Patent · US Expired

Digital signal hardware protection switching

US5311551A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 24, 1992
Grant dateMay 10, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 24, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L1/22
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Protection switching of digital signal transmitting and receiving hardware is realized in a "hitless" manner. The hitless switch is obtained by employing hardware switching units which can individually determine the instant to switch from an active state to a standby state and vice versa. A switch is initialized by supplying a switch request signal from a control unit to a hardware switching unit in the active state. The active hardware switching unit, upon detecting a prescribed bit condition, for example, a predetermined bit state, of the digital signal being supplied as an output therefrom, supplies a predetermined synchronization pulse to the standby hardware switching unit. In response to the synchronization pulse, the standby hardware switching unit forces the bit condition of a bit of the digital signal to be supplied as an output therefrom resulting from a current input bit to be in the same bit condition as that detected in the active hardware unit. Output circuits in both the active hardware switching unit and standby hardware switching unit are simultaneously turned OFF and ON, respectively, in the individual units by observing the digital signal being supplied as an inp…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.