Patent ID: 7099579
Filing Date: 2006-08-29
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
1. A method of masking failure conditions that would automatically trip a failure protect switch in a bridge network bridged across a DWDM network, said method comprising: accepting a binary encoded data bit stream from a carrier suitable for optical multiplexing; converting the binary encoded data bit stream into a recovered clocked bit stream compatible with an original input signal; detecting and indicating loss-of-signal using predetermined criteria; resetting a loss-of-signal indicator after declaration based on predetermined criteria; buffering and applying a constant delay to the recovered bit stream using a clocked first-in first out (FIFO) memory with storage equal to the number of bits required to declare loss-of-signal; generating a substitute bit stream utilizing an internal clock operating at a same rate as the recovered bit stream, wherein the substitute bit stream, depending upon a reconfiguration time of the DWDM network, duplicates a frame structure of the original input signal; selecting either the recovered bit stream or the substitute bit stream based on the state of the loss-of-signal indicator according to predetermined criteria; and encoding the selected binary bit stream in a format compatible with the encoded input signal.