Protection Path Selection in Mesh Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication networks face challenges in quickly recovering from failures due to the complexity of selecting protection paths that meet time constraints, especially in optical transmission systems, which can lead to varying recovery times and hardware limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method for provisioning protection paths in communication networks that determines network configuration information, identifies potential nodes satisfying timing constraints, and selects a protection path based on this information to ensure rapid failure recovery, maintaining constant complexity regardless of network size or connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional protection path selection methods are used in optical transmission systems, then failure protection is provided, but the complexity of selecting protection paths that meet time constraints increases with network size and number of connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protection path selection process into distinct phases: identifying candidate protection paths, evaluating them against time constraints, and selecting the optimal path. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the overall selection process by breaking it down into manageable steps that can be executed systematically regardless of network size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary identification and evaluation of protection paths before actual failure occurs. By pre-computing and storing candidate protection paths with their associated time constraint evaluations, the system reduces the complexity of real-time path selection while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive protection path evaluation is performed to meet time constraints, then service differentiation is enabled, but computation time for path selection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by evaluating only the necessary parameters (time constraints) for protection path selection rather than comprehensively analyzing all possible path characteristics. This selective evaluation enables service differentiation while reducing computation time by focusing only on the critical time constraint parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of protection paths against time constraints and stores the results. When failure occurs, the pre-evaluated paths can be quickly selected without repeating the full evaluation process, thus enabling service differentiation while minimizing actual computation time during failure recovery.
3Ease of operation
If protection path selection accounts for hardware limitations, then realistic constraints are considered, but the selection process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating hardware limitation constraints at specific evaluation points in the protection path selection process. Rather than uniformly increasing complexity throughout the entire selection process, hardware constraints are applied locally where they are most relevant, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring compliance.
Data Source
AI summary
A network includes multiple nodes interconnected to form a mesh topology. These nodes support working paths for the transmission of data and protection paths to provide for recovery in the event of failures on working paths. To select protection paths, elements of the network consider timing constraints associated with failure recovery.