Transparent Client Overhead Transport in Optical Subcarriers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Optical Transport Network (OTN) technologies face challenges in efficiently managing and transporting client data across optical networks, particularly in handling client data of arbitrary rates and requiring complex overhead data processing at intermediate nodes.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a network architecture that includes ingress and egress nodes capable of asynchronously mapping client data into Switching Transport Path (XTP) frames, which are then transported through the network as optical subcarriers. This architecture allows for the transparent transport of client data, with client overhead data being available for processing at intermediate nodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If client data is transparently transported through optical networks using existing OTN technologies, then client data can be carried across the network, but intermediate nodes must recover and process the complete client data including overhead, which increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclient data transport reliabilityVSAvoidintermediate node processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential overhead bytes from the client data signal and separates them from the payload. This extracted overhead is then transported separately through the optical network, allowing intermediate nodes to process only the overhead information without needing to recover and process the entire client data signal, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining transport reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The client data signal is segmented into two distinct components: overhead bytes and payload data. The overhead portion is extracted and transported separately from the payload, enabling intermediate nodes to access and process overhead information independently without the complexity of handling the complete client signal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If client overhead data is made accessible to intermediate nodes for processing, then network management capability is improved, but the network architecture becomes more complex requiring overhead extraction and reinsertion mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork management capabilityVSAvoidoverhead processing architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that extracts overhead bytes from the client signal at the ingress node, transports them through the optical network alongside the payload, and reinserts them at the egress node. This intermediary overhead extraction and reinsertion process enables intermediate nodes to access overhead data for network management while maintaining a relatively simple overall architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If existing OTN digital wrapping technology is used to encapsulate client data, then client data can be managed with overhead and FEC bytes, but the encapsulation hierarchy becomes complex with multiple levels (OPUk, ODUk, OTUk)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclient data managementVSAvoidencapsulation hierarchy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using the complex multi-level OTN encapsulation hierarchy (OPUk, ODUk, OTUk), the patent extracts only the necessary overhead bytes from the client signal and transports them separately. This eliminates the need for multiple encapsulation levels while still providing overhead management capabilities, thereby simplifying the device architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Rather than wrapping client data in multiple layers of OTN encapsulation structures, the patent inverts the approach by extracting and transporting overhead separately from the payload. This inverted methodology achieves overhead management without requiring the complex hierarchical encapsulation structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12224800B2Providing access to client overhead while transparently transmitting the client signal over multiple optical subcarriers

Publication Date: 2025.02.11 INFINERA CORP

AI summary

A method includes receiving client data; extracting overhead data from the client data; mapping the client data into one or more frames, where each of the one or more frames has a frame payload section and a frame overhead section, where the client data is mapped into the one or more frames; inserting the overhead data into the frame overhead section of the one or more frames; transporting the one or more frames across a network by generating a plurality of optical subcarriers carrying the one or more frames; extracting the overhead data from the frame overhead section of the one or more frames; recovering the client data from the one or more frames; inserting the extracted overhead data into the recovered client data to create modified client data; and outputting the modified client data.