Telcordia Technologies, Inc.

James E Hodge

Thomas C Banwell

William Anderson

Nim K Cheung

Methods and apparatuses are provided for determining characteristics of an input optical signal in an optical network. An optical signal monitoring apparatus estimates a minimum time interval between transitions in the input signal, determines a clock signal based on the estimated minimum time interval, and performs a time domain measurement on the input signal based on the determined clock signal. The optical signal monitoring apparatus samples the input signal based on the determined clock signal and determines the characteristics of the input signal.

Method and apparatus for automated time domain monitoring in optical networks

A precise network time service that provides synchronization and time of day information. In accordance with my invention a user or customer premise equipment initiates the process by requesting time service from a network time server. The server responds by sending operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) cells to the requesting party. These cells are immediately looped back to the time server and used to derive a minimum round trip time. Based on the minimum round trip time, the time server and the requesting party's equipment are subsequently synchronized. Once synchronized, delay measurements are used to maintain synchronism and provide time of day information so that such practical network problems as congestion may be monitored.

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Red Bank, NJ, United States of America

James E Hodge