US 7,573,814 B1
Method and apparatus for protection of an optical network
Siegfried Luft, Vancouver (Canada); Thomas Meehan, New York, N.Y. (US); Gerald W. Neufeld, Los Altos, Calif. (US); and Simon Williams, San Jose, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Redback Networks Inc., San Jose, Calif. (US)
Filed on Oct. 31, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/285,937.
Application 10/285937 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/999542, filed on Oct. 31, 2001, abandoned.
Int. Cl. H04L 12/437 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 370—223  [370/242; 370/249] 40 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
16. A system comprising:
a first network element transmitting a first traffic flow in a first set of optical sub-channels and a second traffic flow in a second set of optical sub-channels, wherein automatic protection switching protects the first set of optical sub-channels and a mesh protection process protects the second set of optical sub-channels, wherein the second set of optical sub-channels is a first non-preemptable unprotected traffic channel;
a second network element receiving the second traffic flow while there is no failure affecting the second set of optical sub-channels; and
a third network element receiving the second traffic flow in a third set of optical sub-channels while a failure affects the second set of optical sub-channels, wherein the third set of optical sub channels is a first non-preemptable unprotected traffic channel, and wherein the mesh protection process of the first network element determines a new set of routes in response to the failure affecting the second set of optical sub-channels and switches the second traffic flow to the third set of optical sub-channels.