Distributed Electrical Cross Single-Board Sub-Wavelength Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing distributed electrical cross systems lack the capability for flexible scheduling and protection of both line-side and client-side services, particularly at edge nodes in metropolitan area networks, due to limitations in processing capability and high costs associated with optical switches and devices, and are unable to perform sub-wavelength level service scheduling and protection.

Innovation Solution

A distributed electrical cross apparatus with a backboard and integrated single-boards, each equipped with line-side, client-side, and backboard access units, including trunk photoelectric conversion and multiplexing modules, and backboard electrical signal interaction modules, allowing for flexible scheduling and protection switching across single-boards, with a protection switching controller managing fault alarms and reconfiguring service connections to ensure continuous service delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a distributed electrical cross system is used to reduce cost, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but the capability for flexible scheduling and protection of line-side and client-side services is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidservice scheduling and protection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the previously separate line-side service processing and client-side service processing into a single integrated single-board device. The electrical cross unit on each single-board can simultaneously perform cross-connection for both line-side services (through the line-side service access unit) and client-side services (through the client-side service access unit), thereby achieving both cost reduction through distributed architecture and maintaining flexible service scheduling and protection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single-board device is designed with multi-functional capability to handle both line-side services and client-side services. The electrical cross unit can dynamically configure cross-connection paths for different service types, and the protection switching controller can manage protection switching for both service types, making the distributed system universally applicable to various service requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If optical switches and devices are used to achieve flexible service scheduling, then service scheduling capability is improved, but cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice scheduling capabilityVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces optical switching mechanisms with electrical cross-connect technology. The electrical cross unit uses electrical signals for service scheduling and cross-connection instead of optical switching, thereby maintaining flexible service scheduling capability while significantly reducing the cost associated with optical switches and devices. The electrical cross system can achieve dynamic service scheduling through software-controlled cross-connection matrices.

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

3Ease of manufacture

If existing distributed electrical cross systems are used, then cost is reduced, but sub-wavelength level service scheduling and protection capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidsub-wavelength service scheduling precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enhances the electrical cross unit with the capability to perform sub-wavelength level cross-connection and service scheduling. By changing the operational parameters of the electrical cross unit to support finer granularity control (sub-wavelength level), the system achieves precise service scheduling and protection at the sub-wavelength level while maintaining the cost advantages of the distributed electrical cross architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables flexible scheduling and protection of various services, including sub-wavelength level services, at a lower cost, enhancing the stability and processing capabilities of distributed electrical cross systems by allowing single-board device and service-level protection switching, thereby improving network resilience and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a trunk photoelectric conversion module and a trunk electrical signal multiplexing and de-multiplexing module; wherein, the trunk photoelectric conversion module is configured to convert a trunk optical signal input from the line side to a trunk electrical signal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric conversion: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

The client-side service access unit comprises at least one tributary photoelectric conversion module, which is configured to convert a tributary optical signal input from the client side into a tributary electrical signal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric conversion: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2475120B1Distributed electrical cross device, and system and method thereof for implementing sub-network connection (SNC) cascade protection
Publication Date: 2019.02.20 ZTE CORP
  • EP2475120B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2475120B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2475120B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention discloses a distributed electrical cross apparatus, and a system and method for the distributed electrical cross apparatus implementing an SNC cascade protection. The apparatus comprises a backboard and at least four single-boards integrated with electrical cross units, wherein the single-boards are inserted in the limited number of slots in the backboard, and these single-boards also set line-side service access units, client-side service access units and backboard access units. The present invention has both accessing of line-side services and accessing of client-side services in the same single-board, access and flexible scheduling of various services such as line-side services and client-side services and so on are implemented on the backboard with limited number of slots, and the function of the distributed electrical cross system processing various services is increased in the case of low cost. Moreover, the present invention not only performs protection switching for the sub-network with fault, but also can implement protection switching for the single-board with fault. As the multiplexing and de-multiplexing modules are introduced to process sub-wavelength level services, protection can also be performed for the sub-wavelength level service with fault.