Pseudowire Circuit Emulation for Service Modification Bottlenecks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Telecommunication service providers face significant time and resource challenges when modifying or upgrading network hardware to support new or changed services, particularly in circuit-switched networks where changes must be made at each digital cross-connect (DXC), leading to inefficient service modifications and additions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a distributed packet switching architecture that uses multiple switching devices to route customer traffic efficiently, enabling moves, adds, or changes in services without requiring physical alterations to circuit-switched components, by establishing pseudowires that emulate circuit-switched connections using protocols like MPLS and PWE3, allowing for automated provisioning and service migrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If circuit-switched network with DXCs is used to support services, then service reliability is maintained, but service modification time and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice reliabilityVSAvoidservice modification time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the service modification process by introducing pseudowire endpoints that can be independently configured and managed. Each pseudowire endpoint acts as an independent entity that can be modified without affecting other parts of the network, allowing service changes to be made at individual endpoints rather than requiring coordinated changes across multiple DXCs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces pseudowires as intermediary elements between customer equipment and the circuit-switched network. These pseudowires act as flexible mediators that can be established, modified, or removed without directly altering the underlying DXC infrastructure, thereby decoupling service management from hardware configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If circuit-switched network with DXCs is used to support services, then network stability is maintained, but device complexity and operational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork stabilityVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of circuit-switched connections through pseudowires. These pseudowire endpoints represent logical copies of the actual physical circuits, allowing operators to manage and modify service configurations in the virtual domain without directly manipulating physical DXC hardware, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining network stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes pseudowire endpoints universal interfaces that can support multiple service types and protocols. A single pseudowire endpoint configuration can accommodate different customer equipment interfaces and service requirements, reducing the need for specialized DXC configurations for each service type and thereby simplifying operational procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If physical alterations to circuit-switched components are made for service changes, then service adaptability is achieved, but productivity and time efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice adaptabilityVSAvoidservice provisioning productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables self-service capabilities by allowing pseudowire endpoints to be automatically configured and provisioned through software control. Service changes can be initiated and completed through automated provisioning systems that configure pseudowire parameters without requiring manual physical alterations to DXC hardware, thereby dramatically improving service provisioning productivity while maintaining full adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical DXC hardware configuration with an electronic/software-based pseudowire configuration system. Instead of manually reconfiguring physical cross-connects in DXCs, operators can rapidly provision and modify services by configuring pseudowire parameters through software, substituting mechanical operations with electronic control to achieve both adaptability and high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9037746B2Pseudowire circuit emulation

Publication Date: 2015.05.19 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A method includes establishing a first pseudowire between a first switching device and a second switching device. The method also includes receiving customer traffic that includes time division multiplexed data and formatting the time division multiplexed data as packets. The method further includes identifying a destination for the customer traffic, identifying the first pseudowire for forwarding the customer traffic and forwarding the customer traffic via the first pseudowire to the second switching device.