FRAMED FLOWS OVER PACKET-SWITCHED FABRICS
First Claim
1. A networking device for switching framed flows with packet-based switching, comprising:
- a plurality of ingress converters, each of the plurality of ingress converters configured to receive a framed input signal and to convert the framed input signal into packets to be placed in a plurality of virtual lanes;
a packet switching fabric coupled to the plurality of ingress converters to receive the packets in the plurality of virtual lanes on a plurality of input ports and configured to switch the packets to a plurality of output ports; and
a plurality of egress converters, each of the plurality of egress converters coupled to the packet switching fabric to receive at least some of the packets from the output ports of the packet switching fabric and configured to supply a framed output signal converted from the received packets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A networking device and a method provide switching of framed signals using a packet switch fabric. Framed input signals, which may be OTN signals, are received and converted to packets. The conversion includes striping the received signal into virtual lanes and segmenting the lanes into packets. The packets are switched through the packet switch fabric, which may be an Ethernet switch, and then converted to framed output signals. The conversion includes reassembly of the packets into virtual lanes. The reassembled virtual lanes are frame aligned, deskewed, and combined to produce the framed output signals.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A networking device for switching framed flows with packet-based switching, comprising:
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a plurality of ingress converters, each of the plurality of ingress converters configured to receive a framed input signal and to convert the framed input signal into packets to be placed in a plurality of virtual lanes; a packet switching fabric coupled to the plurality of ingress converters to receive the packets in the plurality of virtual lanes on a plurality of input ports and configured to switch the packets to a plurality of output ports; and a plurality of egress converters, each of the plurality of egress converters coupled to the packet switching fabric to receive at least some of the packets from the output ports of the packet switching fabric and configured to supply a framed output signal converted from the received packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of switching framed signals with a packet-based switch, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of framed input signals; converting each of the plurality of framed input signals to packets logically grouped in virtual lanes; switching the packets converted from the plurality of framed input signals from input ports of a packet switch fabric to output ports of the packet switch fabric; converting the packets from the output ports of the packet switch fabric to framed output signals; and transmitting the framed output signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification