Optical Transport Switching Node with Framer
First Claim
1. A switching node for an optical communication system, the switching node comprising:
- an optical input path, and an optical output path, and at least one other output, of optical or other type;
an input converter to convert optical signals on the optical input path to electrical input signals;
an output converter to convert output electrical signals to output optical signals;
an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from the input converter to a selected one of the outputs; and
a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals,wherein the framer is coupled so as to provide a bypass path so that at least some of the signals being switched by the electrical switch can be switched selectively onto the bypass path to bypass the framer and be output without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switching node for an optical communication system has an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from an input converter to a selected one of the outputs, and has a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals. A bypass path is provided so that at least some of the signals being switched can bypass the framer. This can enable each node to be more efficient or handle more signals, since the framer no longer has to process all the signals. A reduction in power consumption can result. A method of configuring the switching node can involve a management system receiving information about the network, determining a new wavelength routing configuration and sending control signals to the node to configure the switches and control which signals use the bypass path.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A switching node for an optical communication system, the switching node comprising:
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an optical input path, and an optical output path, and at least one other output, of optical or other type; an input converter to convert optical signals on the optical input path to electrical input signals; an output converter to convert output electrical signals to output optical signals; an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from the input converter to a selected one of the outputs; and a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals, wherein the framer is coupled so as to provide a bypass path so that at least some of the signals being switched by the electrical switch can be switched selectively onto the bypass path to bypass the framer and be output without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A wavelength routing management system for an optical communications system having multiple nodes, at least some of the nodes including a switching node for an optical communication system, the switching node comprising:
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an optical input path, and an optical output path, and at least one other output, of optical or other type; an input converter to convert optical signals on the optical input path to electrical input signals; an output converter to convert output electrical signals to output optical signals; an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from the input converter to a selected one of the outputs; and a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals, wherein the framer is coupled so as to provide a bypass path so that at least some of the signals being switched by the electrical switch can be switched selectively onto the bypass path to bypass the framer and be output without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information, wherein the wavelength routing management system is coupled to a switching node of the optical communications system to receive information based on optical transport overhead information received at the node, or optical characteristics monitored at the node, the wherein the wavelength routing management system is also arranged to send control signals to configure the switching node to configure which of the electrical signals are added or dropped or passed through.
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13. A subsystem comprising:
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an add/drop interface; an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from an input converter to a selected one of a plurality of outputs, wherein the input converter converts optical to electrical signals, and wherein the electrical switch is coupled to selectively add electrical signals from the add/drop interface to an output converter, or to drop the electrical input signals to the add/drop interface, or to pass the electrical signals through to the output converter; a framer, coupled to the add/drop interface, for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals; and an interface for coupling the framer to the electrical switch, so that the framer can read or write optical transport overhead information of signals added or dropped, and signals that are passed through by the electrical switch can bypass the framer and pass through without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information.
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14. A method of configuring a switching node, in an optical communications system having multiple nodes, at least some of the nodes comprising a switching node that comprises:
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an optical input path, and an optical output path, and at least one other output, of optical or other type; an input converter to convert optical signals on the optical input path to electrical input signals; an output converter to convert output electrical signals to output optical signals; an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from the input converter to a selected one of the outputs; and a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals, wherein the framer is coupled so as to provide a bypass path so that at least some of the signals being switched by the electrical switch can be switched selectively onto the bypass path to bypass the framer and be output without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information, the method comprising the steps of; receiving information based on optical transport overhead information received at the node, or optical characteristics monitored at the node; and sending control signals to configure the switching node to configure which of the electrical signals are switched to bypass the framer.
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Specification