Methods and systems for carrying synchronization over Ethernet and optical transport network
First Claim
1. A method for carrying synchronization over Ethernet, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a clock source;
inserting a timing marker into an Ethernet stream responsive to an input from the clock source, wherein the timing marker is marked with a special 8 b/10 b symbol;
transmitting the Ethernet stream;
receiving the Ethernet stream;
extracting the timing marker from the Ethernet stream; and
establishing a timing reference signal responsive to the frequency between timing markers;
wherein one of the timing marker, a specific number of bytes per frame, and a specific character or sequence provide a decomposition of the Ethernet stream into frames comprising a fixed bandwidth and an excess bandwidth.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention reserves special Ethernet timing packets to mark timing within Ethernet and OTN, and secondarily creates frames within the Ethernet stream through the timing marker packets. The result is standard Ethernet with timing capability that can be transported over standard Ethernet links and/or within OTN. This timing capability can be utilized to carry synchronization over asynchronous Ethernet and OTN streams. Advantageously, enabling Ethernet and OTN to carry synchronous information will de-risk switching from SONET/SDH to Ethernet and/or OTN for service providers. The present invention also includes frame decomposition of the Ethernet stream. Ethernet packets are broken into fixed bandwidth and excess bandwidth. The fixed bandwidth is subdivided into fixed (negotiated) flits, with each flit corresponding to a specific user or combination of users like a private tunnel. This offers service providers a method to provide deterministic and more secure bandwidth over Ethernet to multiple clients.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for carrying synchronization over Ethernet, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a clock source; inserting a timing marker into an Ethernet stream responsive to an input from the clock source, wherein the timing marker is marked with a special 8 b/10 b symbol; transmitting the Ethernet stream; receiving the Ethernet stream; extracting the timing marker from the Ethernet stream; and establishing a timing reference signal responsive to the frequency between timing markers; wherein one of the timing marker, a specific number of bytes per frame, and a specific character or sequence provide a decomposition of the Ethernet stream into frames comprising a fixed bandwidth and an excess bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A network element capable of synchronization, comprising:
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a clock source; a plurality of inter-node links each connected to either a de-multiplexer or a multiplexer, wherein the de-multiplexer is configured to de-multiplex packets from each of the plurality of inter-node links, and the multiplexer is configured to multiplex packets to each of the plurality of inter-node links; one or more buffer/queues configured to receive, store, and send packets to the de-multiplexer/multiplexer; timing marker packets sent to one of the one or more buffer/queues responsive to an input from the clock source, wherein the timing marker packets are marked with a special 8 b/10 b symbol and the timing marker packets are inserted by the multiplexer at the highest priority; and a timing reference signal derived from the frequency between extracted timing marker packets, wherein the extracted timing marker packets are extracted from the de-multiplexer at the highest priority. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification