Method and apparatus for data transmission in synchronous optical networks

摘要

The present invention relates to a switching node for use in a synchronous optical network ring, where the ring is transporting data divided into first size blocks, for example OC-192 optical signals, characterized by data blocks of size 192. The switching node includes several primary receive and send connections, for receiving and transmitting inter-ring optical signals divided into second size blocks, for example OC-48 optical signals, characterized by data blocks of size 48. The switching node further includes a secondary receive and send connection for receiving and transmitting intra-ring optical signals divided into first size blocks. A critical component of the switching node is the main controller, responsible for routing incoming intra-ring first size blocks towards a primary send connection. The main controller divides a first size block into smaller second size blocks, observes the second size blocks for the presence of concatenated data and, in the case where there is presence of concatenated data, routes the second size block as a single unit towards the adjacent network ring. In the case where there is absence of concatenated data, the routing controller routes the group of data forming the second size block as independent data elements towards the adjacent network ring.