Patent ID: 7414985
Filing Date: 2008-08-19
Classification: H04J,H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for aggregating a plurality of physical lines connecting adjacent nodes within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: determining line status information for at least two of said plurality of physical lines connecting adjacent first and second nodes, where said line status information includes information regarding available data transmission bandwidth for transferring data between said adjacent first and said second nodes; associating at least a first and second of said plurality of physical lines connecting said first and second nodes with one another to create a first aggregated link, wherein said first and second of said plurality of physical lines are associated without affecting traffic; determining aggregate status information for said first aggregated link; broadcasting aggregate status information for said first aggregated link to at least one adjacent node and one non-adjacent node, where said first aggregated link includes the maximum data transmission bandwidth available over a one of said plurality of physical lines within said first aggregated link; and if one of said at least said first and second of said plurality of physical lines fails, performing local span restoration within said first aggregated link; wherein the network comprises an optical network; and wherein the method is implemented as one of part of a signaling and routing protocol for the optical network, a sub-network connection client module communicating with the optical network, and combinations thereof.