Patent ID: 8526313

Claim:
A communication system for extending Ethernet Operation and Management (OAM) Loopback Message (LBM) and Loopback Replay (LBR) functionality into a time division multiplexing (TDM) domain, comprising: a first interworking function (IWF) of an Ethernet network configured to transmit through the Ethernet network an Ethernet OAM LBM having a first type length value (TLV) field, the first IWF configured to control the first TLV field to indicate that a connectivity test based on the Ethernet OAM LBM is to extend beyond the Ethernet network to a TDM node of a TDM network; and a second IWF of the Ethernet network configured to receive the Ethernet OAM LBM and to interpret the first TLV field as indicating that a TDM connectivity test is to be performed by the second IWF, the second IWF configured to perform the TDM connectivity test across a TDM connection in response to the Ethernet OAM LBM and based on the first TLV field, the second IWF further configured to transmit a reply in response to the Ethernet OAM LBM through the Ethernet network to the first IWF, the reply comprising data indicative of a result of the TDM connectivity test.