EQUIPMENT PROTECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

Equipment protection of a switch matrix (SM) in a network node, which contains a number of matrix modules (M1.1 -M4.4, E1.5-E4.6) is achieved by slicing an input signal into k parallel signal slices (x(0)-x(3))with k>2; coding the k signal slices into a number of n coded signal slices (x(0)-x(5)) with n>k+ l using an error correcting code to add redundancy to said input signal; switching said n coded signal slices through the switching matrix (SM) via n distinct matrix modules; and decoding the n coded signal slices into k decoded signal slices to correct errors introduced while passing through said switch matrix. Preferably, the switch matrix (SM) contains a first number of matrix boards (MB1 -MB4, EB5, EB6), each carrying a second number of matrix modules (M1.1 -M4.4, E1.5-E4.6). The n coded signal slices are switched via matrix modules on n distinct matrix boards.