Optical TDM Signal Routing via Dummy Data Frames

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical data transmission in ring networks faces challenges due to signal impairments such as noise accumulation and attenuation, which can lead to incorrect data frame recovery and transmission failures, especially when signals propagate over long distances without regeneration.

Innovation Solution

The method involves generating and transmitting optical TDM signals with header information frames indicating dummy data frames, allowing network nodes to avoid recovering impaired signals and enabling data transmission along a secondary ring by inserting these signals with dummy data markers, ensuring optical amplifiers remain loaded and preventing transient signal components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If optical TDM signals are transmitted over long distances without regeneration, then network coverage is extended, but signal quality deteriorates due to noise accumulation and attenuation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission distanceVSAvoidsignal quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by inserting dummy data frames with specific markers into the TDM signals before transmission. These markers enable receiving nodes to identify and discard impaired data frames before they cause errors, effectively preparing the signal pathway in advance to handle long-distance transmission challenges without regeneration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Length of stationary object

If optical amplifiers are used to extend transmission distance, then signal attenuation is compensated, but transient signal components are generated that interfere with data signals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission distanceVSAvoidtransient signal components
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of transient signal components into a beneficial filtering mechanism. By inserting dummy data frames with recognizable markers, the system enables receiving nodes to identify and remove corrupted data frames that result from amplifier-induced transient components, thus transforming the harm into a detectable and correctable condition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If all optical TDM signals are terminated at each network node, then data frame routing control is simplified, but network efficiency decreases due to unnecessary signal processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting controlVSAvoidnetwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the routing control function from the data frames themselves and places it into separate header information frames. This extraction allows nodes to process only the compact header information for routing decisions, while data frames can be forwarded without full termination and processing, thereby improving network efficiency while maintaining simplified routing control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If header information frames are used to control data frame routing, then routing flexibility is improved, but signal complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting flexibilityVSAvoidsignal structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the TDM signal structure into distinct components: header information frames containing routing control data and separate data frames carrying payload information. This segmentation allows routing flexibility through programmable header processing while keeping the data frame structure simple and efficient for high-speed forwarding, thus resolving the complexity-flexibility trade-off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2482481B1Method of optical data transmission
Publication Date: 2014.07.16 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2482481B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP2482481B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2482481B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Proposed is a method of data transmission. A number of optical network elements are connected by a first optical ring and a second optical ring. In a first configuration state of an optical network node, optical TDM signals are received at a network node along the first optical ring and transmitted along the first optical. Upon detecting a failure behind the optical network node, the node switches to a second configuration state, in which the received optical TDM signals are transmitted along the second optical ring in the opposite transmission direction.