Optical Circuit Switch Connection Validation via Test Packet Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The installation of wired connections to optical circuit switches in data networks is prone to technician error, leading to incorrect wiring and potential data misrouting, which can disrupt network topology and data delivery.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for automatically validating connections to an optical circuit switch by generating test packets and iteratively testing connections, using a correctly verified baseline connection to identify and correct incorrectly wired connections, thereby ensuring accurate data routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual wiring installation is performed by technicians, then the network connection can be established, but wiring errors occur leading to incorrect data routing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring installationVSAvoidconnection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-validation by automatically generating test packets and analyzing routing outcomes to identify incorrectly wired connections without requiring manual intervention or external testing equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes baseline connections with known correct routing, then uses these baselines to provide feedback about the routing behavior of other connections, enabling automatic identification of wiring errors through comparative analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If iterative testing with multiple packets is performed, then connection accuracy is validated, but testing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection validation accuracyVSAvoidtesting duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary establishment of baseline connections that are assumed to be correctly wired before testing other connections, allowing subsequent validations to reference these pre-established correct paths and reduce overall testing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The validation process is segmented into iterative rounds where connections are tested in groups against baseline connections, with each round eliminating incorrectly wired connections and progressively narrowing down to correctly wired ones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9479219B1Validating a connection to an optical circuit switch

Publication Date: 2016.10.25 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A system and method of validating a connection to an optical circuit switch include sending a packet of data through a first connection to the optical circuit switch to test whether the packet reaches a second connection to the optical circuit switch. The first connection may be selected for retesting with a third connection and a second packet of data may be sent to the third connection. Data indicative of the first connection being correctly wired may be generated based in part on a determination that the second packet reached the third connection.