Transceiver system and method supporting variable rates and multiple protocols

Abstract

Present herein is a multirate transceiver wherein data can be received at a first data rate and transmitted at a second data rate. The transceiver device comprises a first interface for receiving data at one data rate a mapper that can map data from a first rate to the second rate, and a second interface for transmitting the data at the second data rate.

1 . A method for transmitting data, said method comprising:
 receiving data at a first data rate;   mapping said data to a second data rate; and   transmitting data mapped to the second data rate.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first rate comprises a rate selected from SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deserializing the data received at the first rate; and   serializing the data transmitted at the second rate.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating frames comprising said data.   
   
   
       6 . A transceiver for transmitting data, said transceiver comprising:
 a first interface for receiving data at a first data rate;   a mapper for mapping said data to a second data rate; and   a second interface for transmitting data mapped to the second data rate.   
   
   
       7 . The transceiver of  claim 6 , wherein the first rate comprises a rate selected from SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48. 
   
   
       8 . The transceiver of  claim 6 , wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate. 
   
   
       9 . The transceiver of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a demultiplexer for deserializing the data received at the first rate; and   a multiplexer serializing the data transmitted at the second rate.   
   
   
       10 . The transceiver of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a framer for generating frames comprising said data.   
   
   
       11 . A transceiver for transmitting data, said transceiver comprising:
 a first interface receiving data at a first data rate;   a mapper connected to the first interface, wherein the mapper maps said data to a second data rate; and   a second interface connected to the mapper, wherein the second interface transmits data mapped to the second data rate.   
   
   
       12 . The transceiver of  claim 11 , wherein the first rate comprises a rate selected from SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48. 
   
   
       13 . The transceiver of  claim 11 , wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate. 
   
   
       14 . The transceiver of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a demultiplexer connected to the first interface; and   a multiplexer connected to the second interface.   
   
   
       15 . The transceiver of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a framer connected to the mapper.