Patent · US Expired

Configuration controller for a communications network

US5353286A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
14References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 14, 1993
Grant dateOct 4, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 14, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L12/437
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling configuration of a communications network includes an internal ring segment for interconnecting a trunk circuit with lobe circuits of the network. The apparatus is provided with lobe ports for connecting to the lobe circuits, a ring input port for connecting to an upstream ring segment of the trunk, and an output port for connecting to a downstream ring segment, of the trunk. A plurality of trunk coupling units (TCUs) are provided, one for each port, for connecting a corresponding ports to the internal ring segment. Each of the TCUs has an inserted state to provide signaling continuity for the communications signals between a port and the ring segments, and each TCU has a wrapped state to provide signaling isolation between a port and the ring segments. A controller, responsive to the communications signals switches the TCUs between the wrapped and inserted states.

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