OTN Basic-Unit Mapping for Low-Rate Client Data Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical transport network (OTN) technologies face inefficiencies in carrying low-rate client services, leading to bandwidth waste and low transmission quality, particularly for services with rates less than 1.25G, as they require higher-rate containers for delivery.

Innovation Solution

A data transmission method that maps low-rate client data into basic units within an OTN frame, using 64/66 encoding and 256/257 encoding, and recovers the data by extracting sequence-numbered basic units to improve transmission efficiency and quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If low-rate client services are delivered using standard OTN containers (1.25G, 2.5G, 10G, 40G), then transmission quality is guaranteed, but transmission efficiency deteriorates and bandwidth is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission qualityVSAvoidtransmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the standard OTN container into multiple sub-containers with different rates (1.25G, 2.5G, 10G, 40G). Low-rate client services are mapped to appropriate sub-containers matching their rate requirements, avoiding the waste of using oversized containers while maintaining transmission quality through structured segmentation and mapping mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If a new low-rate data frame is introduced to match low-rate service data, then transmission efficiency improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the low-rate data frame with a universal structure that can handle multiple low-rate services (rates less than 1Gbps) through a standardized format including overhead area and payload area. This universal design reduces device complexity by providing a single processing path for all low-rate services rather than requiring separate handling for each rate.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a nested structure where low-rate data frames are mapped into slots of a higher-rate data frame (100Mbps slot), which is then mapped into the OTU frame. This nesting approach allows low-rate services to be carried within the existing OTN framework, reducing the need for separate complex processing systems while improving transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP4040707B1Data transmission method and apparatus, terminal device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 ZTE CORP
  • EP4040707B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1a
  • EP4040707B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~2
  • EP4040707B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c

AI summary

Disclosed are a data transmission method and apparatus, a terminal device, and a storage medium. The data transmission method comprises: determining a basic unit carrying customer data, the rate of the customer data being less than a set value, the set value being determined according to the rate of a carrying container of an optical transport network (OTN) frame, and the basic unit being a basic unit contained in a basic unit set; mapping the customer data to the basic unit; and sending, by means of the OTN frame, the basic unit set that maps the customer data.