Large scale communications network having a fully meshed optical core transport network
First Claim
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1. A large scale communications network comprising:
- (a) a passive optical core transport network comprising a plurality of optical nodes interconnected by optical links, each of said optical links supporting at least one dedicated channel, said optical nodes managing said dedicated channels to form a fully meshed transport network; and
(b) a plurality of electronic edge switches, each communicating with one of the plurality of optical nodes;
wherein a source electronic edge switch processing digital traffic forms at least one path through at least one of said dedicated channels to a destination electronic edge switch.
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Abstract
A fully meshed telecommunications network based on an optical core transport network having a plurality of optical nodes is described. An electronic edge switch is connected to an optical node and dedicated channels are established between all the possible pairs of electronic edge switches through their associated optical nodes and the optical core transport network. Connection paths are set up using a channel or channels between a pair of electronic edge switches which perform major functions concerning connection routes, including rate regulation, path establishment, etc.
116 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A large scale communications network comprising:
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(a) a passive optical core transport network comprising a plurality of optical nodes interconnected by optical links, each of said optical links supporting at least one dedicated channel, said optical nodes managing said dedicated channels to form a fully meshed transport network; and
(b) a plurality of electronic edge switches, each communicating with one of the plurality of optical nodes;
wherein a source electronic edge switch processing digital traffic forms at least one path through at least one of said dedicated channels to a destination electronic edge switch.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
(a) determining a cost-index for each path from said source electronic edge switch to said destination edge switch;
(b) determining the vacancy of each path from said source electronic edge switch to said destination electronic edge switch;
(c) computing a weighted vacancy for each path from said source electronic edge switch to said destination edge switch; and
(d) selecting the path of highest weighted vacancy that has a sufficient vacancy to accommodate said prescribed capacity requirement.
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6. The method of claim 5 wherein said cost index is proportional to the inverse of an end-to-end cost.
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7. The method of claim 5 wherein the group of possible paths from said source electronic edge switch to said destination edge switch includes a direct path and (N-2) two-hop paths.
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8. The method of claim 7 including the further step of selecting the direct path over any of said (N-2) two hop paths if said direct path has a sufficient vacancy to accommodate said prescribed capacity requirement.
- 9. A communications network for transporting digital traffic between a plurality of electronic edge switches through channels in a fully meshed logical configuration, comprising an optical core transport network including a dual ring carrying multiple wavelengths in opposite directions with specifically assigned wavelengths for each specified pair of said plurality of electronic edge switches.
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14. A multi-ring network comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electronic edge switches; and
(b) a number D of dual rings, each dual ring interconnecting at least T optical nodes;
wherein each of said plurality of electronic edge switches has a wavelength division multiplexing fiber link to one of said at least T optical nodes in each of said D dual rings and a wavelength division multiplexing fiber link from one of said at least T optical nodes;
and wherein each of said at least T optical nodes within a specified dual ring is operable to connect optical channels of a wavelength division multiplexing fiber link to the remaining ones of said at least T optical nodes within said specified dual ring;
and wherein each of said electronic edge switches is operable to direct data through said optical channels to any other of said plurality of electronic edge switches. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A multi-ring network comprising:
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(a) a plurality of edge switches;
(b) an optical core comprising a plurality of dual rings, each of said dual rings including T optical nodes;
wherein said plurality of dual rings is arranged into S ring sets;
and wherein each of said ring sets comprises D dual rings;
and wherein each of said plurality of edge switches transmits data to at least one of said S ring sets;
and wherein each of said plurality of edge switches receives data through specified ones of D optical nodes belonging to a specified one of said S ring sets. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An edge switch communicating with an optical core transport network for exchanging digital traffic with other edge switches in a meshed logical configuration, comprising:
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(a) at least two ingress ports;
(b) at least two egress ports communicating with said at least two ingress ports;
wherein said edge switch communicates with a passive optical core transport network via one of the at least two ingress and egress ports, said transport network comprising a plurality of optical nodes fully interconnected by optical links, each of said optical links supporting at least one dedicated channel, said optical nodes managing said dedicated channels to form a fully meshed transport network;
and wherein said edge switch further includes means for selecting a desired dedicated channel to exchange digital traffic with a specified destination edge switch. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification