Patent · US Expired

Automatically switched redundant switch configurations

US6980711B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
29References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 2003
Grant dateDec 27, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2011/0083
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A branch unit for a fiber optic system that includes a service path and a protection path, whereby the branch unit provides switching to account for problems due to fiber cuts and/or equipment failures that may occur in the fiber optic system. The service and protection paths meet at a branch point of the fiber optic network, or at a network protection equipment (NPE) that is located near a customer interface equipment. A plurality of switches are provided at the branch unit or NPE, along with a detector and a processor, to determine whether any signals are being received from the service path, and if not, to reconfigure the system to accept signals from the protection path.

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