Patent ID: 6775228
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) enabling automatic protection switching of a Transmission Convergence Sublayer SubNetwork Connection and comprising at least one working Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-W) as part of a first physical line interface and at least one protection Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-P) as part of a second physical line interface, both entities (TCS-W,TCS-P), respectively, being individually addressable within the ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) via an assigned UTOPIA address, the ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) being provided by the Transmission Convergence Sublayer with physical layer error messages indicating failures in the Transmission Convergence Sublayer SubNetwork Connection established via the working Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-W), the ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) being configured to select for transmission of ATM-cells the UTOPIA address (UA1) of the working Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-W) as long as no physical layer error message is received, and to switch the selection, after reception of a physical layer error message, to the UTOPIA address (UA2) of the protection Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-P), thereby providing automatic protection switching of the Transmission Convergence Sublayer SubNetwork Connection without requiring an action in an ATM layer of the ATM network element (ATM NE-1) and the ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) being configured to merge the data entering the ATM Network Element (ATM NE-1) via both, the working Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-W) and the protection Transmission Convergence Sublayer entity (TCS-P).