Patent ID: 7746767
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
1. A method of providing extra traffic paths in a communication network comprising at least two protection channels associated to respective transmission channels, each of said at least two protection channels admitting an active state for carrying, in the presence of a failure in at least one of the associated transmission channels, traffic to be carried by at least one of the associated transmission channels and a stand-by state, wherein at least one of the protection channels is adapted to carry extra traffic, comprising: running said at least two protection channels in a sub-network connection protection scheme, whereby one of said at least two protection channels in said stand-by state is adapted to ensure recovery of extra traffic carried by another of said at least two protection channels while one of the following conditions is met: said another of said at least two protection channels is switched to said active state, and said another of said at least two protection channels is subject to failure; providing in said communication network a plurality of ring structures; associating said at least two protection channels to two respective different rings of said plurality of rings; and providing non-preemptible unprotected traffic carried on non preemptible channels in said network as well as non-preemptible channels protected by a sub-network connection protection scheme, wherein said extra traffic is ensured an intermediate level of availability between the levels of protection provided by said non preemptible channels and by said non-preemptible channels protected by said sub-network connection protection scheme.