Methods and systems for the hierarchical mesh restoration of connections in an automatically switched optical network

An optical switch, comprising:

• one or more line modules, wherein the one or more line modules are configured to terminate each of Optical Transport Network, SONET, or SDH;
• a switch matrix interconnecting each of the one or more line modules;
• wherein the switch matrix is configured to operate responsive to an Optical Transport Network signal and routing protocol or a SONET/SDH signal and routing protocol;
• wherein the Optical Transport Network signal and routing protocol is configured to provide restoration of Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections;
• wherein, responsive to a failure, mesh restoration is performed in a hierarchical manner comprising:
• a) attempting to mesh restore the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections;
• and
• b) if unable to mesh restore the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections, splintering the individual Sub Network Connections within the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections into individual connections and restoring the individual connections through one of standard mesh restoration-and Local Span Mesh restoration;
• wherein the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections comprise an Optical Transport Network (OTN) Sub Network Connection carrying a combination of OTN, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) signals such that OTN, SONET, and SDH signals each participate in a same mesh restoration scheme at an OTN, SONET, and SDH layer, and wherein SONET and SDH bandwidth is only defined at origination and termination points of the Virtual Sub Network Connection whereas OTN bandwidth is defined at each point of the Virtual Sub Network Connection.

An Automatically Switched Optical Network, comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected nodes;
• an Optical Transport Network signal and routing protocol communicating to each of the plurality of nodes;
• and
• a SONET/SDH signal and routing protocol communicating to each of the plurality of nodes;
• wherein the Optical Transport Network signal and routing protocol is configured to provide restoration of Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections;
• wherein, responsive to a failure, mesh restoration is performed in a hierarchical manner comprising:
• a) attempting to mesh restore the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections;
• and
• b) if unable to mesh restore the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections, splintering the individual Sub Network Connections within the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections into individual connections and restoring the individual connections through one of standard mesh restoration-and Local Span Mesh restoration;
• wherein the Optical Data Unit and Optical Channel Payload Virtual Container Sub Network Connections comprise an Optical Transport Network (OTN) Sub Network Connection carrying a combination of OTN, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) signals such that OTN, SONET, and SDH signals each participate in a same mesh restoration scheme at an OTN, SONET, and SDH laver, and wherein SONET and SDH bandwidth is only defined at origination and termination points of the Virtual Sub Network Connection whereas OTN bandwidth is defined at each point of the Virtual Sub Network Connection.