Distributed intelligence MAC protocols for DWDM ring networks

Abstract

A metropolitan access network ( 10 ) uses a variation of a MAC protocol, where each station ( 14 ) on a ring ( 12 ) is associated with one or more time slot ( 30 ). Each slot carries information regarding the associated station, basic connection fields ( 32 ), communications fields ( 34 ), and quality of service fields ( 36 ). Each station maintains its own local database regarding the status of the network ( 10 ) by reading the information in each time slot ( 30 ).

1 . A network comprising: 
 a network ring for providing communication on a plurality of channels, wherein at least one of said channels passes control information;    multiple devices operable to communicate with one another over a selected channel on the network ring, each device including circuitry for: 
 generating control information related to its current communication status and transmitting said control information on said ring; and  
 reading control information related to other devices from said ring and maintaining a local database of the current communications status of the devices.  
   
     
     
         2 . The network of  claim 1  wherein one of said channels is a control channel having a plurality of time slots, each time slot carrying control information regarding an associated device.  
     
     
         3 . The network of  claim 2  wherein each device is associated with one or more time slots.  
     
     
         4 . The network of  claim 2  wherein the control information in one of the time slots may be changed only by the associated device.  
     
     
         5 . The network of  claim 1  wherein each device generates control information about whether it is currently communicating with one or more other devices.  
     
     
         6 . The network of  claim 5  wherein each device generates control information including a channel identifier, if the device is currently communicating with another device.  
     
     
         7 . The network of  claim 1  wherein each device generates control information regarding the data rate of a communication.  
     
     
         8 . The network of  claim 1  wherein each device generates quality of service control information.  
     
     
         9 . The network of  claim 8  wherein said quality of service information includes information indicating whether a current communication is time-sensitive.  
     
     
         10 . The network of  claim 8  wherein said quality of service information includes information indicating whether a current communication is a best effort communication.  
     
     
         11 . The network of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said channels passes both data and control information.  
     
     
         12 . A method of communicating between multiple devices on a network, comprising the step of: 
 providing communication for a plurality of channels on a network ring;    passing control information on at least one of said channels;    at each device, generating control information related to a current communication status of the device and transmitting said control information on said ring; and    at each device, reading control information related to other devices from said ring and maintaining a local database of the current communications status of the devices.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each device transmits its control information to one of said channels designated as a control channel.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said control channels is divided into a plurality of time slots, each time slot carrying control information regarding an associated device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein each device is associated with one or more time slots.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the control information in one of the time slots may be changed only by the associated device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said generating step by each device includes the step of, at each device, generating control information about whether it is currently communicating with one or more other devices.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein each device generates control information including a channel identifier, if the device is currently communicating with another device.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each device generates control information regarding the data rate of a communication.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each device generates quality of service control information.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said quality of service information includes information indicating whether a current communication is time-sensitive.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said quality of service information includes information indicating whether a current communication is a best effort communication.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  wherein at least one of said channels passes both data and control information.