Lucent Technologies Inc.

Merico Edward Argentati

James R Bortolini

Scott E Farleigh

Floyd Craig Wolverton

David John Hudak

Fernand Da Fonseca

Control data is communicated utilizing a multi-frame format that consists of individual frames each having a number of rows and columns. As each row is received from a transmitting unit, the data and position of the row within a frame is verified by use of a checksum and is immediately utilized by the receiving unit. This reduces the amount of storage that must be provided by the receiving unit for the reception of control information to that of a single row. In addition to verifying the row identification, the identity of each frame within the multi-frame is also verified before an individual row is utilized. In a first embodiment, the operation of generating the checksum is seeded with the current row number. In a second embodiment, the operation of generating the checksum is seeded with the result of an Exclusive OR operation of the current row number and frame number.

Control data link format utilizing CRC error detection

A communication system including a CLOS switching network, and a method for characterizing network capacity, usage, congestion, and blocking and/or near blocking states. The CLOS switching network includes input, center and output stages each comprised of at least one switch, a plurality of first links connecting each input stage switch to each of the center stage switches, and a plurality of second links connecting each center stage switch to each of the output stage switches. The system also comprises a controller for determining the idle/busy status of each of the first and second links, and for calculating a measurement of available paths between each of the input stage switches to each of the output stage switches based on the status of the first and second links. In one embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the status of each link is determined and the measurement of available paths is checked prior to executing a routing algorithm to determine the path or paths that can be utilized to satisfy a communication request received by the system. Use of the system and method of the present invention permits for characterization of network capacity, usage, congestion, and blocking and/or near blocking states, and may also result in improved efficiency by avoiding complex routing calculations in no paths or only limited paths are available to satisfy the communication request.

Growing community of inventors

Englewood, CO, United States of America

Merico Edward Argentati