Method of sectionalizing trouble on telecommunication network connections

• US 5,566,162 A
• Filed: 12/07/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation, Ciena Luxembourg S.a.r.l. (Ciena Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Burdett, Gregory P., Gruber, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/568,724
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 370/13, 370/13.1, 370/14, 370/17, 370/85.13, 370/110.1, 371/3, 375/224, 379/1, 379/14, 379/21, 379/22, 379/26, 395/183.01
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/907 Synchronous optical network, SONET

Abstract

In telecommunications involving more than one network, it is important to determine the location of a fault which may occur on a connection so that the responsible network administrator can be identified and appropriate remedial measures can be promptly performed. The invention allows sectionalization of trouble on a connection which spans more than one network administrative domain. It uses NE (near-end), FE (far-end) and Int. (intermediate) monitoring signals specific to separate layered entities associated with the connection.

Claims

1. In a telecommunication system consisting of a plurality of separately layered networks and/or hierarchically separate networks, a method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains within the layered or hieracrchically separate networks, comprising steps of:

(a) at a site located on the connection but adjacent to the boundary of two administrative domains, conducting FE monitoring for trouble in two directions along the connection;

(b) at the site, conducting NE monitoring for trouble in the two directions;

(c) at the site, conducting NE and FE monitoring for trouble in the domain in which the site is located; and

(d) sectionalizing trouble to any of the administrative domains according to the monitoring results.

2. The method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains according to claim 1 wherein the connection is maintained with a plurality of entities, each of which uses its own monitoring signals.

3. The method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains according to claim 2 wherein the administrative domains are LECs and IECs, and the connection is maintained with a service entity and carriage entity.

4. The method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains according to claim 3 wherein the connection involves an IEC and two LECs, the carriage entity spans only the IEC and the service entity spans the connection from end-to-end.

5. The method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains according to claim 4 wherein the carriage entity uses SONET monitoring signals, and the service entity uses DS1 ESF signals.

6. The method of sectionalizing trouble on a connection spanning two or three administrative domains according to claim 1 wherein the steps are performed on an on-demand basis or on a pre-set periodic basis.