Patent ID: 7725039
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for automatically discovering a plurality of port connections in an all-optical communications network communicating data traffic comprising: a) transmitting successively a predetermined signal, having a label identifying at least an originating node and outgoing port, over each of a plurality of outgoing ports of a master node; b) replying from each recipient of the predetermined signal via a control channel indicating on which incoming port for each recipient the predetermined signal with a given label was received; c) updating a port adjacency table in at least the master node upon receipt of the reply signal; d) placing all nodes whose port connections are known in an open state; e) transmitting successively a predetermined signal, having a label identifying at least an originating node and outgoing port, over one or more of a plurality of outgoing ports of a next level node having unknown port connections; and f) repeating steps b) through e) until all port connections in all nodes are discovered; and wherein all the nodes, including the master node, are each able to communicate the data traffic over bearer channels.