Virtual Lane Multiplexing for Multi-Protocol Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to efficiently transport data across networks with diverse protocols, such as SDH/SONET and Ethernet, due to limitations in detecting synchronization and multiplexing signals with asynchronous clocks, and are not applicable to all types of equipment and optical modules.
Innovation Solution
A transport system that includes a port information management unit to determine virtual lane counts and create lane information for multiplexing and demultiplexing data across multiple interfaces, allowing for efficient data transport regardless of physical lane counts and protocols, by converting physical lanes into virtual lanes and inserting lane information in invalid data fields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If synchronization detection patterns unique to SDH/SONET formats are used, then synchronization detection accuracy is improved, but the system cannot detect signals of other protocols such as Ethernet which run on asynchronous clocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual lanes that can universally handle multiple protocol types (SDH/SONET, Ethernet, and other asynchronous protocols) through a unified multiplexing framework. The virtual lane structure abstracts the underlying protocol differences, allowing the same hardware infrastructure to serve multiple protocol families without requiring protocol-specific detection circuits for each type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual lanes as an intermediary layer between physical lanes and higher-layer protocols. This virtual lane abstraction mediates between the physical transport medium and diverse protocol requirements, enabling protocol-agnostic handling while maintaining protocol-specific characteristics through the lane information field that carries metadata about the transported signals.
2Device complexity
If physical lanes are directly used for data transport, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot efficiently support multi-rate transport and protocol conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transport function into two distinct layers: physical lanes for raw data transport and virtual lanes for protocol-aware data handling. This segmentation allows the physical layer to remain simple while the virtual layer provides sophisticated multi-rate and multi-protocol support through logical division of transport resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a virtualization dimension to the physical transport medium. By creating virtual lanes that exist as logical constructs over the physical infrastructure, the system gains an additional dimension of control and flexibility without adding physical complexity, enabling efficient multi-rate transport through logical resource allocation.
3Productivity
If lane information is not inserted in invalid data fields, then data transport efficiency is reduced, but inserting lane information increases processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes invalid data fields that would otherwise be discarded or unused during data transport. By repurposing these fields to carry lane information, the system recovers otherwise wasted bandwidth and infrastructure, embedding metadata efficiently without requiring separate control channels or additional processing resources.
Data Source
AI summary
It is provided a transport apparatus including: a port information management unit for obtaining port information which includes a type first interfaces, a transport rate of first interfaces, and a physical lane count from the first interfaces into the transport apparatus, and for determining, based on the obtained port information, a virtual lane count into which the physical lanes from the first interfaces are converted; virtual lane creating units for setting as many virtual lanes as the determined virtual lane count; a lane information creating unit for creating, based on the port information, lane information which associates the first interfaces, the physical lane count, and identification information of virtual lanes in association with the physical lanes; and a multiplexing unit for multiplexing data that is transported along the virtual lanes, and for inserting the lane information in an invalid data field which is generated when the data is multiplexed.