US 12,081,427 B2
Time-synchronization testing in a network element
Arnon Sattinger, Zichron Yaakov (IL); Dotan David Levi, Kiryat Motzkin (IL); Avraham Ganor, Shoham (IL); Shahar Givony, Ramat Yishai (IL); and Nimer Khazen, Bu'ayna Village (IL)
Assigned to MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., Yokneam (IL)
Filed by MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., Yokneam (IL)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/191,736.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/012,292, filed on Apr. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0328900 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. H04L 43/50 (2022.01); H04L 43/08 (2022.01); H04L 43/10 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 43/50 (2013.01) [H04L 43/08 (2013.01); H04L 43/10 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pluggable module for testing time-synchronization signals of network elements, the network elements connectable to networks, the pluggable module comprising:
a first connector for connecting to test equipment and receiving a time-synchronization test signal;
a second connector comprising a mechanical cage connector for connecting to a network port at a socket mounted at the end of a mechanical cage of a network element, the socket being the same socket through which the network element also connects to a network; and
at least one driver, which is connected between the first and second connectors and is configured to buffer and relay the time-synchronization test signal comprising a Pulse-Per-Second (PPS) signal between the network element and the test equipment.