Method and apparatus for automatic port interconnection discovery in an optical network

Abstract

To automatically discover the port connections for all nodes in a network, a master node generates a predetermined optical signal and transmits the predetermined optical signal to a neighboring node, which signal identifies the port on which the master node transmitted the predetermined signal. The recipient transmits a reply signal to the predecessor node and to the master node via a control channel, which identifies a port on which the predetermined optical signal was received by the neighboring node. By successively repeating this process in a methodical manner, the master node can discover all of the port interconnections in the optical network. Also each node can discover all its port interconnections to its neighbors. Moreover, by selecting controlling the state (e.g., terminate, open) of the ports of the non-master nodes in the network, the master node can control which nodes receive the predetermined signal, thereby ensuring proper port discovery.

1 . A method for automatically discovering port interconnections in an optical network comprising:
 transmitting a predetermined optical signal from a first available port of a first node in the optical network to a second node in the optical network, said predetermined optical signal including node origination information and port origination information;   receiving the predetermined optical signal at the second node in the optical network;   determining on which port the predetermined optical signal was received by the second node in the optical network; and   forwarding a reply signal to the predecessor node and to the first node from the second node over a control channel of the optical network, said reply signal including node termination information and port termination information.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said first node is a master node and said second node is a non-master node. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising updating a port adjacency table in the master node upon receipt of the reply signal. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting a second predetermined optical signal over a second available port, wherein the second predetermined optical signal includes node origination information and port origination information. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a connection discovery request signal from a non-master node in the optical network at the master node in the optical network and transmitting the first predetermined optical signal in response to said discovery request signal. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising designating a new node that comes online in the optical network as a secondary master node, and limiting a port interconnection discovery capability of the secondary master node to only immediate neighbors of the secondary master node. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising transmitting a second predetermined optical signal from a first available port of a secondary master node in the optical network to a non-master node in the optical network, said predetermined optical signal including node origination information and port origination information. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving the second predetermined optical signal at the non-master node in the optical network; and   determining on which port the predetermined optical signal was received by the non-master node in the optical network.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising forwarding a reply signal to the secondary master node from the non-master node over a control channel of the optical network, said reply signal including node termination information and port termination information. 
   
   
       10 . A method for automatically discovering connections in an optical network comprising:
 transmitting a predetermined signal from a first available port of a first node in the optical network to a second node in the optical network, said predetermined signal including node origination information and port origination information;   receiving the predetermined signal at the second node in the optical network;   determining on which port the predetermined signal was received by the second node in the optical network; and   forwarding a reply signal to the predecessor node and to the first node from the second node over a control channel of the optical network, said reply signal including node termination information and port termination information.   
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein said first node is a master node and said second node is a non-master node. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising updating a port adjacency table in the master node upon receipt of the reply signal. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting a second predetermined optical signal over a second available port, wherein the second predetermined optical signal includes node origination information and port origination information. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising receiving a connection discovery request signal from a non-master node in the optical network at the master node in the optical network and transmitting the first predetermined optical signal in response to said discovery request signal. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising designating a new node that comes online in the optical network as a secondary master node, and limiting a port interconnection discovery capability of the secondary master node to only immediate neighbors of the secondary master node. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising transmitting a second predetermined signal from a first available port of a secondary master node in the optical network to a non-master node in the optical network, said predetermined signal including node origination information and port origination information. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving the second predetermined signal at the non-master node in the optical network; and   determining on which port the predetermined signal was received by the non-master node in the optical network.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising forwarding a reply signal to the secondary master node from the non-master node over a control channel of the optical network, said reply signal including node termination information and port termination information.