Patent ID: 9628259
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: H04J,H04L

Claim:
1. A method implemented by a first network element, the method for distributing clock synchronization information within an optical communications network, the optical communications network including a plurality of network elements including the first network element, the method comprising: receiving an ingress clock synchronization message by the first network element, the ingress clock synchronization message including a clock synchronization message identifier and a correction field; inserting the clock synchronization message identifier into an optical channel frame overhead and inserting the ingress clock synchronization message into an optical channel frame payload; transmitting the optical channel frame overhead and the optical channel frame payload across the first network element; determining a transit time of the clock synchronization message identifier across the first network element; inserting the transit time into the optical channel frame overhead; and transmitting the optical channel frame to a second network element.