Restoration method for multiplexed circuits

[0002] This invention relates to a technique for restoring multiplexed traffic streams in a network based on the status of the constituents within each multiplexed stream.

[0003] Providers of telecommunications services, such as AT&T, typically transport inter-city traffic in a digitally multiplexed format. Some providers of telecommunications services implement TI digital carrier systems that multiplex twenty-four constituent 64-kilobit (DS0) digitized circuits (signals) to yield a 1.544 Megabit per second (Mbps) stream. Other carriers, such as AT&T, operate transmission T3 systems that have the capacity to multiplex twenty-eight constituent Ti circuits. The constituent Ti circuits that yield the multiplexed T3 circuit are typically, although not necessarily, associated with different service offerings. For example, a typical T3 circuit may comprise individual Ti circuits associated with ADL, Intertoll, and dedicated services, to name a few.

[0004] Presently, the nature of the particular traffic carried by the constituent TI circuits of a multiplexed T3 circuit plays a role in establishing the restoration priority of that T3 circuit in the event of a failure. For example, some restoration techniques afford higher priority to T3 circuits whose constituent T1 circuits carry certain traffic, say private line traffic, than those T3 circuits that carry other types of traffic.

[0005] Aside from the nature of the particular traffic on the constituent T1 circuits of a multiplexed T3 circuit, the individual status of each constituent T1 circuit has previously played no role in the decision regarding a restoration of a multiplexed T3 circuit. Thus, assuming a set of individual T1 circuits that carry traffic of the same priority, current restoration techniques may undertake restoration of a T3 circuit having very few if any failed T1 circuits prior to undertaking restoration of a T3 circuit having many failed TI circuits. Since no account is typically taken of the actual status of the constituent circuits in a multiplexed circuit, a technician using any of several present day restoration techniques may attempt restoration of a T3 circuit containing a small number of TI circuits when in fact the T3 only contains that many active TI circuits and does not in fact require restoration.

[0006] Thus, there is need for a technique for accomplishing restoration that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

[0007] Briefly, the present invention provides a restoration technique for restoring a at least one multiplexed circuits, such as a T3 circuit, for example, in accordance with the status of the constituent circuits (e.g., T1 circuits) comprising the multiplexed circuit. In accordance with the invention, a determination is made regarding the probability of failure of the multiplexed circuit in accordance with: (1) the number of constituent circuits within that multiplexed circuit actually provisioned for service, (2) the number of actual failed circuits and (3) the number of operative and out-of service individual circuits. If the failure probability differs from a prescribed value by a set threshold, the multiplexed circuit is restored. In this way, faster restoration is achieved.

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a transmission system for accomplishing restoration in accordance with the invention.

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a transmission system 10 that achieves improved restoration in accordance with the invention. The network 10 comprises a plurality of nodes 12₁-12_nwhere n is an integer. The nodes 12₁-12_nare linked to each other via transmission channels 14₁-14_kwhere k is an integer. Typically, each of the transmission channels comprises one or more optical fibers that each carry a multiplexed digital circuit (signal), such as a T3 circuit, comprised of a plurality of constituent circuits (e.g., twenty-eight Ti circuits in a T3 circuit.) In the illustrated embodiment where n=five and k=eight, the node pairs are by the transmission channels 14₁-14_kas indicated in Table I.

[0010] The linkage of the node pairs by the corresponding transmission channel listed in Table I is not crucial to the restoration technique of the invention. All that is necessary is the existence of redundant transmission channel linkages so that an alternate path is possible should a transmission channel become incapable of carrying traffic, either because of the channel itself, or its termination at one or both of the nodes linked by the channel.

[0011] The nodes 12₁-12_neach possess substantially the same structure as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,744, issued on Jun. 26, 1993, in the name of James Askew et al., and assigned to AT&T (herein incorporated by reference). For purposes of simplicity, only the details of node 12₁are presented. As seen in FIG. 1, a piece of Line Termination Equipment (LTE) 16 within the node 12₁terminates each transmission channel linking the node to another. A Digital Cross-Connect Access system (DCA) 18, such as the DACS III system manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc., cross-connects the LTE pieces 16—16, thus allowing a connection between the multiplexed circuit carried by a first transmission channel, say channel 14₁, and another such channel, such as channel 14₇or 14₈.

[0012] In the illustrated embodiment, the node 12₁possesses the capability to originate and terminate traffic, as well as to re-transmit traffic from another node. To that end, the node 12₁includes a multiplexer/de-multiplexer 20 connected to the DCA 18. The multiplexer/de-multiplexer 20 finctions to multiplex constituent circuits (e.g. T1 circuits) received from a piece of telecommunications equipment such as a switch (not shown) to yield a multiplexed circuit (e.g., a T3 circuit) for connection via the DCA 18 to one of the LTE pieces 16—16 and transmission therefrom to another node. Conversely, the multiplexer/de-multiplexer 20 serves to de-multiplex a multiplexed circuit received via the DCA 18 from one of the LTE pieces 16—16 into its constituent circuits.

[0013] An alarm processor 22 within the node 12₁monitors the LTE pieces 16—16 to determine the status of each multiplexed circuit, such as a T3 circuit, at each LTE. Additionally, the processor 22 may also monitor the multiplexer/de-multiplexer 20 to determine the status of the constituent circuits that comprise the multiplexed circuit originating from, and/or terminating at the node 12₁. Based on such monitoring, the processor 22 determines whether an alarm condition exists, and if so, whether or not to communicate such information via a data switch 24 onto a network 26 that connects the alarm processors in each of the other nodes 12₂-12_n. The network 26 communicates the alarm information from the processor 22 in each node to a central processor 28. Although not shown, a satellite communication system may also link the processor 28 to processor 22 within each of the nodes 12₁-12_nto provide redundant communication.

[0014] Heretofore, the processor 28, in response to an alarm from the processor 22 in an affected node, say node 12₁, would effect restoration by establishing a restoration path and thereafter communicating that information to the processor in the affected node. The alarm processor 22 in the affected node would then test for end-to-end continuity within the DCA 18 for the proposed restoration path via a piece of Restoration Test Equipment 30. If the proposed restoration path tested successfully for end-to-end continuity, the alarm processor 22 would signal the DCA 16 to make the necessary cross-connections to implement the proposed path.

[0015] In effecting restoration in the manner just described, the processor 28 did not take account of the individual status of the constituent circuits comprising each multiplexed circuit carried by each LTE 16. Rather, the processor 28 simply assumed that each multiplexed circuit comprised a full complement of constituent circuits. (Thus, for example, the processor 28 assumed that each T3 circuit comprises twenty-eight T1 circuits regardless of the number constituent circuits actually provisioned.) In contrast to the prior art, the present invention accomplishes restoration of a multiplexed circuit, e.g. a T3 circuit, in accordance with the status of its constituent circuits, i.e., the individual T1 circuits. To that end, the processor 28 is linked to a data base 30 that maintains a record of each multiplexed circuit. In other words, for each T3 circuit, the database 30 stores information that indicates the number of actually provisioned constituent circuits and their respective status. Using the information stored in the data base 30, the processor 28 statistically establishes the likelihood of failure of a given multiplexed circuit to better determine whether restoration should be effected.

[0016] Moreover, as will be discussed, the likelihood of failure established by the processor 28 can also establish the relative order of priority of restoration among the different multiplexed circuits.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, the processor 28 determines a probability factor (T3FAIL) indicative of the likelihood of failure of given multiplexed (e.g., T3) circuit in accordance with the following mathematical relationship:

[0018] T_3FAIL=F_om−X(T_1FAIL)+Y(T_1UNRPT)−Z  (Equation 1)

[0019] Where:

[0020] F_omis a Figure of Merit, reflecting the number of constituent circuits (e.g., T1s) actually equipped and provisioned for service;

[0021] X is a constant ranging from 0-1 that determines how much weight will be associated with reported T1 failures. (Different T1s may be assigned different values; e.g., message circuits may be assigned 0.6, dedicated circuits may be assigned 1.0);

[0022] T_1FAILis the number of reported constituent (e.g., T1) circuit failures on the multiplexed (e.g., T-3) circuit;

[0023] Y is a constant ranging from 0-1 that determines how much weight will be associated with confirmed constituent circuits (T1s) which test satisfactory or are in a “Don't care” state, (T1s that are provisioned but out of service may be assigned a weight of 0.0 removing them from Equation 1);

[0024] T_1UNRPTis the number of constituent circuits (T1s) which pass all tests or are out of service, thus accounting for full capacity of the multiplexed circuit, and thus in the case of a T3 circuit, T_1FAIL+T_1UNRPTmust equal twenty-eight; and

[0025] Z is a factor, ranging from −28 to +28 and reflects a class-of-service designation for the multiplexed circuit, thus allowing an alternate service vendor providing leased capacity to be accorded a higher weight failure factor, assuring quicker restoration, as compared to a core multiplexed circuit.

[0026] In operation, the processor 28 periodically checks for a possible failure of each multiplexed circuit (e.g., each T3), by accessing the database 30 and then compureting the likelihood of failure value T3FAIL in accordance with Equation 1. Thereafter, the processor 28 then compares the computed probability of failure value to a prescribed reference value, say unity. For each multiplexed circuit whose failure value T_3FAILdiffers from the prescribed reference value by at least a threshold value, the processor 28 generates an alert. In the preferred embodiment, if the probability of failure value T_3FAILis zero or less, the processor 28 provides an alert and may either effect restoration automatically or signal a technician to effect such restoration manually. Moreover, the processor 28 can rank order the T_3FAILvalues for a set of multiplexed circuits to establish the priority for restoration on a periodic basis.

[0027] The foregoing discloses a technique for facilitating restoration of a multiplexed circuit in accordance with the status of its constituent circuits.

[0028] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. The skilled artisan may make various modifications and changes which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.