Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for non-disruptive addition of a new node to an inter-nodal network

US6370146B1 · kind B1 · utility

23Cited by
5References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1998
Grant dateApr 9, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2012/5627
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the non-disruptive addition of one or more nodes to an active inter-nodal network is provided. A telecommunications switching system includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by an inter-nodal network which carries packetized information among the nodes. A host which issues various control instructions is connected to at least one node in the system. When one or more new nodes are to be added to the system, the two nodes adjacent to the location selected for the new node are instructed to begin a synchronized routine for simultaneously beginning to temporarily operate in a special loop back mode of operation which allows telecommunications traffic to continue to travel on the inter-nodal network while the new node or nodes are being physically connected into the system. Thereafter, a sequence of instructions provides for a synchronized routine for both neighbor nodes to return to open operating mode from loopback mode simultaneously. The instruction sequences are issued by a host and a master node of the system for implementing the non-disruptive addition of the new node or nodes to the system.

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