Abstract: The present invention provides a colorless multiplexing system and method for detecting new optical channels at power levels below that which would cause data errors in existing traffic, and on top of background light, thus, overcoming a known risk inherent in colorless multiplexing—that a channel of the same wavelength as an existing channel is incorrectly added to the original working, traffic-carrying, channel's path.

Abstract: A network element for incorporating in nodes of a network that is a transparent, subwavelength networks. The element is configurable and adapted to support an arbitrary protocol, with protocol-specific monitoring features as well as protocol-independent add/drop capability. An arrangement that allows transmission of client signals with higher clock fidelity is achieved by developing a phases offset measure at an ingress node, communicating it to the egress node, and recovering the client's clock from the received data and from the received phase-offset information. The ability to recover the client's clock with high fidelity is enhanced by modified pointer processing in intermediate nodes of the network that the client's signal traverses. The pointer processing is modified to inject positive and negative justifications in excess of what is minimally necessary to insure proper transmission over a network that employs a protocol involving framing layer frames embedded in communication layer frames.

Abstract: The present invention provides a colorless multiplexing system and method for detecting new optical channels at power levels below that which would cause data errors in existing traffic, and on top of background light, thus, overcoming a known risk inherent in colorless multiplexing—that a channel of the same wavelength as an existing channel is incorrectly added to the original working, traffic-carrying, channel's path.

Abstract: A switching network having a plurality of independent switching units with each switching unit switching one bit of each group of data from external data links through a telecommunication switching system. The plurality of switching units is greater than the number of bits that must be switched which increases reliability. This allows the extra switching units to be utilized as replacement switching units should a switching unit actively switching a bit of the incoming data be disabled. The switching units provide full broadcast switching of data from any individual external link to any number of the other external links. A plurality of port units terminate the external links, and a plurality of control paths are provide from a central controller to each of the port units. Each of the switching units communicated one of the control paths. For control, each port unit determines a set of control information that is identical from a majority of the control paths.

Abstract: A high capacity packet switch is implemented using an expansion module that divides an incoming packet cell into a plurality of segments and supplies the segments, based on their sequential order, to respective ones of a plurality of concentrator units contained in the expansion module. Each concentrator unit includes a plurality of concentrator logic units and one of those logic units accepts a segment for storage based on routing information contained in the packet cell. The stored segments forming a packet cell are thereafter unloaded and recombined in proper sequence for routing to a packet switch module, which then forwards the packet cell toward its destination.