Patent ID: 6580709
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: H04J,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A SONET network interface for interconnecting at least one high speed unit (HSU) with at least two low speed interface units (LSUs) to enable transmission of signals therebetween, the interface comprising:a bus for interfacing the at least one HSU unit with each of the at least two LSU units to enable transmission of signals from each of the at least two LSUs to the at least one HSU, and reception of the signals from the at least one HSU to each of the at least two LSUs, wherein the at least one HSU, at least two LSUs, and the bus are contained in a primary shelf; and at least one secondary shelf containing at least one secondary LSU and an intershelf ring interconnection (IRI) bus connecting the primary shelf and each of the at least one secondary shelves in series for exchanging data between the HSU of the primary shelf and each of the at least one secondary shelves; wherein the IRI bus has full access to the bandwidth of each of the at least one secondary shelves and each series connection between shelves comprises a drop bus for transmitting data to the next shelf in the series and an add bus for receiving data from the next shelf in the series and accumulating the received data from each of the at least one secondary shelves for transmission through the series and to the primary shelf.