Methods and apparatus for retiming and realignment of STS-1 signals into STS-3 type signal

Claim 1

An apparatus for retiming an incoming STS-3 type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3 type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) demultiplexer means for receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3 type signal, said demultiplexer means for demultiplexing said incoming STS-3 type signal into three STS-1 type signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 type signals; b) three FIFO means coupled to said demultiplexer means, each of said FIFO means for receiving one of said STS-1 type signals; c) three frame counting means coupled to said demultiplexer means, each frame counting means for counting a number of STS-1 data frames since a last pointer movement relating to said STS-1 type signal; d) three FIFO depth measurement means, one coupled to each of said FIFO means, each said FIFO depth measurement means receiving said related byte control signal and determining at least therefrom a number of bytes in said FIFO means; e) logic means coupled to said three FIFO depth measurement means and to said three frame counting means, for generating for a particular one of said STS-1 type signals a destuff signal p-x frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in a particular one of said FIFO means which receives said particular one of said STS-1 type signals exceeds a first threshold value, where p is a integer greater than two, and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and for generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in said particular one of said FIFO means exceeds a second threshold value, where q is a integer greater than one, and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein said destuff signal triggers a pointer movement; and f) multiplexer means for reading data from each of said FIFO means according to said second STS-3 signal rate, and multiplexing said data from each of said FIFO means into an STS-3 payload.

Claim 2

An apparatus for retiming an incoming STS-3 type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3 type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) demultiplexer means for receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3 type signal, said demultiplexer means for demultiplexing said incoming STS-3 type signal into three STS-1 type signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 type signals; b) three FIFO means coupled to said demultiplexer means, each of said FIFO means for receiving one of said STS-1 type signals; c) three frame counting means coupled to said demultiplexer means, each frame counting means for counting a number of STS-1 data frames since a last pointer movement relating to said STS-1 type signal; d) three FIFO depth measurement means, one coupled to each of said FIFO means, each said FIFO depth measurement means receiving said related byte control signal and determining at least therefrom a number of bytes in said FIFO means; e) logic means coupled to said three FIFO depth measurement means and to said three frame counting means, for generating for a particular one of said STS-1 type signals a destuff signal p-x frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in a particular one of said FIFO means which receives said particular one of said STS-1 type signals exceeds a first threshold value, where p is a integer greater than two, and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and for generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in said particular one of said FIFO means exceeds a second threshold value, where q is a integer greater than one, and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein said destuff signal triggers a pointer movement; and f) multiplexer means for reading data from each of said FIFO means according to said second STS-3 signal rate, and multiplexing said data from each of said FIFO means into an STS-3 payload.

Claim 13

A method for retiming an incoming STS-3 type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3 type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3 type signal; b) demultiplexing said incoming STS-3 type signal into three STS-1 payload signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 payload signals; c) sending said three STS-1 payload signals and the related byte control signal to three FIFO means; d) for each STS-1 payload counting frames of the incoming signal, and resetting the count upon a pointer movement for the particular STS-1 payload; e) measuring the depth of each FIFO by tracking the related byte control signal; f) based on the measured depth of the particular FIFO and the related frame count, generating for each STS-1 payload signal a destuff signal p-x frames after determining that a number of bytes in the particular FIFO means exceeds a first threshold value, where p is an integer greater than two and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination that the number of bytes in the particular FIFO means exceeds a second threshold value, where q is an integer greater than one and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein the destuff signal triggers a pointer movement; and g) multiplexing the STS-1 payload data from each of said FIFO means into said second STS-3 type signal at said second STS-3 signal rate.

Claim 14

A method for retiming an incoming STS-3 type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3 type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3 type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3 type signal; b) demultiplexing said incoming STS-3 type signal into three STS-1 payload signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 payload signals; c) sending said three STS-1 payload signals and the related byte control signal to three FIFO means; d) for each STS-1 payload counting frames of the incoming signal, and resetting the count upon a pointer movement for the particular STS-1 payload; e) measuring the depth of each FIFO by tracking the related byte control signal; f) based on the measured depth of the particular FIFO and the related frame count, generating for each STS-1 payload signal a destuff signal p-x frames after determining that a number of bytes in the particular FIFO means exceeds a first threshold value, where p is an integer greater than two and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination that the number of bytes in the particular FIFO means exceeds a second threshold value, where q is an integer greater than one and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein the destuff signal triggers a pointer movement; and g) multiplexing the STS-1 payload data from each of said FIFO means into said second STS-3 type signal at said second STS-3 signal rate.

Claim 21

An apparatus for retiming an incoming STS-3C type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3C type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) demultiplexer means for receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3C type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3C type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3C type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3C type signal, said demultiplexer means for demultiplexing said incoming STS-3C type signal into three STS-1 payload signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 payload signals; b) data storage means coupled to said demultiplexer means, said data storage means for separately storing said STS-1 payload signals; c) frame counting means coupled to said demultiplexer means, said frame counting means for counting a number STS-3C data frames since a last pointer movement relating to said second STS-3C type signal; d) data storage measurement means coupled to said data storage means, said data storage measurement means for receiving said related byte control signal and determining at least therefrom a number of bytes for each of said STS-1 payload signals in said data storage means; e) logic means coupled to said data storage means and said frame counting means, for generating a destuff signal p-x frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes for each of said STS-1 payload signals in said data storage means exceeds a first threshold value, where p is an integer greater than two and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and for generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in said data storage means for at least one of said STS-1 payload signals exceeds a second threshold value and that the number of bytes in said data storage means of the other STS-1 payload signals exceed a third threshold, where q is an integer greater than one and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and said third threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein said destuff signal triggers a pointer movement for said second STS-3C type signal; and f) multiplexer means for reading said separately stored data in said data storage means at said STS-3 signal rate, and multiplexing said separately stored data into an STS-3C payload.

Claim 22

An apparatus for retiming an incoming STS-3C type signal having a first STS-3 rate into a second STS-3C type signal having a second STS-3 rate similar to but not exactly equalling said first STS-3 rate, comprising: a) demultiplexer means for receiving a synchronous payload envelope data signal of said incoming STS-3C type signal, an associated synchronous clock of said incoming STS-3C type signal, and at least two control signals including a synchronous payload envelope control signal of said incoming STS-3C type signal, and a first byte control signal which is synchronous with one TOH byte of said incoming STS-3C type signal, said demultiplexer means for demultiplexing said incoming STS-3C type signal into three STS-1 payload signals each accompanied by a byte control signal related to said first byte control signal which accompanies at least one byte of each of said three STS-1 payload signals; b) data storage means coupled to said demultiplexer means, said data storage means for separately storing said STS-1 payload signals; c) frame counting means coupled to said demultiplexer means, said frame counting means for counting a number STS-3C data frames since a last pointer movement relating to said second STS-3C type signal; d) data storage measurement means coupled to said data storage means, said data storage measurement means for receiving said related byte control signal and determining at least therefrom a number of bytes for each of said STS-1 payload signals in said data storage means; e) logic means coupled to said data storage means and said frame counting means, for generating a destuff signal p-x frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes for each of said STS-1 payload signals in said data storage means exceeds a first threshold value, where p is an integer greater than two and x equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or p-1 whichever is smaller, and for generating a destuff signal q-y frames after a determination by said logic means that the number of bytes in said data storage means for at least one of said STS-1 payload signals exceeds a second threshold value and that the number of bytes in said data storage means of the other STS-1 payload signals exceed a third threshold, where q is an integer greater than one and y equals the number of frames since the last pointer movement or q-1 whichever is smaller, wherein said first threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and said third threshold is smaller than said second threshold, and q is smaller than p, and wherein said destuff signal triggers a pointer movement for said second STS-3C type signal; and f) multiplexer means for reading said separately stored data in said data storage means at said STS-3 signal rate, and multiplexing said separately stored data into an STS-3C payload.