounted equipment with dedicated and non-reconfigurable fiber interfaces. Further, whether a demarcation panel module has NID components integrated in its PCB 80 or provided in an SFP NID, the NID footprint has been reduced from a box-type, rack-mounted device to a significantly smaller panel module that can be removably installed in a panel to provide a clearer demarcation point than an SFP NID alone.

[0082] FIG. 5 illustrates example components of a NID that can be provided on a PM PCB 80 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It is to be understood, however, that other NID components can be used such as those described for the SFP NID in U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2012/0182900, to Davari.

[0083] FIG. 5 depicts functional blocks for a NID 30. The NID 30 can be configured to also perform Layer 1 and/or Layer 2 or higher OSI Layer diagnostics or management. It is to be understood that the NID 30 can comprise additional functional blocks or components than those shown in FIG. 5 to implement other NID operations. For example, although power circuitry is not shown in FIG. 5, the NID 30 can receive power in a conventional manner (e.g., from a nearby power supply, from power connections in the rack where the demarcation panel is connected, via PoE, and so on).

[0084] The NID 30 comprises, for example a field programmable gate array (FPGA) 36 on the forwarding plane between the externally-accessible service provider media interface 32 and the subscriber media interface 38. For example, the FPGA implements the IEEE 802.3 PHY sub-layer 42 and the IEEE 802.3 MAC sub-layer 44 for an optical interface supporting 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps operation (e.g., reference IEEE Standard 802.3-2008). Other rates, of course, could be supported, as well. The MAC sub-layer 44 supports, for example, Jumbo packets up to 10,000 bytes in length. For example, the PHY sub-layer 42 converts the signal from Media Dependent Interface to Media Independent Interface for presentation to the MAC sub-layer 44. The MAC sub-layer 44 implements the Layer 2 functions by latching in an Ethernet Packet and checking to see if it has a valid FCS (i.e., Frame Check Sequence).

[0085] With continued reference to FIG. 5, FPGA 36 further comprises deserializers (DES) 40 and serializer (SER) 46 are provided to convert serial streams of data to parallel streams of data and vice versa. A detector 62 checks a valid Ethernet packet in the MAC sub-layer 44 to see if the Ethernet Destination Address is equal to the Management Entity Ethernet Address (e.g., a MAC address assigned to the microcontroller control unit or MCU 34). For example, the detector 62 determines if packets received from the media interface 32 are addressed to the MAC address of the MCU. If the MAC address of the packet is addressed to the MCU 34, the detector 62 forwards the packet to the MCU 34; otherwise, it forwards the packet to the media interface 38. [0086] As shown in FIG. 5, the NID 30 comprises an MCU 34 coupled to or otherwise in communication with the FPGA 36. The MCU 34 comprises a MAC sub-layer 44 (e.g., to receive packets from the detector 62 that are determined to be addressed to the Management Entity Ethernet Address assigned to the MCU 34). The MCU 34 then inspects each packet to ensure the destination address of the packet is addressed to the MCU 34. If so, the MCU processes the packet; otherwise, the MCU discards it. The MCU 34 optionally comprises an Internet Protocol functional block 48 (e.g., in the ISO OSI 7-layer model) that implements the IP stack for the NID 30. In this case, the Internet Protocol functional block or layer 48 processes IP packets transmitted from the MAC sub-layer 44, and can generate IP packets towards the MAC sub-layer 44 in support of higher-layer applications. Whether the implementation is Layer 2 or includes higher Layers is for illustrative purposes only; the device can be programmed to suit the needs of individual service providers. The MCU 34 can comprise a Diagnostics application 58 that runs, for example, on the MCU 34's Operating System (OS) and optional memory 60.

[0087] Illustrative process logic for a receive path in the NID exemplified in FIG. 5 (e.g., the path from the media interface 32 to the media interface 38) can be exemplified as follows. A packet is received at the media interface 32, is de-serialized and decoded, and is latched into the FPGA MAC 44. Undersized frames (a.k.a. runts) and packets with incorrect FCS values are declared as invalid frames and are discarded by the process programmed into the FPGA 36. A discard counter is kept in the FPGA 36 to keep a record of the quantity of discarded frames. Any packet deemed valid by the process of the FPGA 36 has its MAC Destination Address inspected. If the MAC Destination Address is equal to that of the SFP Management Entity (e.g., as determined by the detector 62), the packet is forwarded to the MCU 34. If the MAC Destination address is not equal to that of the Management Entity, then the packet is forwarded out via media interface 38.

[0088] Illustrative process logic for a transmit path in the NID exemplified in FIG. 5 (e.g., the path from the subscriber side media interface 38 to the service provider media interface 32) can be as follows. The FPGA 36 can receive packets to transmit out of the media interface 32 from two sources: the MCU 34 or the media interface 38. Since packets can present themselves at both interfaces 34 and 38 simultaneously, two buffers 52 and 54 are used to prevent packet loss. For example, the buffers can each be a First-In First-Out (FIFO) queue, that is, packets enter the tail of the queue and are scheduled for transmission out of the head of the queue. The FPGA 36 is configured to interleave these packets (e.g., via multiplexer 56) in a selected manner and transmit them out of the media interface 32 by alternating selection of a packet for transmission from the head of each of the buffers 52 and 54 (e.g., in a selected order). If a buffer 52 or 54 is empty, the FPGA 36 can simply move to the next non-empty queue for packet scheduling, for example.

[0089] With continued reference to FIGs. 2, and with reference to FIGs. 6A through 6E, the PM 70a has a single SFP cage opening 74 on the front plate 102 of its housing 100 in which a SFP 27 is shown inserted. This front place media interface 84a is typically for the subscriber side. The back plate 104 of the housing has a corresponding SFP cage opening 72 (e.g., a phantom line SFP cage 84b is shown in FIG. 2) for receiving the fiber from the service provider or network side. The mounting of these two cages on the PM PCB (e.g., see FIG.3A) 80 and the mounting of the PM PCB 80 within the housing of the PM 70 is implemented in a conventional manner.

[0090] A perspective view of the demarcation module 70 without the SFP inserted into the cage opening 74 is shown in FIG. 6A, and a corresponding perspective view of the demarcation module 70 with the SFP 27 inserted into its cage opening 74 is shown in FIG. 6B. FIGs. 6C, 6D and 6E show, respectively, side, front and back elevation views of the exterior of the module 70 with illustrative height, width and depth dimensions being, for example, 1.695 inches by 0.880 inches by 3.830 inches and therefore clearly significantly smaller than the afore-mentioned conventional NIDs (e.g., "half-rack" x 1RU network elements)

[0091] It is to be understood that the PM 70 can have different dimensions depending on the demarcation panel 90 dimensions (e.g., size of slots or segments for receiving respective modules). Each PM 70 can be provided with a fastener 106 for removably attaching the PM 70 to the demarcation panel 90 (e.g., see holes 97 in the front surface 91 of a panel 90 provided in each section 96 and configured to receive a fastener 106 of a corresponding PM 70 deployed in that section 96).

[0092] With continued reference to FIGs. 2 and with reference to FIGs. 7 A through 7C, the PMs 70b and 70c each have two SFP cage openings 72, 74 on the front plate 102 of its housing 100, and an SFP 27 is shown inserted into each opening in FIG. 2. Thus, the front plate 102 comprises media interfaces 84a, 84b for both the subscriber side and service provider side fibers. The mounting of these two cages on the PM PCB 80 (e.g., see FIG.3B) and the mounting of the PM PCB 80 within the housing of the PM 70 is implemented in a conventional manner.

[0093] A perspective view of the demarcation module 70 without the SFPs inserted into the cage openings 72, 74 is shown in FIG. 7A, and a corresponding perspective view of the demarcation module 70 with SFPs 27 inserted into its cage openings 72, 74 is shown in FIG. 8A. FIGs. 7B and 7C show, respectively, front and side elevation views of the exterior of the module 70, which can have similar illustrative dimensions (e.g., 1.695 inches by 0.880 inches by 3.830 inches) as shown in FIGs. 6B and 6C. As stated above, the PM 70 dimensions are significantly smaller than the afore-mentioned conventional NIDs (e.g., "half-rack" x 1RU or larger network elements).

[0094] FIGs. 8B and 8C show, respectively, front and side elevation views of the exterior of the module 70 with SFPs 27 inserted into both SFP cage openings 72, 74 on the front plate 102 of its housing 100. FIGs. 9A through 9C show an extended SFP 28 in one of the SFP cage openings 72, 74. The extended SFP 28 is described, for example, co-owned U.S. application Serial No. 14/596,414, filed January 14, 2015 and comprises a heat fin to dissipate more heat than a similar SFP or component without the heat fins and to provide strain relief to the received cable.

[0095] With continued reference to FIG. 2 and with reference to FIGs. 10A and 10B, the PM 70d has dual SFP cage openings 72, 74 and an RJ45 connector 88 on the front plate 102 of its housing 100. The front plate 102 comprises media interfaces 84a and 84b for both the subscriber side and the service provider side fibers. The PM 70d is configured with both electrical and optical interfaces for the subscriber side media interface 84a, allowing for the - 23 - flexibility of one or the other electrical or optical interface to be employed depending on the access media used by the subscriber. The mounting of these three media interfaces and the PM PCB 80 (e.g., see FIG.3B) on and within the housing 100 of the PM 70 is implemented in a conventional manner. FIGs. 10A and 10B show, respectively, front and side elevation views of the exterior of the module 70, which can have illustrative dimensions (e.g., 1.695 inches by 1.775 inches by 3.830 inches) that are significantly smaller than the aforementioned conventional NIDs (e.g., "half-rack" x 1RU or larger network elements). As stated above, the PM 70 can have different dimensions depending on the demarcation panel 90 dimensions (e.g., size of slots or sections or segments for receiving respective modules). The PM 70 shown in FIGs. 10A and 10B is dimensioned to use two of the sections 96 in the illustrative demarcation panel 90 of FIG. 2.

[0096] FIGs. IOC through 10H depict various illustrative embodiments of PMs 70 having different types of interfaces to the provider side and the customer side to

accommodate different access media. For example, FIG. IOC depicts an illustrative PM 70 having an RJ45 connector 88 and an SFP cage opening 74 on its front plate or face 102. Alternatively, as depicted in FIGs. 10D and 10E, the PM 70 can have an RJ45 connector 88 and an SFP cage opening 74 on its front plate or face 102 and back plate 104, respectively. By way of other examples, the front plate 102 and/or the back plate 104 can be provided with an optical connector 86 (e.g., an SC, ST and LC optical fiber connector) for, respectively, a network side interface and a subscriber side interface, as shown in FIGs. 10F and 10H. FIG. 10G depicts an illustrative PM 70 having on its front plate 102 an SFP cage opening 74 for a network side interface and an optical connector 86 for a subscriber side interface. It is to be understood that different combinations of media interfaces (e.g., SFP cage openings, RJ 45 connectors, and optical connectors such as an SC, ST or LC optical fiber connectors) can be provided on the front and back plates 102 and 104 of a PM 70 to accommodate different access media used by the network and subscriber and that alternate connectors can be provided (e.g., FIG. 10A) to allow for simple and easy connectivity to different access media when a change occurs (e.g., when a subscriber switches from electrical access media to optical access media). [0097] The PMs described herein can improve existing demarcation panels. For example, some telecommunication equipment vendors provide protection and/or demarcation panels for installation in telecommunications equipment racks (e.g., in business IT communications closets or at provider remote equipment sites such as telecommunications huts) or box components that can be installed in or near equipment racks. Some demarcation devices are designed to be feature-rich demarcation and aggregation suites, making them too complex and expensive for deployment at or near many subscriber premises. Other vendors, on the other hand, provide more simple service interface panels (SIPs) that provide a standard passive interface or demarcation for new high speed services. One such panel can provide an interface to terminate multiple types of services. Further, a service interface protection panel (SIPP) has surge and power fault protection circuitry. None of these devices, however, provides a demarcation device module with a NID or an interface for an SFP NID

[0098] Standard Telecommunications Equipment Card as Demarcation

[0099] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a telecommunications equipment card, such as standard size telecommunications card, comprises a NID 30 or an SFP cage for receiving an SFP NID 20 to provide a removable demarcation point in existing telecommunications equipment (e.g., a shelf device) for a subscriber fiber that is significantly smaller than conventional NID units, which are themselves relatively large shelf devices with inflexible, preconfigured media access interfaces for multiple subscriber fibers.

[00100] For example, FIG. 11 shows a Type 200 Mechanics ^® Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assembly 110. The Type 200 Mechanics ^® (registered trademark of Westell

Technologies, Inc.) form factor enables installation in many existing devices that are deployed as shelves used by telecommunications providers and manufactured by multiple vendors. When installed as a demarcation point, the card 110 need not make electrical connections through its 56-pin card-edge connector to a backplane (if any) other than power when it is mounted in a Type 200 Mechanics ^® or 400 Mechanics mounting assembly to operate as a passive demarcation device. The card 110 uses its subscriber side and service provider side media access interfaces having openings 74 and 72 which are similar to those described above as deployed on the front or back panels of a demarcation panel module. In other words, the demarcation card 110 in FIG. 11 acts as a receptacle for a pluggable SFP NID with external demarcation (e.g., SFP or RJ45) to address above-noted issues such as power requirements, heat dissipation, equipment incompatibility, need for clearer legal demarcation, and simplified isolation of failures. Since this demarcation card 110 can plug directly into a Pulse Communications Inc. or other 200 Mechanics ^®" type shelf, this form factor is beneficial to users of a pluggable SFP NID because it broadens installation options without having any impact on remote management systems.

[00101] With continued reference to FIG. 11, the card 110 comprises the card chassis 112 and a front access panel 114. The front access panel 114 comprises media interfaces 72, 74, 88 similar to those of the demarcation panel module 70 depicted in FIG. 10A. In other words, the card 110 comprises dual SFP cage openings 72, 74 and an RJ45 connector 88 on its front plate 114. Thus, the front plate 114 comprises media interfaces 72, 74, 88 for both the subscriber side and the service provider side fibers. The card 110 may be configured with both electrical and optical interfaces for the subscriber side, allowing for the flexibility of one or the other interface to be employed depending on the access media used by the subscriber.

[00102] FIG. 12A depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention whereby the circuitry of the pluggable NID 30 or SFP NID 30 is placed on the Type 200 Mechanics ^® PCB 110 as indicated generally at 116 and in a manner similar to the demarcation panel modules described above that comprise NID components on their PCBs 80. In other words, instead of a Pluggable NID as the network interface, a stardard SFP is used. This

configuration offers the same advantages as such panel modules, but also addresses situations where the length of the Pluggable NID or SFP NID causes interference. The additional space afforded by the Type 200 Mechanics ^® PCB 110 offers significant improvement in heat dissipation and allows for additional functionality. For critical circuits, redundant network connections could be incorporated. Example dimensions (width x height x depth) of a card 110 as illustrated in FIG. 11 which depicts a Type 200 Mechanics ^® PCB or card 1 10, are 0.686" x 5.590" x 6.023" including an optional bracket. 26

[00103] The demarcation cards 110 use industry standard Type 200/400 Mechanics to provide best-in-class mounting flexibility to optimize any installation such as at Cell Site Suites, Cell Site Demarc Cabinets, Central Offices, Customer Premises, Existing Remote Cabinets, Controlled Environment Vaults, Huts or standard Relay Racks or Outside Plant Cabinets. The demarcation cards 1 10 can also be used in any 19" or 23" racks that hold shelves and equipment. It is to be understood that other standards can be used for

demarcation card sizes as promulgated for example by such standards bodies as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

[00104] FIGs. 13, 14A, 14B and 14C show the Type 200 Mechanics ^® Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assembly 110 installed in an enclosure 118 for desk top or wall mounting. Example dimensions (width x height x depth) of the enclosure 118 in FIG. 13 are, for example, 5.874" x 0.946" x 7.024" (or 7.512" in depth including an optional bracket) and are therefore significantly smaller than the afore-mentioned conventional NIDs (e.g., "half-rack" x 1RU network elements).

[00105] The components of the illustrative SFP NIDs, demarcation panel modules and cards and methods employed in accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the present invention can be implemented, at least in part, in digital electronic circuitry, analog electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. At least some of these components can be implemented, for example, as a computer program product such as a computer program, program code or computer instructions tangibly embodied in an information carrier, or in a machine-readable storage device, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus such as a programmable processor or computer. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments for accomplishing the present invention can be easily construed as within the scope of the invention by programmers skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Method steps associated with the illustrative embodiments of the present invention can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program, code or instructions to perform functions (e.g., by operating on input data and/or generating an output). Method steps can also be performed by, and apparatus of the invention can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[00106] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example, semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.

[00107] The above-presented description and figures are intended by way of example only and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way except as set forth in the following claims. It is particularly noted that persons skilled in the art can readily combine the various technical aspects of the various elements of the various illustrative embodiments that have been described above in numerous other ways, all of which are considered to be within the scope of the invention.