OTN Frame Overhead Layout for Faster Alarm Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional OTN networks face long alarm detection times due to low frequency frame overhead, which is inefficient for carrying small granular services like 10 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s services.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an additional overhead area in the OTN frame structure, specifically in columns 1905 to 1920, and using bit-interleaved parity check to insert check information into the overhead area of subsequent frames, along with cyclic redundancy check for error detection in code block streams.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If traditional OTN frame structure is used with overhead only at the beginning, then the frame structure is simple, but the alarm detection time is long due to low overhead frequency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealarm detection timeVSAvoidframe structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame structure is segmented into multiple overhead areas: a first overhead area at the beginning of the frame and a second overhead area in the middle of the payload area. This segmentation allows overhead to be distributed throughout the frame, increasing overhead frequency and enabling faster alarm detection without overwhelming complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The overhead area is extended from a single location (one-dimensional placement at frame start) to multiple locations distributed along the frame structure (adding a spatial dimension). This dimensional change increases overhead frequency while maintaining manageable frame structure complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Speed

If frame overhead occurs at low frequency in traditional OTN, then the frame structure is simple, but the response to network changes is slow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed to network changesVSAvoidframe structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The payload area is divided into multiple segments with overhead distributed across different segments. This segmentation increases the frequency of overhead occurrence, enabling faster detection of network changes and improving response speed while keeping the frame structure organized and manageable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Overhead information is placed in advance at multiple predetermined locations within the frame structure. This preliminary placement ensures that overhead is readily available at high frequency throughout the frame, enabling rapid response to network changes without requiring complex dynamic structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4727094A1Transmission method and apparatus, and device and computer storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 CHINA MOBILE COMM GRP CO LTD
  • EP4727094A1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4727094A1 patent drawingFigure 5~7
  • EP4727094A1 patent drawingFigure 8A~8B

AI summary

Disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure are a transmission method and apparatus, and a device and a computer storage medium. The method comprises: mapping a first service into a first frame, wherein the first frame at least comprises a first overhead area; and multiplexing and/or mapping the first frame to a second frame, and sending the second frame.