Optical Gigabit Ethernet Becomes IEEE Standard

KDPOF – leading supplier for automotive gigabit connectivity over POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) – welcomes IEEE's publication of the new standard amendment for 1000 Mb/s Ethernet operation over plastic optical fiber. As an amendment to the IEEE 802.3(TM) standard, IEEE Std 802.3bv(TM) for gigabit Ethernet over POF defines physical layer specifications and management parameters for automotive, industrial, and home networking applications utilizing POF. "Increasingly, automotive and industrial networks are migrating towards Ethernet," stated Bob Grow, chair, IEEE P802.3bv Gigabit Ethernet Over Plastic Optical Fiber Task Force. "With POF already in use in automobiles and other vehicles, IEEE 802.3bv provides a robust and reliable media option for Ethernet automotive networks."

KDPOF technology entirely fulfills the preconditions of the new IEEE amendment, providing reliable and proven solutions for automotive applications. Carlos Pardo, CEO and Co-founder of KDPOF, commented: "With the recently announced sampling in 2017 of the first automotive Gigabit Ethernet POF (GEPOF) transceiver, we perfectly meet the requirements of carmakers by providing high connectivity with a flexible digital host interface, low latency, low jitter, and low linking time." The transceiver is optimized for low power and small footprint and transmits data at 1000/100 Mbps on standard SI-POF, MC-POF, or PCS, according to 1000BASE-RH (IEEE 802.3bv). 

Gigabit Ethernet Use Cases

KDPOF technology based on IEEE 802.3bv suits the demands of the POF automotive market, including the following key applications for future automotive networks: communication backbone, smart antenna link, infotainment, Battery Management Systems (BMS), and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The corresponding transceiver device integrates high-speed capabilities in POF ports with a low-cost BOM (Bill of Materials). Its built-in analog interface simplifies connectivity to Fiber Optic Transceivers (FOTs). Examples of products able to incorporate POF ports based on the KD1053 ASSP include ECUs, switches, cameras, and infotainment nodes.