Cisco Technology, Inc.

John Conlon Adler

Ali Najib Saleh

Vahid Parsi

Zareh Baghdasarian

Haig Michael Zadikian

H Michael Zadikian

Steven E Plote

David P Autry

A signal router, configured to receive information carried by a first signal and transmit the information on a second signal, is described. The signal router, using routing information it gathers, selects the second signal from a number of signals, with the first and the second signals differing in at least one physical characteristic. The signal router operates in a network of a number of such signal routers, and so each one of the signal routers is coupled to at least one of the other signal routers. The routing information is used to create a circuit from a first one of the signal routers to a second one of the signal routers. Once the circuit is created, the information is routed over the circuit. According to one aspect of the present invention, the signals are optical signals.

Configurable network router

A method for a communications network with a protect channel transmitting protect channel data and working channel transmitting working channel data includes transmitting the working channel data via the protect channel upon a disruption in the working channel, and restoring the transmitting of protect channel data, wherein the restoring includes applying a mesh restoration protocol to the communications network to restore the transmittal of the protect channel data. The restoring includes finding one or more alternate channels to transmit the protect channel data, the one or more alternate channels including connected working and protect channels. An apparatus disposed in a communication network having a protect channel and a working channel includes a node controller, a route processor coupled to the node controller, the route processor implementing a mesh restoration protocol, and a circuit coupled to the node controller and the route processor, the circuit including a logic gate for receiving signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel and a switch responsive to the signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel, the switch communicating with the route processor to implement mesh restoration of protect channel data. In one embodiment, the circuit is coupled to at least one line card, the line card transmitting the signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel. The circuit further includes an input/output circuit for receiving instructions identifying criteria for applying mesh restoration to protect channel data.

Mesh with protection channel access (MPCA)

A method of providing network services is described. The network includes a number of nodes, each one of which is coupled to at least one other of the nodes by at least one of a number of optical links. The network is preferably capable of supporting a number of virtual circuits. The method begins with the receiving of a request for a virtual circuit between a first node and a second node of the network. Preferably, the request specifies a quality of service of the virtual circuit. Next, the availability of network resources for supporting a virtual circuit at the requested quality of service is determined. Assuming sufficient network resources are available for support of the virtual circuit, the request is then serviced by provisioning (and maintaining) the requested virtual circuit. Servicing the request preferably includes actions such as provisioning, maintaining, and restoring the virtual circuit, using the requested parameters.

Method of providing network services

A method is provided to allocate bandwidth from a first node to a second node in a optical network. The method begins by accepting a request from an end-user, who requests a virtual path between the first node and the second node. The first and second nodes are ones of a number of such nodes. Each one of the nodes is coupled to at least one other node by at least one of a number of optical links. The nodes and links form the optical network. The virtual path has a bandwidth requirement associated therewith. Next, the service provider determines an amount of bandwidth available between the first and the second nodes. The service provider then allocates at least a portion of the amount of bandwidth available between the first and second nodes equal to the bandwidth requirement, so long as the bandwidth requirement is not greater than the amount of bandwidth available between the first and second nodes.

Method of allocating bandwidth in an optical network

A method of managing a communications system is disclosed. The method begins with the creation of a resource control block corresponding to a resource of the communications system. The communications system includes, for example, a processor and a resource coupled to the processor. The resource control block maintains information regarding the resource. The method also provides for the maintenance of the resource control block. The processor is configured to maintain the resource control block, and the resource control block is maintained by the processor in response to communications (e.g., a keep-alive message) between the processor and the resource. This embodiment can also include the creation of a processor resource control block corresponding to the processor that is created by the controller in response to a power-up message from the resource. The resource can be, for example, a hardware component of the communications system.

Resource management protocol for a configurable network router

Mesh with projection channel access (MPCA)

An apparatus, method and computer program product for a data communications system includes transmitting data in a transport overhead field to at least one network element, the data providing a source identifier and a destination identifier, and using the data in the transport overhead field to provide end-to-end service. One embodiment includes applying a routing protocol to read the source identifier and the destination identifier to provide routing, provisioning and restoration of functions. The transport overhead field is a J1 field in a SONET communication packet according to an embodiment. The J1 field includes the source identifier and the destination identifier and provides data for the end-to-end, or path-level services. Further, the J1 field, according to an embodiment, includes additional data such as one or more of transport identification data (TID), Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, Common Language Location Information (CLLI) data, and requests for bandwidth. By including the source identifier and the destination identifier, the method avoids manual point-by-point routing of STS-Ns. Another embodiment is directed applying a wavelength routing protocol to the data in the transport overhead field to provide end-to-end services, the wavelength protocol locating new paths for communication. According to this embodiment, an intelligent routing software system in combination with the wavelength routing protocol determines end-to-end routing automatically. Alternatively, the wavelength protocol locates new paths for communication via a user interface.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

John Conlon Adler