Method and apparatus for transporting client signals in an optical transport network

An optical transport network (OTN) device comprising a processor and a transmitter, wherein

• the processor is configured to:
• receive a client signal;
• determine, according to a type of the client signal or a bit rate of the client signal, a quantity of tributary slot (TS) in an OTN frame occupied by the client signal;
• map the client signal into the OTN frame using the quantity of TS in the OTN frame, wherein the TS in the OTN frame carrying the client signal forms an optical data tributary unit (ODTU) frame
• wherein a number of bytes of the ODTU frame depends on the quantity of TS in the OTN frame occupied by the client signal;
• and
• send the OTN frame to the transmitter;
• and
• the transmitter is configured to send the OTN frame received from the processor.

A system comprising a device sending a client signal and an optical transport network (OTN) device, wherein:

• the OTN device comprises a receiver configured to cooperate with a processor to receive the client signal sent by the device;
• and
• the processor is configured to:
• receive the client signal;
• determine, according to a type of the client signal or a bit rate of the client signal, a quantity of tributary slot (TS) in an OTN frame occupied by the client signal;
• map the client signal into the OTN frame using the quantity of TS in the OTN frame, wherein the TS in the OTN frame carrying the client signal forms an optical data tributary unit (ODTU) frame,
• wherein a number of bytes of the ODTU frame depends on the quantity of TS in the OTN frame occupied by the client signal.