Patent ID: 6404734
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
A telecommunications network, the telecommunications network incorporating plural nodes connected in a ring and having at least one straddling span, wherein a nodal switching device terminates the straddling span, the nodal switching device forming an add-drop multiplexer and the nodal switching device comprising:a first network interface having a first spare port and a first working port; a second network interface having a second spare port and second working port; a third network interface having third and fourth working ports, the third network interface connecting to the straddling span; plural local interface ports, each local interface port being connected by a communication link within the nodal switching device with an associated one of the first, second, third and fourth working ports and being connectable by a communication link within the nodal switching device with each of the spare ports; each communication link including an internal switching device; a controller operably connected to each internal switching device; and the controller being configured to route traffic from one of the third and fourth working ports to one of the first and second spare ports upon occurrence of a failure on a span connected to the one of the third and fourth working ports.