ASON Soft Re-routing Bridge-Connection Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing soft re-routing technology in Automatic Switching Optical Networks (ASON) experiences service interruption due to inconsistencies in service switching operations between connection sources and destinations, leading to unavoidable time delays during the switching process.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining the whole route of the re-routing connection, performing bridge-connection and switching operations at specific nodes to ensure seamless service transfer from the original connection to the new connection, utilizing bridge-connection and switching nodes to maintain continuous service transmission without interruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If soft re-routing is implemented using make-before-break approach, then service continuity is improved, but service interruption still occurs due to inconsistency in switching operations between connection source and destination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the new connection and performing bridge-connection operations before deleting the original connection. The connection source performs bridge-connection to the new connection and receives confirmation of successful bridge-connection before the connection source deletes the original connection, ensuring service continuity and eliminating interruption time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the connection destination sends confirmation messages back to the connection source. The connection source receives confirmation of successful bridge-connection and switching operations before proceeding to delete the original connection, ensuring coordinated switching and eliminating service interruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If selective receipt mechanism is used for switching, then switching can be performed, but service interruption occurs from deletion to failure detection and switching completion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswitching operationVSAvoidservice interruption interval
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the selective receipt mechanism with a proactive switching approach. Instead of waiting for failure detection after deletion, the connection source actively performs bridge-connection to the new connection, receives confirmation, and then deletes the original connection. This substitution eliminates the service interruption interval inherent in the selective receipt mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If manual configuration is used in conventional optical network, then service can be provided, but operation costs increase and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice provisioning capabilityVSAvoidoperation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service through automatic connection establishment and switching operations. The connection source automatically determines the re-routing connection, performs bridge-connection operations, receives confirmations, and deletes the original connection without manual intervention. This automation eliminates the high operation costs and low efficiency associated with manual configuration while maintaining service provisioning capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2219328B1A method for soft re-routing in ASON
Publication Date: 2014.11.19 ZTE CORP
  • EP2219328B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2219328B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2219328B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention refer to a method for re-routing in ASON, the method is to perform the bridge-connection operation on all bridge-connection nodes while the re-routing connection is established, after the re-routing connection is established and the service has been bridge-connected to the re-routing connection, the first node of the re-routing connection initiates the service switching operation, the switching operation is performed by all of the switching nodes in the re-routing connection, after the switching operation is completed, then the original connection is deleted, thereby the service interruption is avoided, the time of the service interruption may be ignored, since the switching operation is completed instantaneously, the service is sent and received on the original connection without fault before switching.