Patent ID: 7319662

Claim:
A communication system comprising: a first switch configured to be coupled to a first network and a second network, wherein said first and second networks carry data in accordance with a SONET standard; and a second switch configured to be coupled to said first and second networks and spaced from said first switch, said first and second networks having working lines and protection lines, at least one of said protection lines comprising a shared protection line, said shared protection line being coupled between said first and second switches and shared by said first and second networks; wherein said first and second switches further comprise: first circuitry in said first switch, said first circuitry being configured to transmit fault-related information in a plurality of frames to said second switch; and second circuitry in said second switch, said second circuitry being configured to sense said fault-related information, said first and second switches being further configured to allocate said shared protection line to one of said first and second networks in accordance with said fault-related information; and wherein said shared protection line is assigned to said first network over a first time slot and said shared protection line is assigned to said second network over a second time slot.