Switchable multi-drop video distribution system
AssigneeIntellect Network Technologies
InventorJohn E. Shaunfield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for controlling node equipment in a SONET ring transmission system. Control signals from a control center are transmitted in a selected byte of the SONET frame to each node coupled to the SONET ring. Each SONET node includes a decoder for decoding the control signals as to a destination address, and if a match is found, the node decodes a command field to carry out the representative functions. The command may be to activate or deactivate node circuits, or to receive or transmit video signals in specified VT channels of the SONET frame. In this manner, equipment can be switched on or off at the respective node to thereby optimize the bandwidth efficiency of the SONET network.
Claims33
Apparatus for controlling a circuit coupled to a node of a multi-node optical communication network of a type producing a plurality of time slots for carrying data therein, comprising:
- a control circuit located at a source node of the multi-node network for transmitting on the optical network a control signal that specifies a time slot of an optical frame for carrying data;
- and
- a destination node for receiving the control signal via the optical network for configuring a destination circuit to select said specified time slot and to couple data from said destination circuit to said specified time slot, whereby said destination circuit is controlled at said destination node.
Apparatus for controlling circuits by way of an optical network of a type having a plurality of time slots for carrying optical signals, comprising:
- at least one source node coupled to said optical network for transmitting thereon commands to a destination node for controlling the coupling of data from said destination node to said optical network in one of said time slots;
- at least one said destination node having an optical input coupled to said optical network and an optical output coupled to said optical network, said destination node for receiving said commands, and including:
- an electric drop bus,
- an optical-to-electrical converter for converting optical signals via said optical network input to corresponding electrical signals carried on said drop bus,
- an electrical add bus for carrying data generated by electrical circuits coupled to said destination node,
- a selector for selecting electrical signals from either said drop bus or said add bus,
- a control signal line carrying a control signal for controlling said selector for selecting electrical data from said drop bus or said add bus, and
- an electrical-to-optical converter for converting electrical signals output from said selector to corresponding optical signals coupled to the optical output of said destination node.
A method for controlling circuits by way of an optical network of a type having a plurality of time slots for carrying optical signals, comprising the steps of:
- communicating commands via said optical network to at least one node connected thereto for controlling the transmission of data on said optical network by said node;
- decoding by circuits in said node said commands to identify one or more time slots to be utilized for the transmission of the data on said optical network;
- programming circuits in said node to associate the data from at least one data source with the identified one or more time slots;
- multiplexing the data generated by said data source into said identified one or more time slots of said optical network;
- and
- reprogramming said circuits in said node to cause the multiplexing of the data into other time slots of said optical network in response to a decoding of other commands received by said node via said optical network.
Apparatus for controlling circuits by way of an optical network of a type having a plurality of time slots for carrying optical signals, comprising:
- a network node having an optical input port coupled to said optical network and an optical output port coupled to said optical network, said node including:
- a bus controller having an optical-to-electrical converter for converting optical signals at said input port to corresponding electrical signals;
- a serial-to-parallel converter for converting electrical signals output by said optical-to-electrical converter from serial signals to byte serial data;
- a parallel-to-serial converter for converting byte serial data to corresponding serial data;
- an electrical-to-optical converter for converting the output serial data from said parallel-to-serial converter to corresponding optical signals, said electrical-to-optical converter for coupling the serial optical signals to the optical output port;
- a drop bus for carrying said byte serial data corresponding to data received by said network node via said optical network;
- an add bus for carrying byte serial data generated at said node;
- a multiplexer having a first input coupled to said drop bus and a second input coupled to said add bus;
- an output of said multiplexer coupling byte serial data to said parallel-to-serial converter, and a control input for selecting one of said first input or said second input of said multiplexer for coupling the serial data to an output of said multiplexer;
- and
- a control circuit for enabling the control input of said multiplexer to couple byte serial data on said add bus during a specified time slot to said multiplexer output.
Apparatus for controlling circuits by way of an optical network of a type having a plurality of time slots for carrying optical signals, comprising:
- at least one slave node coupled to said optical network;
- a master node coupled to said optical network, said master node including a processor programmed with a communications protocol, said communications protocol providing data identifying each said slave node, providing data identifying circuits in each said slave node and providing data identifying one or more time slots of said optical network to be utilized by the slave node for transmitting therein data generated at the respective slave node;
- said master node including encoding circuits for encoding said communications protocol into one or more time slots of said optical network so as to be available to each said slave node;
- and
- said slave node including decoding circuits responsive to the time slots of the optical network carrying said communications protocol for decoding node identification data, circuit identification data and time slot data, and for configuring circuits in said slave node to generate data and transmit the generated data in the time slots specified by said decoded time slot data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.