Method and apparatus for the monitoring and demarcation of synchronous optical networks

• US 5,355,238 A
• Filed: 08/18/1993
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mantas, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SWL, Inc.
• Inventors: Kight, William D., Pfister, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/108,338
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 359/118, 359/117, 359/125, 359/135, 359/136-137, 359/110, 370/60.1, 370/94.2, 370/110.1
• US Class Current: 398/98
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0048 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0057 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/12 Arrangements providing for calling or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1611 Synchronous digital hierarchy [SDH] or SONET H04J3/1664 takes precedence for interactions with OTN

Abstract

A method and apparatus for establishing an intelligent demarcation between facility and terminal segments of a synchronous optical network. Network management information contained with the overhead structure of the synchronous optical network signal is extracted and manipulated in accordance with a predetermined user specification; overhead data may be translated, terminated, or passed unaltered as required. Overhead processing towards the facility and terminal segments need not be symmetrical. Payload information is passed unaltered although future provisions for encrypting payload data exist. Full performance monitoring is supported along with a built-in-test and diagnostic capability. The device may be both locally and remotely controlled and monitored. Remote control is implemented via the overhead information contained within the synchronous optical network signal.

Claims

1. An optical communications network interface device comprising:

(a) a terminal optical interface for transmitting and receiving a terminal synchronous optical network communications signal,

(b) a facility optical interface for transmitting and receiving a facility synchronous optical network communications signal,

(c) a terminal processor operatively connected to said terminal optical interface comprising;

(d) a terminal frame synchronizer;

(e) a terminal overhead terminator operatively connected to the terminal frame synchronizer,

(f) a terminal overhead central processing unit operatively connected to the terminal overhead terminator,

(g) means within the terminal overhead terminator for demultiplexing said terminal synchronous optical network communications signal into a received terminal payload component and a received terminal overhead component,

(h) means within the terminal central processing unit for monitoring and manipulating said received terminal overhead component whereby the content of the overhead component may be restricted to a user defined subset of allowable values,

(i) means within the terminal overhead terminator for multiplexing a transmitted terminal payload component and a transmitted terminal overhead component into said terminal synchronous optical network communications signal,

(j) a facility processor, operatively connected to said facility optical interface comprising;

(k) a facility frame synchronizer,

(l) a facility overhead terminator operatively connected to the facility frame synchronizer,

(m) a facility overhead central processing unit operatively connected to the facility overhead terminator,

(n) means within the facility overhead terminator for demultiplexing said facility synchronous optical network communications signal into a received facility payload component and a received facility overhead component,

(o) means within the facility central processing unit for monitoring and manipulating said received facility overhead component whereby the content of the overhead component may be restricted to a user defined subset of allowable values,

(p) means within the facility overhead terminator for multiplexing a transmitted facility payload component and a transmitted facility overhead component into said facility synchronous optical network communications signal,

(q) a process and interconnection means between said facility processor and said terminal processor for;

(r) changing said received terminal overhead component to said transmitted facility overhead component,

(s) changing said received terminal payload component to said transmitted facility payload component,

(t) changing said received facility overhead component to said transmitted terminal overhead component, and

(u) changing said received facility payload component to said transmitted terminal payload component,

(v) a unit controller operatively connected to the terminal processor and the facility processor comprising;

(w) a unit control central processing unit,

(x) a means, operatively connected to the unit control central processing unit, for providing local command and control access, status displays, alarm indication, and configuration control,

(y) a means, operatively connected to the unit control central processing unit, for providing remote command and control access, status reports, alarm indication, and configuration control,

(z) a means, operatively connected to the unit control central processing unit, for monitoring the internal functionality of said optical communications interface device and reporting any malfunction.

2. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminal processor and said facility processor contain a means for controlling and monitoring overhead information within said terminal synchronous optical network communication signal and said facility synchronous optical network communications signal in accordance with predetermined user specifications.

3. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said unit controller contains a data interface and means for connecting and operating a plurality of said unit controllers from a single location.

4. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said process and interconnection means between said facility processor and said terminal processor includes an apparatus and means for encrypting the payload components.

5. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, comprising an orderwire interface and means for controlling said orderwire interface.

6. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminal optical interface includes a modular fiber optical connector, allowing standardized terminal cable assemblies to be rapidly and reliably installed or removed as required.

8. An optical communications network interface device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said process and interconnection means between said facility processor and said terminal processor includes a means for translating dissimilar overhead components.

7. A method for demarcating a synchronous optical network communications signal interconnected between a facility and a terminal comprising the steps of:

(a) defining the overhead information contained within said synchronous optical network communications signal to be restricted,

(b) defining the overhead information contained within said synchronous optical network communications signal to be passed through said device without manipulation,

(c) defining the overhead information contained within said synchronous optical network communications signal to be translated,

(d) installing an optical communications network interface device at the desired demarcation point of said synchronous optical network communication signal comprising;

(e) a standardized modular fiber optic connector for a terminal interface,

(f) a standardized modular fiber optic connector for a facility interface,

(g) a means interposed between the terminal interface and the facility interface for manipulating the overhead information contained with said synchronous optical network communication signal,

(h) programming said optical communications network interface device to implement said restrictions and said translations, and to pass the restricted, translated and unmanipulated overhead information from the facility to the terminal or from the terminal to the facility via the facility and terminal interfaces

(i) activating said optical communicating network interface.

9. An optical communications network device, comprising:

a first optical interface for receiving an optical signal;

a processor including

means for splitting the optical signal into a payload component and an overhead component,

means for monitoring the overhead component to determine if it contains prohibited information,

means for restricting the overhead component to exclude any prohibited information, and

means for combining the payload component and the restricted overhead component into a restricted optical signal; and

a second optical interface for transmitting the restricted optical signal.

10. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, having at least two processors, wherein the first processor receives a first optical signal from the first optical interface and provides a first restricted optical signal to the second optical interface, and the second processor receives a second optical signal from the second optical interface and provides a second restricted optical signal to the first optical interface.

11. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor further includes a means for encrypting and decrypting the payload components.

12. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the second optical interface can both receive the optical signal and transmit the restricted optical signal, and the first optical interface can both receive the optical signal and transmit the restricted optical signal.

13. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

an orderwire interface; and

means for controlling the orderwire interface.

14. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor includes a means for translating dissimilar overhead components.

15. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

a controller for controlling the operation of the optical communications network device.

16. An optical communications network device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the controller further comprises a data interface allowing the controller to be connected to one or more optical communication network devices, and to control the operation of the one or more optical communication network devices.

17. An optical communications network device, comprising:

means for receiving an optical signal;

means for separating the optical signal into a payload component and an overhead component;

means for monitoring the overhead component to determine if the overhead component contains prohibited information;

means for restricting the overhead component to exclude any prohibited information determined by the monitoring means; and

means for transmitting a restricted optical signal comprising the payload component and the restricted overhead component.

18. A method for demarcating a synchronous optical network communications signal interconnected between a facility and a terminal comprising the steps of:

receiving the synchronous optical network communications signal from either the facility or the terminal;

determining the overhead information contained within said synchronous optical network communications signal that must be restricted;

restricting the synchronous optical network communications signal to exclude the restricted overhead information; and

passing the restricted synchronous optical network communications signal to the other of either the facility or the terminal.