Patent ID: 6356550
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
A communication system comprising:a bidirectional time-division multiplexed bus transporting SONET signals, wherein each of the SONET signals is transmitted by the bus during a respective assigned timeslot of a predefined set of timeslots; at least one counter outputting a timeslot count signal for synchronizing the timeslots of the SONET signals; a first SONET mapper coupled at one end to a first set of facility lines and coupled at a second end to the bus by a first interface; the first interface coupling the first SONET mapper to the bus for transmitting a first signal from the first set of facility lines to the bus during a first assigned timeslot and for receiving a second signal from the bus for transmission onto a first facility line of the first set of facility lines during a second assigned timeslot; and a second SONET mapper coupled at one end to a second set of facility lines and coupled at a second end to the bus by a second interface; the second interface coupling the second SONET mapper to the bus for receiving the first signal from the bus for transmission onto a first facility line of the second set of facility lines during the first assigned timeslot and for transmitting the second signal from the second set of facility lines to the bus during the second assigned timeslot; wherein a bidirectional connection between the first and second sets of facilities lines is formed by the first and second interfaces and the first and second assigned timeslots of the bidirectional bus so that the first signal is conveyed from the first set of facility lines to the second set of facility lines without traversing a switching fabric and the second signal is conveyed from the second set of facility lines to the first set of facility lines without traversing a switching fabric.