Interlocking SONET/SDH network architecture

• US 20030026281A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bay Microsystems, Inc. (Vcinity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bay Microsystems, Inc. (Vcinity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nandu, Heena, Limaye, Pradeep Shrikrishna
• Granted Patent: US 7,161,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/430
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0042 Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/006 Fault tolerance and recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/085 for ring networks, e.g. SDH/SONET rings, self-healing rings, meashed SDH/SONET networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4637 Interconnected ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming

Abstract

A SONET/SDH architecture is disclosed that enables the multiplexing of STS-1'"'"'s from different SONET/SDH rings into a single STS-N for transmission via a single optical fiber, but while maintaining the association of each of the STS-1'"'"'s with its respective SONET/SDH ring. For example, when an STS-48 carries 12 STS-1'"'"'s from a first SONET/SDH ring and 12 STS-1'"'"'s from a second SONET/SDH ring, the STS-48 carries: the automatic protection switching channel for the 12 STS-1'"'"'s from the first SONET/SDH ring (with addresses specified in the address space of the first SONET/SDH ring); and the automatic protection switching channel for the 12 STS-1'"'"'s from the second SONET/SDH ring (with addresses specified in the address space of the second SONET/SDH ring).

Claims

1. A telecommunications network comprising:

a first SONET/SDH ring that comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein said first SONET/SDH ring defines a first address space and wherein each of said first plurality of nodes is identified by a unique address in said first address space; and

a second SONET/SDH ring that comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein second SONET/SDH ring defines a second address space and wherein each of said second plurality of nodes is identified by a unique address in said second address space;

wherein there are at least two nodes that have an address in the address space of said first SONET/SDH ring and an address in the address space of said second SONET/SDH ring.

2. The telecommunications network of claim 1 further comprising an optical fiber that carries a first STS-N that comprises:

(1) a second STS-1 that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) a third STS-1 that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

3. The telecommunications network of claim 1 further comprising an optical fiber that carries a first STS-N that comprises:

(1) a first automatic protection switching channel that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) a second automatic protection switching channel that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

4. The telecommunications network of claim 1 further comprising an optical fiber that carries a first STS-N that comprises:

(1) the K₁ and K₂ line overhead bytes that are associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) the K₁ and K₂ line overhead bytes that are associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

5. A telecommunications network comprising:

a first SONET/SDH ring; and

a second SONET/SDH ring;

an optical fiber that carries;

(1) a first STS-1 that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) a second STS-1 that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

6. A telecommunications network comprising:

a first SONET/SDH ring; and

a second SONET/SDH ring;

an optical fiber that carries;

(1) a first automatic protection switching channel that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) a second automatic protection switching channel that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

7. A telecommunications network comprising:

a first SONET/SDH ring; and

a second SONET/SDH ring;

an optical fiber that carries;

(1) the K₁ and K₂ line overhead bytes that are associated with said first SONET/SDH ring, and

(2) the K₁ and K₂ line overhead bytes that are associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

8. A system comprising:

a first optical fiber that is associated with a first SONET/SDH ring;

a second optical fiber that is associated with a second SONET/SDH ring;

a third optical fiber;

a fourth optical fiber that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring;

a fifth optical fiber that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring;

a first SONET/SDH node for receiving a first STS-N from said first optical fiber, for receiving a second STS-N from said second optical fiber, and for transmitting said first STS-N and said second STS-N via said third optical fiber; and

a second SONET/SDH node for receiving said first STS-N and said second STS-N from said third optical fiber, for transmitting said first STS-N via said fourth optical fiber, and for transmitting said second STS-N via said fifth optical fiber.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said third optical fiber carries automatic protection switching signaling for both said first SONET/SDH ring and said second SONET/SDH ring.

10. A SONET/SDH node comprising:

a first input port for receiving a first automatic protection switching channel from a first optical fiber that is associated with a first SONET/SDH ring;

a second input port for receiving a second automatic protection switching channel from a second optical fiber that is associated with a second SONET/SDH ring;

a multiplexor for multiplexing said first automatic protection switching channel and said second automatic protection switching channel into one STS-N frame; and

a output port for transmitting said STS-N frame via a third optical fiber.

11. A SONET/SDH node comprising:

an input port for receiving a STS-N frame from a first optical fiber;

a demultiplexor for demultiplexing a portion of first automatic protection switching channel that is associated with a first SONET/SDH ring and a portion of second automatic protection switching channel that is associated with a second SONET/SDH ring from said STS-N frame;

a first output port for transmitting said portion of first automatic protection switching channel via a second optical fiber that is associated with said first SONET/SDH ring; and

a second output port for transmitting said portion of second automatic protection switching channel via a third optical fiber that is associated with said second SONET/SDH ring.

12. A method of operating a time-division multiplexed telecommunications system, said method comprising:

receiving a first optical carrier signal that comprises a first source address and a first destination address in a first address space;

receiving a second optical carrier signal that comprises a first source address and a first destination address in a second address space;

multiplexing said first optical carrier signal and said second optical carrier signal into a frame; and

transmitting said frame;

wherein said first optical carrier signal in said frame comprises a second source address and a second destination address in said first address space; and

wherein said second optical carrier signal in said frame comprises a second source address and a second destination address in said second address space.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving said frame;

demultiplexing said first optical carrier signal and said second optical carrier signal from said frame;

transmitting said first optical carrier signal, wherein said first optical carrier signal as transmitted comprises a third source address and a third destination address in said first address space; and

transmitting said second optical carrier signal, wherein said second optical carrier signal as transmitted comprises a fourth source address and a fourth destination address in said second address space.

14. A method of operating a time-division multiplexed telecommunications system, said method comprising:

receiving a frame that comprises (1) a first optical carrier signal that comprises a first source address and a first destination address in a first address space, and (2) a second optical carrier signal that comprises a first source address and a first destination address in a second address space;

demultiplexing said first optical carrier signal and said second optical carrier signal from said frame;

transmitting said first optical carrier signal, wherein said first optical carrier signal as transmitted comprises a second source address and a second destination address in said first address space; and

transmitting said second optical carrier signal, wherein said second optical carrier signal as transmitted comprises a second source address and a second destination address in said second address space.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a first optical carrier signal that comprises a third source address and a third destination address in a first address space;

receiving a second optical carrier signal that comprises a fourth source address and a fourth destination address in a second address space;

multiplexing said first optical carrier signal and said second optical carrier signal into said frame; and

transmitting said frame;

wherein said first optical carrier signal in said frame comprises said first source address and said first destination address in said first address space; and

wherein said second optical carrier signal in said frame comprises said first source address and said first destination address in said second address space.