Patent ID: 7043250
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for transmitting data between multiple pairs of origin nodes and destination nodes on a mesh network having a plurality of nodes interconnected via links, comprising for a pair of communicating nodes: establishing a working virtual connection comprising a working path and a procedure for transferring data along the working path, the working path comprising a plurality of working path nodes, including an origin node and a destination node, and links interconnecting the working path nodes; each working path node including information defining the working virtual connection; establishing a protection virtual connection comprising a protection path and a procedure for transferring data along the protection path, the protection path comprising a plurality of protection path nodes, including the origin node and the destination node, and links interconnecting the protection path nodes each protection path node including information defining the protection virtual connection; transmitting data from the origin node to the destination node over the working virtual connection; detecting a failure along the working path and transmitting a failure notification to the origin and destination nodes; receiving the failure notification at the origin and destination nodes and relating this notification to virtual connections affected by the failure; automatically ceasing transmission of data over the working virtual connections affected by the failure, and automatically transmitting data over the protection virtual connections corresponding to the working virtual connections affected by the failure; and automatically ceasing the reception of data over the working virtual connections affected by the failure, and automatically receiving data over the protection virtual connections corresponding to the working virtual connections affected by the failure; wherein: establishing a working virtual connection comprises selecting at a working path node a link from a set of all links connected to the working path node; establishing a protection virtual connection comprises selecting at a protection path node a link from a set of all links connected to the node, such that the protection path and its associated working path have no links in common and no nodes in common except for the source and destination nodes; and a node may simultaneously function as source node for multiple virtual connections, a destination node for multiple virtual connections, and an intermediate node for multiple virtual connections.