Self-healing ring switch and method of controlling the same

Claim 2

A self-healing ring network comprising: a self-healing ring switch having a plurality of input/output highways; and a selector having a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal, wherein a first of the output highways (output highway a) of said self-healing ring switch for reducing a number of highway outputs, wherein said self-healing ring switch is connected with one of the input terminals of said selector, wherein at least a second of the output highways (output highway b) of said self-healing ring switch is branched, wherein one of the highways which is branched (output highway b') is connected with another input terminal of said selector, and wherein the output terminal of said selector is connected with a drop line.

Claim 3

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein said self-healing ring switch includes a first space division switch, an add drop switch, and a second space division switch, wherein said first space division switch has at least four input and four output terminals, wherein said add drop switch has at least five input and five output terminals, wherein said second space division switch has at least four input and four output terminals, wherein four of the output terminals of said add drop switch are connected with the input terminals of said second space division switch, wherein signals from an add line are fed to one of the input terminals of said add drop switch, and wherein that output terminal of said add drop switch which is not connected with said second space division switch is used as said first output highway a, whereas one of the output highways of said second space division switch is used as said second output highway b.

Claim 4

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein said self-healing ring switch includes a first space division switch, an add drop switch, and a second space division switch, wherein said first space division switch has at least four input and four output terminals, wherein said add drop switch has at least five input and five output terminals, wherein said second space division switch has at least five input and five output terminals, wherein four of the output terminals of said first space division switch are connected with the input terminals of said add drop switch, wherein five of the output terminals of said add drop switch are connected with the input terminals of said second space division switch, wherein signals from an add line are fed to one of the input terminals of said add drop switch, and wherein one of the output highways of said second space division switch is used as said first output highway a, whereas another of the output highways of said second space division switch is used as said second output highway b.

Claim 5

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein when said self-healing ring switch is used in the Unidirectional Path Switched Ring (UPSR) specified in the ANSI, the signal to be outputted from a node to a drop line is determined at a unit of path as to which of the output highways a and b the signal of the clockwise path or the signal of the counter-clockwise path is outputted to, so that said selector selects one of the output highways a and b' at the path unit.

Claim 6

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein when said self-healing ring switch is used in the Unidirectional Path Switched Ring (UPSR) specified in the ANSI, the signal to be outputted from a node to a drop line is determined at a unit of path as to which of the output highways a and b the signal of the clockwise path or the signal of the counter-clockwise path, while one being for the working, whereas the other being for the protection, is outputted to, so that said selector selects one of the output highways a and b' at the path unit.

Claim 7

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein when said self-healing ring switch is used in a switching system other than the UPSR, said selector selects the output highway a at all times.

Claim 8

The self-healing ring network according to claim 1, wherein when said self-healing ring switch is used in either the 1+1 linear protection switching system or 1:N linear protection switching system, said selector selects the output highway a at all times.

Claim 9

A processing method to be used for each of the nodes in a self-healing ring network that includes: a self-healing ring switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports; and a selector having at least two input ports and one output port, two of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch being connected with the input ports of said selector, wherein the communications between the nodes in said self-healing ring network are realized such that the nodes at the transmission side send out a transmission signal to both a clockwise line and a counter-clockwise line in said self-healing ring network, whereas the nodes at the reception side select one of the signals having arrived through said two paths, said method comprising: a switch control method comprising the steps of: connecting at a reception node the signal having passed through said clockwise line and the signal having passed through said counter-clockwise line with the input ports of said self-healing ring switch in said node, outputting at said self-healing ring switch in said node the signals having passed through said clockwise line in a time-division-multiplexed form to the other output port, outputting the signals having passed through said clockwise line and said counter-clockwise line belonging to a common channel, simultaneously to said two output ports, and selecting one of the signals to arrive from the two output ports of said self-healing ring switch.

Claim 10

A processing method to be used for each of the nodes in a self-healing ring network that includes: a self-healing ring switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports; and a selector having at least two input ports and one output port, two of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch being connected with the input ports of said selector, wherein the communications between the nodes in said self-healing ring network are realized such that the nodes at the transmission side send out a transmission signal to both a clockwise line and a counter-clockwise line in said self-healing ring network, whereas the nodes at the reception side select one of the signals having arrived through said two paths, said method comprising: a switch control method comprising the steps of: connecting at a reception node the signal having passed through said clockwise line and the signal having passed through said counter-clockwise line with the input ports of said self-healing ring switch in said node, outputting at said self-healing ring switch in said node the signals having passed through said clockwise line in a time-division-multiplexed form to the other output port, outputting the signals having passed through said clockwise line and said counter-clockwise line belonging to a common channel, simultaneously to said two output ports, and selecting one of the signals to arrive from the two output ports of said self-healing ring switch.

Claim 11

A processing method to be used for each of the nodes in a self-healing ring network that includes: a self-healing ring switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports; and a selector having at least two input ports and one output port, two of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch being connected with the input ports of said selector, wherein the communications between the arbitrary two nodes in said self-healing ring network are realized such that the nodes at the transmission side send out a transmission signal to both a clockwise line and a counter-clockwise line in said self-healing ring network while setting one of the signals having passed through said clockwise line and said counter-clockwise line to the working one, but the other to the protection one, whereas the nodes at the reception side select one of the working and protection signals, said method comprising: a switch control method comprising the steps of; connecting at a reception node the received signals with the input ports of said self-healing ring switch in said node, outputting at said self-healing ring switch in said node the working signals in a time-division-multiplexed form to one of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch, which are connected with said selector, and the protection signals in a time-division-multiplexed form to the other output port, outputting at said self-healing ring switch said working and protection signals belonging to a common channel, simultaneously to said two output ports, and selecting one of the signals to arrive from the two output ports of said self-healing ring switch.

Claim 12

A processing method to be used for each of the nodes in a self-healing ring network that includes: a self-healing ring switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports; and a selector having at least two input ports and one output port, two of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch being connected with the input ports of said selector, wherein the communications between the arbitrary two nodes in said self-healing ring network are realized such that the nodes at the transmission side send out a transmission signal to both a clockwise line and a counter-clockwise line in said self-healing ring network while setting one of the signals having passed through said clockwise line and said counter-clockwise line to the working one, but the other to the protection one, whereas the nodes at the reception side select one of the working and protection signals, said method comprising: a switch control method comprising the steps of; connecting at a reception node the received signals with the input ports of said self-healing ring switch in said node, outputting at said self-healing ring switch in said node the working signals in a time-division-multiplexed form to one of the output ports of said self-healing ring switch, which are connected with said selector, and the protection signals in a time-division-multiplexed form to the other output port, outputting at said self-healing ring switch said working and protection signals belonging to a common channel, simultaneously to said two output ports, and selecting one of the signals to arrive from the two output ports of said self-healing ring switch.