Automatic optical signal type identification method

• US 6,466,886 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ECI Telecom Limited (Shaul Shani)
• Original Assignee: ECI Telecom Limited (Shaul Shani)
• Inventors: Marmur, Oren
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn, Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US09/572,091
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 219/124.39, 356/47, 356/73.1, 359/110, 359/179, 359/187, 359/561, 359/124, 359/130, 702/189, 369/47.1, 369/48, 340/146.3 Q, 358/221, 382/34, 382/42, 382/210, 179/18, 385/24, 370/3, 370/94.1, 704/270, 330/308, 365/234
• US Class Current: 702/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/29 Repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0057 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0602 Systems characterised by the synchronising information used

Abstract

Automatic optical signal type identification method including the steps of: (a) converting an optical signal into an electrical signal; (b) storing a reference pattern dictionary with a plurality of reference patterns each uniquely identifying a different optical signal type; and (c) spotting a reference pattern embedded in the electrical signal for identifying the optical signal type of the optical signal.

Claims

1. Automatic optical signal type identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) converting an optical signal into an electrical signal;

(b) storing a reference pattern dictionary with a plurality of reference patterns each uniquely identifying a different optical signal type; and

(c) spotting a reference pattern embedded in the electrical signal for identifying the optical signal type of the optical signal,

wherein step (c) includes the steps of;

(c1) spotting a first occurrence of a feature vector uniquely identified with a transmission protocol embedded in the electrical signal at a first location therealong;

(c2) identifying the transmission protocol associated with the feature vector and jumping to a second location along the electrical signal downstream from the first location by a fixed byte length associated with the transmission protocol as specified in the reference pattern dictionary; and

(c3) spotting the second occurrence of the feature vector embedded in the electrical signal at the second location.

2. The method according to claim 1 for an off-line identification of an optical signal type of an optical signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 for an on-line identification of an optical signal type of an optical signal.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of deriving rate related information associated with said optical signal.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of retrieving a clock rate indication signal associated with said optical signal.

4. Automatic optical signal type identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) converting an optical signal into an electrical signal;

(b) storing a reference pattern dictionary with a plurality of reference patterns each uniquely identifying a different optical signal type; and

(c) spotting a reference pattern embedded in the electrical signal for identifying the optical signal type of the optical signal,

wherein step (c) includes the steps of;

(c1) spotting a first occurrence of a feature vector uniquely identified with a transmission protocol embedded in the electrical signal at a first location therealong;

(c2) identifying the transmission protocol associated with the feature vector, reading a byte length field embedded in the electrical signal as determined by the transmission protocol, and jumping to a second location along the electrical signal downstream from the first location by the byte length encoded in the byte length field; and

(c3) spotting the second occurrence of the feature vector embedded in the electrical signal at the second location.

5. The method according to claim 4 for an off-line identification of an optical signal type of an optical signal.

6. The method according to claim 4 for an on-line identification of an optical signal type of an optical signal.

9. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of deriving rate related information associated with said optical signal.

11. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of retrieving a clock rate indication signal associated with said optical signal.

7. Automatic optical signal type identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) converting an optical signal into an electrical signal;

(b) storing a reference pattern dictionary with a plurality of reference patterns each uniquely identifying a different optical signal type; and

(c) spotting a reference pattern embedded in the electrical signal for identifying the optical signal type of the optical signal,

wherein step (c) identifies optical signal types ranked by ascending byte length between a pair of immediately consecutive occurrences of their respective feature vectors of their respective reference patterns stored in the reference pattern dictionary.