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US 6,608,836 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for egress channel architecture that supports protection within SONET/sdh based networks
AssigneeTurin Networks
InventorsJim Mao, Wei Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A channel is described that has a backplane interface unit that selects a signal from a backplane. The backplane interface unit is coupled to a cross connect table that provides an indication where the signal may be found on the backplane. The indication is correlated to a logical label. The logical label is correlated to a frame location that the selected signal is transmitted within.
Claims45
An apparatus, comprising:
- a channel having a backplane interface unit that selects a signal from a backplane, said backplane interface unit coupled to a cross connect table that provides an indication where said signal may be found on said backplane, said indication correlated to a logical label, said logical label correlated to a frame location that said selected signal is transmitted within, said logical label having a value:
- 1) that will remain fixed during the course of recovery from a failure or degradation event that affects said signal;
- and,
- 2) that is reserved for said frame location so as to identify said frame location.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- a) assigning a logical identification label to a location within an outbound frame that transports an egress signal, said logical identification label having a value that is reserved for said outbound frame location so as to identify said outbound frame location, and, assigning a physical identification label to a location on a backplane where an ingress signal is found;
- and,
- b) configuring a portion of a node's switching fabric by correlating said logical identification label to said physical identification label, said logical identification label having a value that will remain fixed during the course of recovery from a failure or degradation event that affects said ingress signal.
A method, comprising:
- a) assigning a logical identification label to a location within an outbound frame that transports an egress signal, said logical identification label having a value that is reserved for said outbound frame location so as to identify said outbound frame location, and, assigning a physical identification label to a location on a backplane where an ingress signal is found;
- b) configuring a portion of a node's switching fabric by correlating said logical identification label to said physical identification label;
- c) operating said node by converting said ingress signal into said gress signal;
- and,
- d) changing said correlation, in response to a networking line failure or degradation event, by replacing said physical identification label with a second physical identification label while keeping said logical identification label unchanged.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a network node having a backplane and a line card, said line card having an egress channel with a backplane interface unit that selects a signal from said backplane, said backplane interface unit coupled to a cross connect table that provides an indication where said signal may be found on said backplane, said cross connect table correlating said indication to a logical label, said logical label correlated to a frame location that said selected signal is transmitted within, said logical label having a value that:
- 1) will remain fixed over the course of recovery from a degradation or failure event that affects said signal and
- 2) that is reserved for said frame location so as to identify said frame location.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a switch having a full mesh architecture, said switch further comprising:
- a) a first egress channel having a first backplane selection unit that selects a first signal from a first backplane location for inclusion within a frame that is transmitted upon a first outbound networking line, said first backplane location correlated to a first logical label, said first logical label correlated to a location within said frame that is transmitted upon said first outbound networking line, said logical label having a value:
- 1) that will remain fixed over the course of recovery from a degradation or failure event that affects said first signal and
- 2) that is reserved for said location so as to identify said location within said frame that is transmitted upon said first outbound networking line;
- and,
- 2) a second egress channel having a second backplane selection unit that selects a second signal from a second backplane location for inclusion within a frame that is transmitted upon a second outbound networking line, said second backplane location correlated to a second logical label, said second logical label correlated to a location within said frame that is transmitted upon said second outbound networking line, said logical label having a value:
- 1) that will remain fixed over the course of recovery from a degradation or failure event that affects said second signal and
- 2) that is reserved for said location within said frame that is transmitted upon said second outbound networking line so as to identify said location within said frame that is transmitted upon said second outbound networking line.
5 more elements
A networking switch, comprising:
- a) means for assigning a logical identification label to a location within an outbound frame that transports an egress signal, said logical identification label having a value that:
- 1) remains fixed over the course of recovery from a degraded or failed line that assists in sourcing said egress signal to said networking switch and 2) uniquely identifies said egress signal;
- b) means for assigning a physical identification label to a location on backplane where an ingress signal is found;
- and,
- c) means for configuring a portion of a node's switching fabric by correlating said logical identification label to said physical identification label.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.