Interfaces for cross-connect system

An outgoing interface for interfacing a cross-connect switch to an outgoing link, comprising:

• DS3 (digital signal-3) transmit processor means for processing a DS3 signal from said cross-connect switch;
• a first selector having an input terminal connected to the DS3 transmit processor means, and first and second output terminals, said first selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• mapping means connected to the first output terminal of the first selector for packing the processed DS3 signal into the payload of the STS-1 (synchronous transport signal level-1) format;
• a second selector having a first input terminal for receiving an STS-1 signal from the cross-connect switch, a second input terminal connected to the mapping means, and an output terminal, said second selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• STS-1 transmit processor means connected to the output terminal of said second selector for processing an STS-1 signal;
• and
• a third selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 transmit processor means, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the first selector, and an output terminal adapted for connection to the outgoing link, said third selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof.

A cross-connect system comprising:

• a plurality of incoming interfaces respectively corresponding to incoming links;
• a plurality of outgoing interfaces respectively corresponding to outgoing links;
• and
• a cross-connect switch connected between the incoming interfaces and the outgoing interfaces,
• each of the incoming interfaces comprising:
• a first selector having an input terminal for receiving a signal from the corresponding incoming link, and first and second output terminals, said first selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• STS-1 (synchronous transport signal level-1) receive processor means connected to the first output terminal of the first selector for processing an STS-1 signal therefrom;
• demapping means connected to the STS-1 receive processor means for extracting a DS3 (digital signal-3) payload signal from the processed STS-1 signal;
• a second selector having a first input terminal connected to the demapping means, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the first selector, and an output terminal, said second selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• DS3 receive processor means connected to the output terminal of the second selector for processing a DS3 signal;
• and
• a third selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 receive processor means, a second input terminal connected to the DS3 receive processor means and an output terminal connected to said cross-connect switch, said third selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof,
• each of said outgoing interfaces comprising:
• DS3 transmit processor means connected to said cross-connect switch for processing a DS3 signal;
• a fourth selector having an input terminal connected to the DS3 transmit processor means, and first and second output terminals, said fourth selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• mapping means connected to the first output terminal of the fourth selector for packing the processed DS3 signal into the payload of the STS-1 format;
• a fifth selector having a first input terminal for receiving an STS-1 signal from the cross-connect switch, a second input terminal connected to the mapping means and an output terminal, said fifth selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• STS-1 transmit processor means connected to the output terminal of said fifth selector for processing an STS-1 signal;
• and
• a sixth selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 transmit processor means, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the fourth selector, and an output terminal connected to the corresponding outgoing link, said sixth selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof.

An incoming interface adapted for interfacing an incoming link to a cross-connect switch, comprising:

• a first selector having an input terminal for receiving a signal from the incoming link and first and second output terminals, said first selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of said first and second output terminals thereof;
• STS-1 (synchronous transport signal level-1) receive processor connected to the first output terminal of the first selector for processing an STS-1 signal therefrom;
• demapping circuit connected to the STS-1 receive processor for extracting a DS3 (digital signal-3) payload signal from the processed STS-1 signal;
• a second selector having a first input terminal connected to said demapping circuit, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of said first selector, and an output terminal, said second selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• DS3 receive processor connected to the output terminal of said second selector for processing a DS3 signal;
• and
• a third selector having a first input terminal connected to said STS-1 receive processor, a second input terminal connected to the DS3 receive processor, and an output terminal adapted for connection to said cross-connect switch, said third selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof.

An outgoing interface for interfacing a cross-connect switch to an outgoing link, comprising:

• DS3 (digital signal-3) transmit processor for processing a DS3 signal from said cross-connect switch;
• a first selector having an input terminal connected to the DS3 transmit processor and first and second output terminals, said first selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• mapping circuit connected to the first output terminal of the first selector for packing the processed DS3 signal into the payload of the STS-1 (synchronous transport signal level-1) format;
• a second selector having a first input terminal for receiving an STS-1 signal from the cross-connect switch, a second input terminal connected to the mapping circuit, and an output terminal, said second selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• STS-1 transmit processor connected to the output terminal of said second selector for processing an STS-1 signal;
• and
• a third selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 transmit processor, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the first selector, and an output terminal adapted for connection to the outgoing link, said third selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof.

A cross-connect system comprising:

• a plurality of incoming interfaces respectively corresponding to incoming links;
• a plurality of outgoing interfaces respectively corresponding to outgoing links;
• and
• a cross-connect switch connected between the incoming interfaces and the outgoing interfaces,
• each of the incoming interfaces comprising:
• a first selector having an input terminal for receiving a signal from the corresponding incoming link, and first and second output terminals, said first selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• STS-1 (synchronous transport signal level-1) receive processor connected to the first output terminal of the first selector for processing an STS-1 signal therefrom;
• demapping circuit connected to the STS-1 receive processor for extracting a DS3 (digital signal-3) payload signal from the processed STS-1 signal;
• a second selector having a first input terminal connected to the demapping circuit, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the first selector, and an output terminal, said second selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• DS3 receive processor connected to the output terminal of the second selector for processing a DS3 signal;
• and
• a third selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 receive processor, a second input terminal connected to the DS3 receive processor and an output terminal connected to said cross-connect switch, said third selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof,
• each of said outgoing interfaces comprising:
• DS3 transmit processor connected to said cross-connect switch for processing a DS3 signal;
• a fourth selector having an input terminal connected to the DS3 transmit processor, and first and second output terminals, said fourth selector establishing a connection between the input terminal thereof and one of the first and second output terminals thereof;
• mapping circuit connected to the first output terminal of the fourth selector for packing the processed DS3 signal into the payload of the STS-1 format;
• a fifth selector having a first input terminal for receiving an STS-1 signal from the cross-connect switch, a second input terminal connected to the mapping circuit and an output terminal, said fifth selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof;
• STS-1 transmit processor connected to the output terminal of said fifth selector for processing an STS-1 signal;
• and
• a sixth selector having a first input terminal connected to the STS-1 transmit processor, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the fourth selector, and an output terminal connected to the corresponding outgoing link, said sixth selector establishing a connection between one of the first and second input terminals thereof and the output terminal thereof.