System and method for recovering and restoring lost data in a N-channel coherent data transmission system

For use in a communication network system for disassembling a relatively high bandwidth datastream into a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams which are transmitted on a plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels, a method for dealing with a failure of one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels, said method comprising:

• detecting said failure of one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels;
• dividing said relatively high bandwidth datastream for transmission over said relatively low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing;
• receiving a minor alarm from said one or more relatively low bandwidth channels detected as failing;
• inserting at least one bit of a failure signal in each of successive data frames of one or more relatively low bandwidth datastreams allocated to said one or more relatively low bandwidth channels detected as failing, consecutively inserted failure signal bits constituting a failure bit pattern recognizable at a receiving system;
• and
• transmitting said one or more relatively low bandwidth datastreams allocated to said one or more relatively low bandwidth channels with said inserted failure bit pattern.

A method for dealing with a failure of at least one of relatively low bandwidth channels, the method comprising:

• transmitting a relatively high bandwidth datastream over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• detecting said failure of at least one of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• dividing the relatively high bandwidth datastream for transmission over said relatively low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing;
• receiving an alarm from said relatively low bandwidth channels detected as failing;
• inserting at least one bit of a failure signal in each of successive data frames of relatively low bandwidth datastreams allocated to said at least one of said low bandwidth channels detected as failing, consecutively inserted failure signal bits constituting a failure bit pattern recognizable at a receiving system;
• and
• transmitting said relatively low bandwidth datastreams allocated to said at least one of said low bandwidth channels detected as failing with the inserted failure bit pattern.

For use at a receiving system in a communication network in which a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received on a plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels are to be reassembled into a relatively high bandwidth datastream, a reassembly method for dealing with a failure of one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels, said method comprising:

• receiving in said relatively low bandwidth datastreams a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• receiving an alarm sequence of bits rather than said selected sequence of bits as at indication of said failure of one or more of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• and,
• combining, in response to said indication of failure, said plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received from said relatively low bandwidth channels that did not fail into a single relatively high bandwidth datastream.

For use at a receiving system in a communication network in which a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received on a plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels are to be reassembled into a relatively high bandwidth datastream, a reassembly method for dealing with a failure of one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels, said method comprising:

• detecting a failure signal received on one or more of the plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• combining the plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received from the relatively low bandwidth channels that did not fail into a single relatively high bandwidth datastream;
• extracting failure signals inserted in data frames of a relatively low bandwidth datastream allocated to a failing relatively low bandwidth channel;
• and
• identifying the failing relatively low bandwidth channel by detecting a predetermined failure bit pattern formed from consecutive failure signals in said data frames of said failing relatively low bandwidth channel.

A reassembly method for dealing with a failure of one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels, the method comprising:

• receiving a first relatively high bandwidth datastream transmitted over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• detecting a failure signal received on one or more of said plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• combining a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received from said relatively low bandwidth channels on which said failure signal is not detected into a second relatively high bandwidth datastream;
• extracting failure signals inserted in data frames of a relatively low bandwidth datastream allocated to a failing relatively low bandwidth channel;
• and
• identifying said failing relatively low bandwidth channel by detecting a predetermined failure bit pattern formed from failure signals in data frames of said failing relatively low bandwidth channel.

In a communication network system for disassembling a relatively high bandwidth datastream into a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams which are transmitted on a plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels, a system for dealing with a failure of one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels, said system comprising:

• a line driver to transmit in said relatively low bandwidth datastreams a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• a channel monitor for detecting said failure on one or more of the relatively low bandwidth channels;
• logic to replace said selected sequence of bits with an alarm sequence of bits to indicate said failure;
• and
• logic responsive to said failure for dividing the relatively high bandwidth datastream for transmission over the relatively low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing.

A receiving system in a communication network in which a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received on a plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels are to be reassembled into a relatively high bandwidth datastream, the system comprising:

• a receiver to receive in said relatively low bandwidth datastreams a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• logic to receive an alarm sequence of bits rather than said selected sequence of bits as a failure signal of a one of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• a channel monitor for detecting said failure signal received on one or more of the plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• and
• logic for combining the plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received from the relatively low bandwidth channels that did not fail into a single relatively high bandwidth datastream.

An apparatus to deal with a failure of at least one of relatively low bandwidth channels, comprising:

• means for transmitting a high bandwidth datastream over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• means for transmitting in said relatively low bandwidth channels a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• means for detecting a failure on one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• means, responsive to said failure, for replacing said selected sequence of bits with an alarm sequence of bits as a failure signal to indicate the failure;
• and,
• means, responsive to said failure, for dividing the high bandwidth datastream for transmission over the low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing.

A reassembly apparatus to deal with a failure of one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels adapted to communicate a plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastream, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a relatively high bandwidth datastream transmitted over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• means for receiving in said relatively low bandwidth datastreams a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• means for receiving an alarm sequence of bits rather than said selected sequence of bits as an indication of failure of a one of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• and,
• means, responsive to said indication of failure, for combining into said relatively high bandwidth datastream the plurality of relatively low bandwidth datastreams received from the relatively low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing.

An apparatus to deal with a failure of at least one of relatively low bandwidth channels, comprising:

• a transmitter to transmit a high bandwidth datastream over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• a first process to transmit in said relatively low bandwidth channels a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• a failure detection process for detecting a failure on one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• a second process, responsive to said failure, to replace said selected sequence of bits with an alarm sequence of bits as a failure signal to indicate the failure;
• and,
• a dividing process for dividing, in response to said failure, the high bandwidth datastream for transmission over the low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing.

A reassembly apparatus to deal with a failure of one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels comprising:

• a receiver to receive a high bandwidth datastream transmitted over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidth channels;
• a first logic to receive in said plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels a selected sequence of bits as an alignment signal;
• a second logic to detect an alarm sequence of bits in place of said selected sequence of bits as a failure signal to indicate the failure;
• and
• a combining process, responsive to said failure, for combining into a single high bandwidth datastream the plurality of low bandwidth datastreams received from the low bandwidth channels that are not detected as failing.

A computer readable media, the computer readable media having written thereon information for execution in a processor for the practice of a reassembly method for dealing with a failure of one or more of relatively low bandwidth channels, comprising:

• receiving a high bandwidth datastream transmitted over a plurality of said relatively low bandwidths channels;
• detecting a failure signal received on one or more of the plurality of relatively low bandwidth channels;
• combining the plurality of low bandwidth datastreams received from the remaining available low bandwidth channels into a single high bandwidth datastream;
• extracting failure signals inserted in the data frames of a relatively low bandwidth datastream allocated to a failing low bandwidth channel;
• and
• identifying the failing low bandwidth channel by detecting a predetermined failure bit pattern formed from failure signals in the data frames of said failing low bandwidth channel.