Apparatus and method for automatic port identity discovery in heterogenous optical communications systems
US6594044B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0088
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In an optical telecommunications network in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a link connection undergoes an automatic port recognition process, whereby the port binding information for the link is detected, recorded and shared with the network elements connected by the link, before the link is used to transmit bearer traffic. One of a group of optical network elements that communicate through an out of band channel, such as a LAN, is “elected” a network element leader. After election, the leader network element coordinates the port discovery process; requests for port “recognition”, responses to requests, and other messages are passed through the network element leader on the out of band channel from one non-leader network element to another. Once the recognition process is set up through the leader network element, an optical test signal is transmitted along the link in question from the recognition requesting network element to all other network element s in the network. The receiving network elements monitor the power level at each of their “inactive” ports and the inactive port at which an increased energy level is det…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.