Selector switch control using priority table

• US 5,920,542 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Henderson, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/673,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/217, 370/218, 370/219, 370/220, 370/221, 370/222, 370/223, 370/224, 370/225, 370/226, 370/227, 370/228, 370/241, 370/242, 370/243, 370/244, 370/245, 370/246 , 370/247, 370/248, 370/249, 370/250, 370/251, 370/252, 370/360, 370/375, 370/377, 370/378, 370/380, 370/381, 370/382, 370/383, 370/384, 370/385, 370/386, 370/389 , 370/392, 370/444, 370/433, 340/825.22, 340/825.03, 340/825, 379/93.09
• US Class Current: 370/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0688 Change of the master or reference, e.g. take-over or failure of the master
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/052 using standardised network management architectures, e.g. telecommunication management network [TMN] or unified network management architecture [UNMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0079 : involving restoration of networks, e.g. disaster recovery, self-healing networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0083 : Network planning or design; Modelling of planned or existing networks

Abstract

A system and method for reducing undesirable phase transients caused by revertive switchover in a telecommunications network. Selector switch settings are assigned priorities. The priorities indicate an order of preference in which to assign selector switch source inputs or outputs. Selector switch sources connected to equipments that are to be used as backups of one another are assigned the same priority level. Assignment of the same priority level prevents undesirable phase transients by controlling revertive switchovers. In addition, network topology is controllable using the priority table. The controllable characteristic of the network topology provides flexibility to a network designer to provide diversity among network paths such that the network is made more robust.

Claims

1. A method to control a selector switch in a telecommunications network containing network equipment having at least one selector switch having a plurality of positions, each position corresponding to one of a plurality of input signals, wherein cach said selector switch selects one of said plurality of positions according to a predetermined priority value, comprising the steps of;

creating a table having a plurality of entries each entry having a first field to store one of said plurality of selector switch positions and a second to store a predetermined priority value corresponding to a signal to be input at said one of said selector switch position;

storing a first predetermined priority value in said second field of a first entry in said table, and a second predetermined priority value in said second field of a second entry in said table, wherein said first priority value is equal to said second predetermined priority value when a first signal coupled to said selector switch at a first position corresponding to said first field of said first entry is to serve as a substitute for a second signal coupled to said selector switch at a second position corresponding to said first field of said second entry if said second signal is disrupted; and

assigning priority values in said priority table to thereby control network topology, wherein said assigning step comprises the step of;

storing a high predetermined priority value in a second field of an entry in said table having a position in said first field of said entry that corresponds to a preferred network topology; and

storing a predetermined priority value, lower than said high predetermined priority value, in a second field of another entry in said table having a position in said first field that corresponds to a backup network topology.

2. A system to control a selector switch in a telecommunications network containing network equipment having at least one selector switch having a plurality of positions, each position corresponding to one of a plurality of input signals, wherein each said selector switch selects one of said plurality of positions according to a predetermined priority value, comprising:

a table having a plurality of entries, each entry having a first field to store one of said plurality of selector switch positions, and a second field to store a predetermined priority value corresponding to a signal to be input at said one of said selector switch positions;

a priority value storing device, to store a first predetermined priority value in said second field of a first entry in said table, and a second predetermined priority value in said second field of a second entry in said table, wherein aid first predetermined priority value is equal to said second predetermined priority value when a first signal coupled to said selector switch at a first position corresponding to said first field of said first entry is to serve as a substitute for a second signal coupled to said selector switch at a second position corresponding to said first field of said second entry if said second disrupted; and

an assignment device to assign priorities values in said priority table to thereby control network topology, wherein said assignment device comprises;

a second priority value storing device to store a high predetermined priority value in a second field of an entry in said table having a position in said first field of said entry that corresponds to a preferred network topology; and

a third priority value storing device to store a predetermined priority value, lower than said high predetermined priority value, in a second field of another entry in said table having a position in said first field that corresponds to a backup network topology.

3. A system for controlling a selector switch in a telecommunications network containing network equipment having at least one selector switch having a plurality of positions, each position corresponding to one of a plurality of input signals, wherein each said selector switch selects one of said plurality of positions according a predetermined priority value, comprising:

table storing means for storing a table having a plurality of entries, each entry having a first field to store one, of said plurality of selector switch positions, and a second field to store a predetermined priority value corresponding to a signal to be input at said one of said selector switch positions;

priority value storing means for storing a first predetermined priority value in said second field of a first entry in said table, and a second predetermined priority value in said second field of a second entry in said table, wherein said first predetermined priority value is equal to said second predetermined priority value when a first signal coupled to said selector switch at a first position corresponding to said first field of said first entry is to serve as a substitute for a second signal coupled to said selector switch at a second position corresponding to said first field of said second entry if said second signal is disrupted; and

assigning means to assign priority values in said priority table to thereby control network topology, wherein said assigning means comprises;

second priority value storing means for storing a high predetermined priority value in a second field of an entry in said table having a position in said first field of said entry that corresponds to a preferred network topology; and

third priority value storing means for storing a predetermined priority value, lower than said high predetermined priority value, in a second field of another entry in said table having a position in said first field that corresponds to a backup network topology.