System, method, and apparatus for daisy chain network protection from node malfunction or power outage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016337732-A1
Application number	US-201514709984-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for protecting daisy chain networks from node malfunction or power outage are disclosed. One or more communication nodes in a daisy chain network can be bypass-capable communication nodes. Bypass-capable communication nodes can include a sensing and switching subsystem, embedded in the node or external to the node in a fiber optic cable running along the daisy chain network. In embodiments, the sensing and switching subsystem can responsively switch the bypass-capable communication node from communication node primary circuitry to primary circuitry responsive to node malfunction or node power outage. The sensing and switching subsystem also can switch back from bypass circuitry to primary circuitry responsive to restoration of node function or node power. In embodiments, switching occurs responsive to excitation or de-excitation of the node itself.

First claim

That claimed is:

1 . A system for protecting against points of failure in a daisy chain network, the daisy chain network deployed along a linear facility between a proximal site and a distal site, the system comprising:
a plurality of communication nodes operably connected to one another in the daisy chain network via a fiber optic cable, the plurality of communication nodes including: a main site communication node being positioned at the proximal site, a remote site communication node being positioned at the distal site, one or more intermediary communication nodes being positioned in the daisy chain network in a series between the main site communication node and the remote site communication node, the one or more intermediary communication nodes configured to relay a transmission between the main site communication node and the remote site communication node, an intermediary communication node positioned between a reference communication node and the remote site communication node being characterized as upstream from the reference communication node and an intermediary communication node positioned between the reference communication node and the main site communication node being characterized as downstream from the reference communication node, the plurality of intermediary communication nodes including a bypass-capable communication node, the bypass-capable communication node including:
a first transceiver in communication with an adjacent downstream communication node, the adjacent downstream communication node including one of (i) the main site communication node, or (ii) an intermediary communication node downstream from the bypass-capable communication node,
a second transceiver in communication with an adjacent upstream communication node, the adjacent upstream communication node including one of (i) the remote site communication node, or (ii) an intermediary communication node upstream from the bypass capable communication node,
communication node primary circuitry configured to execute a node function, the communication node primary circuitry further configured to provide a primary communication path for a transmission segment of the transmission being relayed between the main site communication node and the remote site communication node, the transmission segment including an internodal transmission between the adjacent downstream communication node and the adjacent upstream communication node, and
optical-electrical circuitry configured to transform an optical signal received by one or more of (i) the first transceiver, and (ii) the second transceiver, into an electrical signal to transmit to the communication node primary circuitry, the optical-electrical circuitry further configured to transform an electrical signal received from the communication node primary circuitry into an optical signal for transmission by one or more of (i) the first transceiver, and (ii) the second transceiver;
communication node bypass circuitry configured to provide a bypass communication path around the bypass-capable communication node for the transmission segment between the adjacent downstream communication node and the adjacent upstream communication node; an optical switch configured to switch the bypass-capable communication node from the communication node primary circuitry to the communication node bypass circuitry; one or more processors; and tangible computer readable medium in communication with the one or more processors, the tangible computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of operational modules, each of the operational modules comprising a set of instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the plurality of operational modules including:
a bypass-capable communication node monitoring module configured to monitor the bypass-capable communication node and generate a first trigger event signal responsive to detection of a first trigger event, the first trigger event characterized by degradation of quality of the primary communication path below a predefined threshold, thereby to classify the bypass-capable communication node as a point of failure,
an optical switching module configured to optically switch the bypass-capable communication node from use of the communication node primary circuitry to use of the communication node bypass circuitry responsive to receipt of the first trigger event signal from the bypass-capable communication node monitoring module, and
a control bypass module responsive to the optical switching module and configured to adaptively control internodal transmissions when the bypass-capable communication node is classified as a point of failure, controlling internodal transmissions including controlling transmission parameters of transmissions between the adjacent downstream communication node and the adjacent upstream communication node, thereby to control for attenuation and dispersion caused by bypassing the bypass-capable communication node.

2 . A system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the transmission being relayed between the main site communication node and the remote site communication node includes one or more of (i) a power transmission, and (ii) a data transmission.

3 . A system as defined by claim 2 ,
wherein the optical switch further is configured to switch from the communication node bypass circuitry to the communication node primary circuitry; wherein the bypass-capable communication node monitoring module further is configured to generate a second trigger event signal responsive to detection of a second trigger event, the second trigger event characterized by restoration of quality of the primary communication path above the predefined threshold, thereby no longer to classify the bypass-capable communication node as a point of failure; wherein the optical switching module further is configured to switch the bypass-capable communication node from use of the communication node bypass circuitry to use of the communication node primary circuitry responsive to receipt of the second trigger event signal; and wherein the control bypass module further is configured to adaptively control internodal transmissions when the bypass-capable communication node no longer is classified as a point of failure, thereby to control for amplification caused by restoring communication via the primary communication path.

4 . A system as defined by claim 3 ,
wherein degradation of quality of the primary communication path below a predefined threshold includes one or more of (i) degradation of communication node primary circuitry function below a predefined functional threshold, and (ii) degradation of bypass-capable communication node power below a predefined power threshold; and wherein restoration of quality of the primary communication path above the predefined threshold includes one or more of (i) restoration of communication node primary circuitry function above the predefined functional threshold, and (ii) restoration of bypass-capable communication node power above the predefined power threshold.

5 . A system as defined by claim 4 , wherein the communication node bypass circuitry and the optical switch are disposed within the bypass-capable communication node.

6 . A system as defined by claim 4 , wherein the communication node bypass circuitry and the optical switch are external to the bypass-capable communication node.

7 . A system as defined by claim 6 , wherein the communication node bypass circuitry and the optical switch are disposed within the fiber optic cable.

8 . A system as defined by claim 4 , wherein a plurality of intermediary communication nodes comprise bypass-capable communication nodes.

9 . A bypass-cap

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Walaie Soliman A
• Aljuaid Muhammad S

Classifications

• H04Q11/0067 Primary

  Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring · CPC title

• H04B10/032

  using working and protection systems {(H04J14/0287 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0081

  Fault tolerance; Redundancy; Recovery; Reconfigurability · CPC title

• H04B10/0771 Primary

  Fault location on the transmission path · CPC title

• H04L41/0661 Primary

  by reconfiguring faulty entities · CPC title