Mapping six (6) eight (8) mbit/s signals to a SONET frame

A method for transporting a plurality of payload signals efficiently over a SONET based network, comprising:

• receiving at a plurality of data input ports said plurality of payload signals transmitted at a first data transfer rate, said plurality of payload signals comprising payload information;
• receiving at a plurality of signaling input ports a plurality of signaling signals transmitted at a second data transfer rate different from the first data transfer rate, said plurality of signaling signals including signaling information;
• and
• mapping said plurality of payload signals and said plurality of signaling signals directly into a SONET SPE of a SONET STS-1 frame exclusive of virtual tributaries, said mapping including:
• transferring a plurality of bytes of said payload information in sequence from each of said plurality of payload signals and breaking said payload information into a plurality of byte segments, each byte segment comprising a predetermined number of bytes of said payload information;
• mapping said plurality of byte segments directly into a SONET SPE of a SONET STS-1 frame in a byte by byte manner into a plurality of cells of said SONET SPE proceeding row by row, in a left to right manner, and proceeding from top to bottom of said SONET SPE;
• inserting a plurality of bytes of path overhead data into a plurality of cells in rows one through nine, column one of said SONET SPE or at a SONET SPE starting location defined by at least one SONET transport overhead pointer byte;
• and
• inserting bytes of non-payload information into cells in at least one column of the SONET SPE other than said column one containing said plurality of bytes of path overhead data;
• wherein said non-payload information is selected from the group comprising said signaling information, stuff information and control information, and said first and second data transfer rates are less than a third data transfer rate of said SONET STS-1 frame.

A method for transporting a plurality of 8 Mbit/s payload signals efficiently over a SONET based network, comprising:

• receiving, at each of six data input ports, one of six 8 Mbit/s payload signals transmitted at a first data transfer rate of eight megabits per second, each of said 8 Mbit/s payload signals comprising payload information;
• receiving, at each of a plurality of signaling input ports, one of a plurality of signaling signals transmitted at a second data transfer rate different from the first data transfer rate, each signaling signal of said plurality of signaling signals including signaling information;
• mapping said plurality of payload signals and said plurality of signaling signals directly into a SONET SPE of a SONET STS-1 frame exclusive of virtual tributaries, said mapping including:
• transferring a plurality of bytes of said payload information in sequence from each of said 8 Mbit/s payload signals and breaking said payload information into a plurality of byte segments, each byte segment comprising 128 bytes of said payload information;
• mapping said plurality of byte segments directly into a SONET SPE of a SONET STS-1 frame in a byte by byte manner into a plurality of cells of said SONET SPE proceeding row by row, in a left to right manner, and proceeding from top to bottom of said SONET SPE;
• inserting a plurality of bytes of path overhead data into a plurality of cells in rows one through nine, column one of said SONET SPE or at a SONET SPE starting location defined by at least one SONET transport overhead pointer byte;
• and
• inserting six bytes of non-payload information into cells in at least one column of said SONET SPE other than said column one containing said plurality of bytes of path overhead data;
• wherein said non-payload information is selected from the group comprising said signaling information, stuff information and control information, and said first and second data transfer rates are less than a third data transfer rate of said SONET STS-1 frame.