US6233221B1 — System and method for a ring network with virtual…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

An add/drop multiplexer for a virtual path ring network, the add/drop multiplexer comprising: a first ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a second ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a first bus coupled to the first ring interface; a second bus coupled to the second ring interface; wherein the first and second ring interface modules each include a switch fabric that passes packets from the ring input of the interface module to its ring output for packets with a destination address for an endpoint associated with another add/drop multiplexer; wherein the switch fabrics of the first and second ring interfaces further pass packets from the ring input to the first and second buses, respectively, for packets with destination addresses for endpoints that are associated with the add/drop multiplexer; and an access interface module coupled to the first and second buses that adds and drops traffic to and from the ring network.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

An add/drop multiplexer for a virtual path ring network, the add/drop multiplexer comprising: a first ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a second ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a first bus coupled to the first ring interface; a second bus coupled to the second ring interface; wherein the first and second ring interface modules each include a switch fabric that passes packets from the ring input of the interface module to its ring output for packets with a destination address for an endpoint associated with another add/drop multiplexer; wherein the switch fabrics of the first and second ring interfaces further pass packets from the ring input to the first and second buses, respectively, for packets with destination addresses for endpoints that are associated with the add/drop multiplexer; and an access interface module coupled to the first and second buses that adds and drops traffic to and from the ring network.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The add/drop multiplexer of claim 1 , wherein the switch fabric comprises a switch fabric which processes asynchronous transfer mode packets.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The add/drop multiplexer of claim 1 , wherein the access interface module includes a circuit that adapts packets of a first protocol to packets of a second protocol for transmission by the network element.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 191 words

A network element for a virtual path ring network, the network element comprising: a first ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a second ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a first bus coupled to the first ring interface; a second bus coupled to the second ring interface; wherein the first and second ring interface modules each include a switch fabric that passes packets from the ring input of the interface module to its ring output for packets with a destination address for an endpoint associated with another network element; wherein the switch fabric of the first and second ring interface modules includes a drop-and-continue mechanism to support multi-casting of packets to a number of endpoints on a ring network; wherein the switch fabrics of the first and second ring interfaces further pass packets from the ring input to the first and second buses, respectively, for packets with destination addresses for endpoints that are associated with the network element; and an access interface module coupled to the first and second buses that adds and drops traffic to and from the ring network.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 191 words

A network element for a virtual path ring network, the network element comprising: a first ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a second ring interface module with a ring input and a ring output; a first bus coupled to the first ring interface; a second bus coupled to the second ring interface; wherein the first and second ring interface modules each include a switch fabric that passes packets from the ring input of the interface module to its ring output for packets with a destination address for an endpoint associated with another network element; wherein the switch fabric of the first and second ring interface modules includes a drop-and-continue mechanism to support multi-casting of packets to a number of endpoints on a ring network; wherein the switch fabrics of the first and second ring interfaces further pass packets from the ring input to the first and second buses, respectively, for packets with destination addresses for endpoints that are associated with the network element; and an access interface module coupled to the first and second buses that adds and drops traffic to and from the ring network.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

The network element of claim 4 , wherein network element comprises an add/drop multiplexer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The network element of claim 4 , wherein the switch fabric comprises a switch fabric which processes asynchronous transfer mode packets.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

The network element of claim 4 , wherein the access interface module includes a circuit that adapts packets of a first protocol to packets of a second protocol for transmission by the network element.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 91 words

A method for processing packets in an add/drop multiplexer of a virtual path ring network, the method comprising: receiving packets from the ring; reading a destination address of the packet; looking in a routing table for the destination address read from the packet; when the destination address corresponds to an endpoint associated with the add/drop multiplexer, switching the packet to a bus of the add/drop multiplexer; and when the destination address corresponds to an endpoint that is not associated with the add/drop multiplexer, switching the packet back out onto the ring.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 91 words

A method for processing packets in an add/drop multiplexer of a virtual path ring network, the method comprising: receiving packets from the ring; reading a destination address of the packet; looking in a routing table for the destination address read from the packet; when the destination address corresponds to an endpoint associated with the add/drop multiplexer, switching the packet to a bus of the add/drop multiplexer; and when the destination address corresponds to an endpoint that is not associated with the add/drop multiplexer, switching the packet back out onto the ring.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of reading the destination address comprises reading the destination address from an asynchronous transfer mode packet.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method of claim 8 , and further comprising switching the packet to a bus of the add/drop multiplexer and switching the packet back out onto the ring when the packet is a multicast packet with a destination address that corresponds to at least one endpoint that is associated with the add/drop multiplexer and at least one endpoint that is associated with another add/drop multiplexer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving packets from the ring comprises receiving packets from at least two routes of the ring that transmit the packet around the two routes of the ring.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving packets from the ring comprises receiving packets from at least two routes of the ring that transmit the packet around the ring in generally opposite directions.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for interconnecting at least two virtual path sub-network rings so that a failure in one sub-network does not cause protection switching in another sub-network, the method comprising: comparing packets from first and second routes of one sub-network having a number of add-drop multiplexers with a first interconnection module; selecting packets from one of the first and second routes based on the comparisons; and transmitting the selected packets to another sub-network for transmission on one of the routes of the other sub-network.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for interconnecting at least two virtual path sub-network rings so that a failure in one sub-network does not cause protection switching in another sub-network, the method comprising: comparing packets from first and second routes of one sub-network having a number of add-drop multiplexers with a first interconnection module; selecting packets from one of the first and second routes based on the comparisons; and transmitting the selected packets to another sub-network for transmission on one of the routes of the other sub-network.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 13 , wherein comparing packets from the first and second routes comprises: dropping and forwarding packets from the first route with a first interconnection module; dropping packets from the second route with the first interconnection module; and comparing the dropped packets at the first interconnection module.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method of claim 13 , and further comprising: comparing packets from first and second routes of one sub-network at a second interconnection module; selecting packets from one of the first and second routes based on the comparisons; and transmitting the selected packets to the other sub-network for transmission on the route of the other sub-network that is not coupled to the first interconnection module.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting packets comprises selecting packets based on signal quality.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 199 words

A virtual connection network with a protected ring interconnection between sub-network rings, comprising: a first sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form a ring including first and second routes for transmitting packets around the sub-network; at least one additional sub-network that includes a number of network elements coupled to form another ring also including first and second routes for transmitting packets around the at least one additional sub-network; a first interconnection module associated with the first sub-network that selectively passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the first sub-network to the first route of the at least one additional sub-network and that passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the at least one additional sub-network to the first route of the first sub-network; and a second interconnection module associated with the first sub-network that selectively passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the first sub-network to the second route of the at least one additional sub-network and that passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the at least one additional sub-network to the second route of the first sub-network.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 199 words

A virtual connection network with a protected ring interconnection between sub-network rings, comprising: a first sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form a ring including first and second routes for transmitting packets around the sub-network; at least one additional sub-network that includes a number of network elements coupled to form another ring also including first and second routes for transmitting packets around the at least one additional sub-network; a first interconnection module associated with the first sub-network that selectively passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the first sub-network to the first route of the at least one additional sub-network and that passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the at least one additional sub-network to the first route of the first sub-network; and a second interconnection module associated with the first sub-network that selectively passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the first sub-network to the second route of the at least one additional sub-network and that passes packets from one of the first and second routes of the at least one additional sub-network to the second route of the first sub-network.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 98 words

A virtual path network, comprising: a first sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form a ring including first and second routes for transmitting data around the network; at least one additional sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form another ring also including first and second routes for transmitting data around the network; a first ring interconnection module that interconnects the first sub-network with one of the routes of the second sub-network; and a second ring interconnection module that interconnects the first sub-network with the other route of the second sub-network.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 98 words

A virtual path network, comprising: a first sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form a ring including first and second routes for transmitting data around the network; at least one additional sub-network that includes a number of add/drop multiplexers coupled to form another ring also including first and second routes for transmitting data around the network; a first ring interconnection module that interconnects the first sub-network with one of the routes of the second sub-network; and a second ring interconnection module that interconnects the first sub-network with the other route of the second sub-network.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-05-14	2004-11-13	2005-05-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-05-14	2008-11-13	2009-05-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-05-14	2012-11-13	2013-05-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for a ring network with virtual path connections

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