Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for optimization of redundant link usage in a multi-shelf network element

US7710866B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
34References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 22, 2002
Grant dateMay 4, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2011/0081
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for optimizing redundant link usage allows a portion of the wasted bandwidth in a redundant link system to be utilized for additional data traffic without compromising the ability of the system to respond to and correct for a failure of a link. In one embodiment, one of two independent, individually addressable links is selected as a nominal communication path, and the other as a standby communication path. The path independent traffic is sent via the nominal communication path, while the path dependent data is sent via the nominal communication path or the standby path, in accordance with the dependence of the traffic. In another embodiment, critical time sensitive traffic is sent via a nominal and standby time sensitive paths, while normal traffic is sent via nominal normal path, and non-critical traffic is sent via a standby normal path.

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