Immediate rerouting in data networks

• US 6,810,008 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Par Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Par Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Eng, Kai Y., Anderson, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US09/734,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/352, 370/356, 370/216, 370/255, 370/401, 398/1, 398/5
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0227 Operation, administration, maintenance or provisioning [OAMP] of WDM networks, e.g. media access, routing or wavelength allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control

Abstract

A data network routing apparatus and method are presented. The data switch comprises a packet engine integrated with an optical engine. The optical engine and packet engine are under common software and/or hardware control, and communicably interconnected. As a result, the physical state of the optics is continually and immediately available to the packet engine, in substantially real time. The packet engine implements a routing algorithm which operates on at least the data traffic in the network and the optical transport topology. The routing apparatus periodically updates the routing algorithm'"'"'s operands under normal operation, and in the event of the failure of a communications link in the network, the routing apparatus immediately updates the routing algorithm operands in response. A network comprising a plurality of nodes with such immediate rerouting capability is achieved by utilizing a plurality of the disclosed data switches as its nodes.

Claims

1. An edge switch for use in a data network utilizing optical transport, comprising:

a packet engine connected to a packet switched data network; and

an optical engine connected to an optical transport network,

where the packet engine and the optical engine are under common hardware or software control, and

where the optical engine continually communicates the topology of the optical transport network to the packet engine substantially in real time.

2. The edge switch of claim 1, where the packet engine further comprises routing means.

3. The edge switch of claim 2, where said routing means implements a routing algorithm, and

where said routing algorithm operates on at least the data traffic in the network and the said optical transport network topology.

4. The edge switch of claim 3, where said routing means updates the operands of the routing algorithm:

periodically under normal operation; and

immediately in the event of a failure of a communications link of said optical transport network.

5. An edge switch for use in a data network utilizing optical transport, comprising:

a packet engine comprising a router connected to a packet switched data network; and

an optical engine connected to an optical transport network,

where the packet engine and the optical engine are under common hardware or software control, and

where said router updates the operands of a routing algorithm;

periodically under normal operation; and

immediately in the event of a failure of a communications link of said optical transport network.

6. The edge switch of claim 5, where said routing algorithm has as operands at least the data traffic in the network, and the transport network topology.

7. The edge switch of claim 6, where said data network comprises a data layer and an optical transport network.

8. The edge switch of claim 7, where said optical transport network'"'"'s topology is continually communicated to the data layer in substantially real time.