1. A physical layer network interface link apparatus comprising:
a combined physical coding sublayer (PCS) and Reed-Solomon (RS) forward error correction (FEC) sublayer module, said combined PCS and RS FEC module developed on a single chip,
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module includes:
a media access control (MAC) interface for connection to a MAC layer providing or receiving a stream of 64 bit blocks;
a physical media attachment (PMA) interface for connection to a PMA layer utilizing four lanes;
an RS FEC encoder module; and
an RS FEC decoder module, and
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module operates using only four lanes.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, said combined PCS and RS FEC module further including:
a transmit path; and
a receive path,
wherein said transmit path includes:
an encode module connected to said MAC interface;
a scramble module connected to said encode module;
a block distribution module connected to said scramble module;
a transmit transcode module to transcode from 64 b66 b blocks to 256 b257 b blocks connected to said block distribution module;
an alignment marker insertion module connected to said transmit transcode module;
said RS FEC encode module connected to said alignment marker insertion module; and
a symbol distribution module connected to said RS FEC encode module and said PMA interface, and
wherein said receive path further includes:
an alignment lock and deskew module connected to said PMA interface;
a lane reorder module connected to said alignment lock and deskew module;
said RS FEC decoder module connected to said lane reorder module;
an alignment marker removal module connected to said RS FEC decoder module;
a receive transcode module to transcode from 256 b257 b blocks to 64 b66 b blocks connected to said alignment marker removal module;
a descramble module connected to said receive transcode module;
a decode module connected to said descramble module and said MAC interface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said alignment markers are in the form of an alignment marker pair, said alignment marker pair including a first alignment marker for lane zero and a second alignment marker for the appropriate lane on which said alignment marker pair is provided.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said alignment markers do not include bit interleaved parity (BIP) fields but include fixed DC balanced values instead.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, where there is only a single alignment marker insertion module and a single alignment marker removal module in said combined PCS and RS FEC module.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface link is a 128 Gbps Fibre Channel network link.
7. A physical layer network interface link apparatus comprising:
a media access control (MAC) layer having an interface providing or receiving a stream of 64 bit blocks; and
a combined physical coding sublayer (PCS) and Reed-Solomon (RS) forward error correction (FEC) sublayer module, said combined PCS and RS FEC module developed on a single chip,
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module includes:
a MAC interface connected to said MAC layer interface;
a physical media attachment (PMA) interface for connection to a PMA layer utilizing four lanes;
an RS FEC encoder module; and
an RS FEC decoder module, and
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module operates using only four lanes.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, said combined PCS and RS FEC module further including:
a transmit path; and
a receive path,
wherein said transmit path includes:
an encode module connected to said MAC interface;
a scramble module connected to said encode module;
a block distribution module connected to said scramble module;
a transmit transcode module to transcode from 64 b66 b blocks to 256 b257 b blocks connected to said block distribution module;
an alignment marker insertion module connected to said transmit transcode module;
said RS FEC encode module connected to said alignment marker insertion module; and
a symbol distribution module connected to said RS FEC encode module and said PMA interface, and
wherein said receive path further includes:
an alignment lock and deskew module connected to said PMA interface;
a lane reorder module connected to said alignment lock and deskew module;
said RS FEC decoder module connected to said lane reorder module;
an alignment marker removal module connected to said RS FEC decoder module;
a receive transcode module to transcode from 256 b257 b blocks to 64 b66 b blocks connected to said alignment marker removal module;
a descramble module connected to said receive transcode module;
a decode module connected to said descramble module and said MAC interface.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said alignment markers are in the form of an alignment marker pair, said alignment marker pair including a first alignment marker for lane zero and a second alignment marker for the appropriate lane on which said alignment marker pair is provided.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said alignment markers do not include bit interleaved parity (BIP) fields but include fixed DC balanced values instead.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, where there is only a single alignment marker insertion module and a single alignment marker removal module in said combined PCS and RS FEC module.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the network interface link is a 128 Gbps Fibre Channel network link.
13. A network switch comprising:
a control processor;
memory coupled to said control processor; and
a switching system coupled to said control processor, said switching system including:
a frame data storage system;
a header processing system coupled to said frame data storage system; and
a plurality of ports coupled to said frame data storage system, each of said plurality of ports including:
a frame data storage system interface coupled to said frame data storage system; and
a physical layer network interface link apparatus including:
a media access control (MAC) layer having an interface providing or receiving a stream of 64 bit blocks;
a combined physical coding sublayer (PCS) and Reed-Solomon (RS) forward error correction (FEC) sublayer module, said combined PCS and RS FEC module developed on a single chip;
a physical media attachment (PMA) layer having an interface connected to said combined PCS and RS FEC module; and
a physical media dependent (PMD) layer connected to said PMA layer and for connection to an external network link,
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module includes:
a MAC interface connected to said MAC layer interface;
a PMA interface connected to said PMA layer interface utilizing four lanes;
an RS FEC encoder module; and
an RS FEC decoder module, and
wherein said combined PCS and RS FEC module operates using only four lanes.
14. The network switch of claim 13, said combined PCS and RS FEC module further including:
a transmit path; and
a receive path,
wherein said transmit path includes:
an encode module connected to said MAC interface;
a scramble module connected to said encode module;
a block distribution module connected to said scramble module;
a transmit transcode module to transcode from 64 b66 b blocks to 256 b257 b blocks connected to said block distribution module;
an alignment marker insertion module connected to said transmit transcode module;
said RS FEC encode module connected to said alignment marker insertion module; and
a symbol distribution module connected to said RS FEC encode module and said PMA interface, and
wherein said receive path further includes:
an alignment lock and deskew module connected to said PMA interface;
a lane reorder module connected to said alignment lock and deskew module;
said RS FEC decoder module connected to said lane reorder module;
an alignment marker removal module connected to said RS FEC decoder module;
a receive transcode module to transcode from 256 b257 b blocks to 64 b66 b blocks connected to said alignment marker removal module;
a descramble module connected to said receive transcode module;
a decode module connected to said descramble module and said MAC interface.
15. The network switch of claim 14, wherein said alignment markers are in the form of an alignment marker pair, said alignment marker pair including a first alignment marker for lane zero and a second alignment marker for the appropriate lane on which said alignment marker pair is provided.
16. The network switch of claim 15, wherein said alignment markers do not include bit interleaved parity (BIP) fields but include fixed DC balanced values instead.
17. The network switch of claim 14, where there is only a single alignment marker insertion module and a single alignment marker removal module in said combined PCS and RS FEC module.
18. The network switch of claim 13, wherein the external network interface link is a 128 Gbps Fibre Channel network link.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for the use of treating atherosclerotic vascular disease within the body of a patient, said apparatus comprising,
an instrument body having an elongated shaft that is sized and constructed for insertion into the interior of an atherosclerotic blood vessel of a patient,
a light radiation source connected to the shaft for destroying or debilitating microorganisms within the vessel,
said light radiation source exposing an interior wall of the vessel to light radiation with a wavelength of a selected range to kill or debilitate pathogenic microorganisms supported on or within the plaque or endothelium lining the vessel that is being treated without damage, destruction or ablation of the wall of the wall of the vessel or the surrounding body tissue.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of the energy output of said light radiation source has a wavelength within a range between about 200-470 nm.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a fiber optic bundle and the apparatus includes means for focusing a beam of light from the radiation source onto a proximal end of the fiber optic bundle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light radiation source comprises a flash tube and a power supply is connected to the flash tube for energizing the flash tube intermittently to produce bursts of light at time intervals.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the flash tube comprises a xenon filled flash tube.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a low-pressure mercury lamp.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a kryptonfluoride lamp.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light radiation source comprises an incandescent lamp for providing visible light energy.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a flash lamp, a power supply is connected to the flash lamp for energizing the lamp at timed intervals for producing flashes of light energy having a substantial portion of the energy output at a wavelength between about 240 nm to 280 nm.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the flash lamp is located exteriorly of the body of the patient, the shaft comprises a flexible fiber optic bundle and the lamp is optically coupled to the fiber optic bundle so as to transmit light to a proximal end of the fiber optic bundle such that intermittent flashes of light pass through the fiber optic bundle into the body of the patient and are directed from a distal end of the fiber optic bundle located within the body of the patient onto the lining of the blood vessel surrounding a distal end of the fiber optic bundle.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lamp is a xenon flash lamp providing ultraviolet light.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a lens is provided proximate the lamp to focus a collimated beam of light from the lamp onto a proximal end of the fiber optic bundle passing through the shaft.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fiber optic bundle comprises a multiplicity of quartz fibers.
14. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a reflector is positioned proximate a lamp to direct light from the lamp toward a proximal end of the fiber optic bundle.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source is a flash lamp for producing intermittent flashes of light energy and a power supply is connected to the lamp for discharging a capacitor intermittently through the lamp to produce the flashes of light energy.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the diode produces cool light having wavelengths predominately between about 300 nm and 470 nm.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the shaft is an elongated flexible element having electrical conductors extending therealong and the light emitting diode is connected to the conductors at a distal end of the element and is positioned by means of the shaft during use within a vessel of the patient at the site of the atherosclerotic vascular disease.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the light emitting diode provides cool light of a wavelength predominately between about 300 nm and 470 nm.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fiber optic bundle has a light distributing distal end and a balloon surrounds the end for occluding the vessel.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shaft is a flexible element and the light source is located proximate a distal end of the shaft and comprises a chemical or chemiluminescent light source for killing or debilitating the microorganisms.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the light source is a transparent tube containing a chemical or chemiluminescent agent.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the light source is a transparent plastic capsule containing a chemical or chemiluminescent agent.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the light source is a transparent tube containing a chemiluminescent agent and electrodes are electronically coupled to the light source for passing an electric current therethrough.
25. The apparatus of any claims 22-25 wherein the light source comprises two chemically reactive agents separated by a barrier that can be removed by manipulating the light source, thereby causing the agents to react chemically for producing light energy.
26. A method of treating atherosclerotic vascular disease comprising,
providing a source of light energy having a wavelength of a selected range,
providing a shaft having a light energy distribution head at a distal end thereof for distributing the light energy from the end of the shaft,
placing the shaft into the body of the patient,
positioning the distribution head within the portion of a blood vessel where the atherosclerotic disease is located,
distributing light energy from the distribution head so as to kill or debilitate pathogenic microorganisms that are present in the vessel or in plaque lining the vessel.
27. The method of claim 26 including selecting light energy having a wavelength ranging predominantly between about 200 and 470 nm.
28. The method of claim 27 including selecting light energy having a wavelength ranging predominantly between about 200-400 nm.
29. The method of claim 27 including selecting light energy having a wavelength ranging predominantly between about 300 and 470 nm.
30. The method of claim 26 including,
providing a chemical or chemiluminescent agent within the distribution head and,
causing the chemical or chemiluminescent agent to luminesce for producing said light energy.
31. The method of claim 26 including the step of,
providing a light emitting diode within the distribution head and,
applying an electric current to the diode for producing said light energy.
32. The method of claim 30 including the step of applying an electrical current across said chemical or chemiluminescent agent to facilitate the production of light energy thereby.