Patent US6046832A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6046832A
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System and method for protection of WDM/SONET networks
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1997-12-04
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Granted: 2000-04-04
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Expires: 2017-12-04
Abstract
Abstract An architecture for mixed SONET/WDM networks using one dedicated protection ring for protection of several WDM links deployed along the same SONET ring by providing optical switching equipment for switching telecommunication traffic from working optical fibers of failed WDM links to protection optical fibers of the dedicated SONET ring selected for that purpose from the plurality of SONET rings of the mixed SONET/WDM network.
Inventors
- 👤 Ilya M. Fishman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:29
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/0001; H04Q11/0062; H04J; H04J14/00; H04J14/02; H04J14/0278; H04J14/0283; H04J14/0287; H04J14/0289; H04J14/0291; H04Q2011/0079; H04Q2011/0081; H04Q2011/009; H04Q2011/0092
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A protection system for a mixed SONET/WDM network comprising: a plurality of nodes, each said node comprising working and protection SONET equipment; a plurality of SONET rings, each said ring comprising at least three said nodes being interconnected by working and protection optical fibers; a dedicated protection ring (DPR) being selected from said plurality of SONET rings; WDM equipment for producing WDM traffic by multiplexing and demultiplexing of single wavelength optical signals forming SONET traffic from said SONET equipment; rerouting optical switching equipment for rerouting said WDM traffic from said working optical fibers to said protection optical fibers in case of failure of said working fibers; and reconfiguration optical switching equipment for reconfiguration of selected nodes of said DPR for transmitting said WDM traffic through said protection optical fibers, said selected nodes being connected to undamaged working fiber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A protection system for a mixed SONET/WDM network comprising: a plurality of nodes, each said node comprising working and protection SONET equipment; a plurality of SONET rings, each said ring comprising at least three said nodes being interconnected by working and protection optical fibers; a dedicated protection ring (DPR) being selected from said plurality of SONET rings; WDM equipment for producing WDM traffic by multiplexing and demultiplexing of single wavelength optical signals forming SONET traffic from said SONET equipment; rerouting optical switching equipment for rerouting said WDM traffic from said working optical fibers to said protection optical fibers in case of failure of said working fibers; and reconfiguration optical switching equipment for reconfiguration of selected nodes of said DPR for transmitting said WDM traffic through said protection optical fibers, said selected nodes being connected to undamaged working fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The protection system of claim 1, wherein each said node of said DPR comprises said WDM equipment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The protection system of claim 2, wherein each said WDM equipment comprises working WDM terminals and a respective number of protection WDM terminals, each said working and protection WDM terminals having inputs and outputs for receiving and transmitting said WDM traffic, and inputs and outputs for receiving and transmitting said SONET traffic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The protection system of claim 3, wherein the number of said working WDM terminals is even.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The protection system of claim 4, wherein the number of said working WDM terminals is two.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The protection system of claim 5, wherein each of said inputs and outputs of said working WDM terminals are connected to said working or protection optical fibers via said rerouting optical switching equipment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
The protection system of claim 6, wherein each said node further comprising at least two WDM protection terminals with a WDM input or output, and a plurality of single wavelength outputs or inputs, respectively, said single wavelength outputs being connected to inputs of said protection SONET equipment via said reconfiguration optical switching equipment, said single wavelength inputs and outputs being connected therebetween via said reconfiguration optical switching equipment for reconfiguration of said nodes which are connected to the undamaged optical fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The protection system of claim 7, wherein said reconfiguration optical switching equipment comprises a plurality of reconfiguration optical switches, each said optical switch has at least two switching ports and one common port, said common port is connected to said protection WDM terminal, while said switching ports are connected to said SONET protection equipment and to another reconfiguration optical switch of said plurality of said reconfiguration optical switches.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The protection system of claim 1, wherein at least two adjacent nodes of said DPR are interconnected by said working and protection optical fibers, each said node comprising said WDM equipment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The protection system of claim 9, wherein each said adjacent node comprises at least one said working WDM terminal, said at least one working WDM terminal having inputs and outputs for receiving and transmitting said WDM traffic, and inputs and outputs for receiving and transmitting said SONET traffic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The protection system of claim 10, wherein said inputs and outputs of said at least one working WDM terminal are connected to said working or protection optical fibers via said rerouting optical switching equipment, and wherein the length of a protection optical path is not longer than maximum reach of said WDM equipment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The protection system of claim 11, wherein each said adjacent node further comprising a WDM equipment switch which has one common port and a plurality of switching ports, said common port is connected to said protection optical fiber, and each switching port of said plurality of switching ports is connected to the corresponding input or outputs of said protection SONET equipment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The protection system of claim 12, wherein said optical switching reconfiguration equipment comprises at least two 1×2 optical switches and an optical amplifier therebetween for rerouting said WDM traffic in case of failure of said working fiber and amplification of said rerouted WDM traffic.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for protection of a mixed SONET/WDM network formed by a plurality of SONET rings with a plurality of nodes interconnected by working and protection fibers, each said node having working and protection SONET equipment and a predetermined number of said nodes having working WDM equipment with transmitting and receiving terminals for providing WDM traffic by multiplexing or demultiplexing single wavelength traffic from SONET equipment, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a dedicated protection ring (DPR) from said plurality of SONET rings with at least two nodes comprising WDM equipment therein; analyzing said nodes of said DPR for determining the population of said DPR by said working WDM equipment; providing a protection WDM terminal for each working WDM terminal when the majority of said nodes of said DPR are equipped with said working WDM equipment, each said protection WDM terminal having a capacity equal to maximum capacity of said working WDM terminal; providing optical switching equipment within each said node of said DPR for rerouting said WDM traffic form failed working optical fiber to protection optical fiber; providing optical switching equipment within each said node of said DPR for reconfiguration of said protection WDM terminals for switching working WDM traffic from said working fiber to said protection fiber; and reconfiguring protection WDM terminals within a path of said switched WDM working traffic by switching said transmitting protection WDM terminals from protection SONET equipment to said receiving protection WDM terminals.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for protection of a mixed SONET/WDM network formed by a plurality of SONET rings with a plurality of nodes interconnected by working and protection fibers, each said node having working and protection SONET equipment and a predetermined number of said nodes having working WDM equipment with transmitting and receiving terminals for providing WDM traffic by multiplexing or demultiplexing single wavelength traffic from SONET equipment, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a dedicated protection ring (DPR) from said plurality of SONET rings with at least two nodes comprising WDM equipment therein; analyzing said nodes of said DPR for determining the population of said DPR by said working WDM equipment; providing a protection WDM terminal for each working WDM terminal when the majority of said nodes of said DPR are equipped with said working WDM equipment, each said protection WDM terminal having a capacity equal to maximum capacity of said working WDM terminal; providing optical switching equipment within each said node of said DPR for rerouting said WDM traffic form failed working optical fiber to protection optical fiber; providing optical switching equipment within each said node of said DPR for reconfiguration of said protection WDM terminals for switching working WDM traffic from said working fiber to said protection fiber; and reconfiguring protection WDM terminals within a path of said switched WDM working traffic by switching said transmitting protection WDM terminals from protection SONET equipment to said receiving protection WDM terminals.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for protection of a mixed SONET/WDM network formed by a plurality of SONET rings with a plurality of nodes interconnected by working and protection fibers, each said node having working and protection SONET equipment and a predetermined number of said nodes having working WDM equipment with transmitting and receiving terminals for providing WDM traffic by multiplexing or demultiplexing single wavelength traffic from SONET equipment, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a dedicated protection ring (DPR) form said plurality of SONET rings with at least two nodes comprising WDM equipment therein; analyzing said nodes of said DPR for determining the population of said DPR by said working WDM equipment; rerouting said WDM traffic via optical switching equipment from failed working optical fiber to said protection optical fiber when the minority of said nodes of said DPR being equipped with said working WDM equipment; and bypassing SONET equipment via switching equipment when the working WDM traffic is switched to said protection fiber.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for protection of a mixed SONET/WDM network formed by a plurality of SONET rings with a plurality of nodes interconnected by working and protection fibers, each said node having working and protection SONET equipment and a predetermined number of said nodes having working WDM equipment with transmitting and receiving terminals for providing WDM traffic by multiplexing or demultiplexing single wavelength traffic from SONET equipment, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a dedicated protection ring (DPR) form said plurality of SONET rings with at least two nodes comprising WDM equipment therein; analyzing said nodes of said DPR for determining the population of said DPR by said working WDM equipment; rerouting said WDM traffic via optical switching equipment from failed working optical fiber to said protection optical fiber when the minority of said nodes of said DPR being equipped with said working WDM equipment; and bypassing SONET equipment via switching equipment when the working WDM traffic is switched to said protection fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method for protection of a mixed SONET/WDM network of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: switching failed single wavelength SONET traffic to protection optical fiber via protection WDM switching equipment; and amplifying said switched or rerouted WDM traffic by optical amplifiers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-04-04 | 2003-10-04 | 2004-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-04-04 | 2007-10-04 | 2008-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-04-04 | 2011-10-04 | 2012-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |