Serial transport frame format method

• US 5,060,229 A
• Filed: 05/12/1989
• Issued: 10/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel Network Systems India Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Jeffrey P., Hurlocker, Claude M., Sanders, Richard J. Jr., Dunning, Stephen C., Tyrrell, Raymond E., Gingell, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Application Number:
  US07/351,458
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 370/110.1, 370/82, 370/83, 370/99, 370/112, 370/95.1, 370/95.2, 370/100.1, 370/105.1, 370/95.3
• US Class Current: 370/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/12 Arrangements providing for calling or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1611 Synchronous digital hierarchy [SDH] or SONET H04J3/1664 takes precedence for interactions with OTN

Abstract

A serial transport frame format is described which transfers data between two locations. The serial transport frame format comprises a fixed number of channels per frame, each channel having a predetermined size. One channel per frame contains frame synchronization information and each channel which conveys data, contains a first portion for the transfer of data and a second portion which contains associated control information.

Claims

1. A serial transport frame format method for positioning information to be transferred in a serial bit stream, comprising the steps of:

1) arranging the data to be transferred in frames, where each frame comprises N channels, each channel having a fixed length of bits, where N is an integer greater than one;

2) for each of m of said N channels, where M is an integer less than N, placing data, representing information to be conveyed, in a first portion of the channel;

3) for each of M channels, placing control information related to the data in that channel in a second portion of the channel; and

4) placing synchronization data in at least one channel of each frame.

2. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels comprises signalling information associated with the corresponding data in the first portion of the channel.

3. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 2, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels contains timing information associated with the corresponding data in the first portion of the channel.

4. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 3, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said m channels further comprises parity information associated with the remaining bits of the corresponding channel.

5. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one of the N channels of each frame contains data in a first portion of the channel and at least a valid bit and an interrupt bit in a second portion of the channel along with associated address bits related to the data in the first portion of the channel.

6. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 5 for the transfer of information in systems comprising redundant A and B paths for the transfer of information between two locations, wherein the channel that contains synchronization information comprises a first portion and a second portion and wherein the second portion contains information regarding the A or B path selected.

7. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 6, wherein the second portion of the channel that contains synchronization information further comprises clocking information related to the serial transport frame.

8. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 7, wherein the first portion of the channel that contains synchronization information comprises parity information.

9. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 8, wherein the second portion of the channel that contains synchronization information further comprises parity information.

10. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels contains timing information associated with the data in the first portion of the channel.

11. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 10, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels further comprises parity information associated with the remaining bits of the channel.

12. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels further comprises parity information associated with the remaining bits of the channel.

13. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the N channels of each frame contains data in the first portion of the channel and at least a valid bit and an interrupt bit in the second portion of the channel along with associated address bits related to the data in the first portion of the channel.

14. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 1 for the transfer of information in systems comprises redundant A and B paths for the transfer of information between two locations, wherein the channel that contains synchronization information comprises a first portion and a second portion and wherein the second portion contains information regarding the A or B path selected.

15. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 14, wherein the second portion of the channel that contains synchronization information further comprises clocking information related to the serial transport frame.

16. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 15, wherein the first portion of the channel that contains synchronization information comprises parity information.

17. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 16, wherein the second portion of the channel that contains synchronization information further comprises parity information.

18. A serial transport frame format as defined in claim 1, wherein the fixed length of bits for each channel is equal to 16.

19. A serial transport frame format as defined in claim 18, wherein N is equal to 32.

20. A serial transport frame format as defined in claim 1, wherein the synchronization data comprises seven bits corresponding to a Barker Code, wherein the synchronization data is complemented in alternating frames.

21. A serial transport frame format as defined in claim 20, further comprising a method of determining synchronization from the synchronization data in the serial transport frame, wherein the method comprises six states;

namely, an A, Out of Sync state representing that synchronization has not been determined, a B, Found Sync word representing that synchronization data has been detected, a C, In Sync state representing that synchronization data has been detected in two consecutive frames, a D Lost First Sync state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the current frame, an E, Lost Two Syncs state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the last two consecutive frames, and an F, Lost Three Sync state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the last three consecutive frames; and

two detector conditions;

namely, a found synchronization word condition, and a lost synchronization word condition, and wherein the transfer from one of the six states to the next state is set forth below;

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Detector Next Current State Condition State ______________________________________ A Out of Sync Found sync word B Lost sync word A B Found Sync word Found sync word C Lost sync word A C In sync Found sync word C Lost sync word D D Lost 1st sync Found sync word C Lost sync word E E Lost 2 syncs Found sync word C Lost sync word F F Lost 3 syncs Found sync word C Lost sync word A ______________________________________

22. A serial transport frame format as defined in claim 1, further comprising a method of determining synchronization from the synchronization data in the serial transport frame, wherein the method comprises six states;

namely, an A, Out of Sync state representing that synchronization has not been determined, a B, Found Sync word representing that synchronization data has been detected, a C, In Sync state representing that synchronization data has been detected in two consecutive frames, a D, Lost First Sync state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the current frame, an E, Lost Two Syncs state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the last two consecutive frames, and an F, Lost Three Sync state representing that synchronization data has not been detected for the last three consecutive frames; and

two detector conditions;

namely, a found synchronization word condition and a lost synchronization word condition, and wherein the transfer from one of the six states to the next state is set forth below;

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Detector Next Current State Condition State ______________________________________ A Out of Sync Found sync word B Lost sync word A B Found Sync word Found sync word C Lost sync word A C In sync Found sync word C Lost sync word D D Lost 1st sync Found sync word C Lost sync word E E Lost 2 syncs Found sync word C Lost sync word F F Lost 3 syncs Found sync word C Lost sync word A ______________________________________

23. A serial transport frame format method for positioning information to be transmitted in a serial bit stream, comprising the steps of:

1) arranging the data to be transferred in a plurality of frames, where each frame comprises N channels, each channel having a fixed length of bits, where N is an integer greater than one;

2) for each of M of said N channels in at least some of the plurality of frames, where M is an integer greater than zero and less than N, placing data, representing information to be conveyed, in one portion of the channel;

3) for each of said M channels, placing control information related to the data in that channel, in a second portion of the channel; and

4) placing synchronization data in at least one channel of each frame.

24. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 23, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels comprises signalling information associated with the corresponding data in the first portion of the channel.

25. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 24, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels contains timing information associated with the corresponding data in the first portion of the channel.

26. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 25, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels further comprises parity information.

27. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 26, wherein at least one of the N channels of each frame contains data in the first portion of the channel and at least a valid bit and an interrupt bit in the second portion of the channel along with associated address bits related to the data in the first portion of the channel.

28. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 23, wherein the channel associated control information for each of at least some of said M channels contains timing information associated with the data in the first portion of the channel.

29. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 23, wherein at least one of the N channels of each frame contains data in the first portion of the channel and at least a valid bit and an interrupt bit in the second portion of the channel along with associated address bits related to the data in the first portion of the channel.

30. A serial transport frame format method as defined in claim 23 for the transfer of information in systems comprising redundant A and B paths for the transfer of information between two locations, wherein the channel that contains synchronization information comprises a first portion and a second portion and wherein the second portion contains information regarding the A or B path selected.