Patent ID: 8842994
Filing Date: 2014-09-23
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of distributing clock synchronization information within an optical communications network including a plurality of network elements, the method comprising: receiving an ingress clock synchronization message at a first network element, the ingress clock synchronization message including a clock synchronisation message identifier and a correction field; inserting the clock synchronisation message identifier into an optical channel frame overhead and inserting the ingress clock synchronisation message into an optical channel frame payload; transmitting the optical channel frame overhead and the optical channel frame payload across the first network element, across the network to a second network element, and across the second network element, and determining a transit time of the clock synchronisation message identifier across each of the network elements; and at the second network element, updating the correction field of the ingress clock synchronisation message with said transit times to form an egress clock synchronisation message.