Patent ID: 8422361

Claim:
A method of managing protection path bandwidth comprising: allocating the protection path bandwidth to a fixedly set loop protection path along a single ring loop for working path along the same single ring loop in accordance a bandwidth requested by the working path to be set up or removed; setting up, at a first node among said nodes, the loop protection path in said single ring loop in response to a first request for setting up a first working path passing through a first portion of said single ring loop; comparing, at the first node, in response to a second request from a second node among said nodes for setting up or removing a second working path passing through a second portion of said loop, a bandwidth of paths to be protected when said second path is set up or removed at the second node with a bandwidth of said loop protection path; and changing the bandwidth of said loop protection path at each of said nodes within said ring loop in accordance with a result of said comparison, wherein said comparison is made at said first node that received, earlier than any other node on said loop, a first message requesting, at the second node, the setting up or removal of said second working path, and changing, at each said node, the bandwidth of said protection path includes transferring from said first node along said loop a second message requesting the changing of the bandwidth of said loop protection path.