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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. An optical ring network topology, which comprises:
at least two stations;
an administrative location;
an optical path which extends from said administrative location to a first
one of said stations and which returns from said first one of said
stations to said administrative location;
an optical path which extends from said administrative location to a second
one of said stations and which returns from the second one of said
stations to said administrative location;
a plurality of interface means disposed at said administrative location for
terminating said optical path to said first one of said stations and for
terminating said optical path to the second one of said stations, each
said interface means having at least two ports each port adapted to have
an optical signal pass therethrough and being capable of having the
direction of a signal through each port thereof changed; and
jumper means disposed at said administrative location and capable of
interconnecting selected portions of said interface means for providing a
ring by completing said optical path from said first one of said stations
through ones of said interface means at said administrative location to
the second one of said stations, said plurality of interface means being
such that said stations may be connected by said jumper means in different
optical paths through said plurality of interface means.
2. The ring network topology of claim 1, wherein each said interface means
which terminates an optical path includes a set of two ports with the
optical path which extends and returns from the first one of said stations
being connected to ports of one of said plurality of said interface means
and with the optical path which extends and returns from the second one of
said stations being connected to ports of another interface means.
3. The network topology of claim 2, wherein a first port of the set of
ports of one interface means may be connected to a first port of the set
of ports of the other interface means.
4. A dual ring optical network topology, which comprises:
at least two stations, each of which is capable of receiving and
transmitting signals;
an administrative location;
a first optical path which extends in one ring direction from said
administrative location to a first one of said stations and from said
first one of said stations back to said administrative location and which
extends from said administrative location to a second one of said stations
and from the second one of said stations back to said administrative
location;
a second optical path which extends in an opposite ring direction from said
administrative location to said first one of said stations and from said
first one of said stations back to said administrative location and which
extends in an opposite ring direction from said administrative location to
the second one of said stations and from the second one of said stations
back to said administrative location; and
a plurality of interface means disposed at said administrative location for
terminating portions of said first optical path, and for terminating
portions of said second optical path, each said interface means having at
least two signal ports and being capable of having the direction of a
signal through each port thereof changed; and
jumper means disposed in said administrative location for providing a first
ring by completing said first optical path through ones of said interface
means at said administrative location and for providing a second ring by
completing said second optical path through ones of said interface means
at said administrative location.
5. The dual ring network topology of claim 4, wherein said interface means
includes first and second interfaces wherein each said interface comprises
four ports with one port of a first set of two ports and with one port of
a second set of two ports being associated with said first optical path
and with the other port of said first set of ports and with the other port
of the second set of ports being associated with said second optical path.
6. The dual ring network topology of claim 5, where one of said ports of
each set is an input port and the other port of each set is an output
port.
7. The network topology of claim 6, wherein each said interface is assigned
to a colored field as a function of its location within said network
topology and of the location of an interface means which terminates an
opposite end of the portion of the optical path which it terminates.
8. The network topology of claim 7, wherein first and second ports of the
first set of ports of a first interface may be connected to a first and
second ports of the first set of ports of a second interface.
9. The network topology of claim 8 wherein first and second ports of the
second set of ports of the second interface is connected to the first and
second ports of the second set of ports of still another interface.
10. The network topology of claim 7 wherein first and second ports of one
set of ports of an interface may be connected to second and first ports of
the other set of ports, respectively, of another interface.
11. The network architecture of claim 4, wherein said interface means
includes an exit interface and an entry interface, each said interface
including first and second sets of two ports each, a first port of said
first set and a second port of said second set comprising output and input
ports of a primary ring of said dual ring topology and the second port of
said first set and the first port of said second set comprising input and
output ports of a secondary ring of said dual ring topology.
12. A network architecture characterized by a logical ring topology for
providing optical signals to .eta. stations where .eta. is an integer
having a value of at least two, said network architecture including:
.eta. stations, each of said stations being capable of transmitting and
receiving optical signals;
a first interface which is associated with one of said stations and which
includes at least one set of two connection ports, one of the ports of
said at least one set being an output transmitting port and the other one
of the ports of said at least one set being an input receiving port;
at least one second interface each of which is associated with one of said
stations and each of which includes at least one set of two connection
ports, one of the ports of said at least one set of each said second
interface being an output transmitting port and the other one of the ports
of said at least one set of each said second interface being an input
receiving port;
means for connecting said first interface to one of said stations and for
connecting each of said second interfaces to an associated station; and
jumper means for connecting said first and second interfaces to cause each
of said stations and each of said interfaces to be disposed in a ring
topology.
13. The network architecture of claim 12, which includes a plurality of
second interfaces wherein said jumper means connects an output port of
said first interface to an input port of a first one of said second
interfaces, connects an output port of said first one of said second
interfaces to an input port of a second one of said second interfaces and
thereafter connects an output port of each successive one of said second
interfaces to an input port of the next successive second interface and
said jumper means causes an output port of a last successive one of said
second interfaces to be connected to an input port of said first
interface.
14. A network architecture for providing optical signals to at least one
station in a dual ring, counter rotating optical topology, said network
architecture comprising:
a source of optical signals;
a plurality of stations each of which is capable of receiving and
transmitting signals;
an administrative location, which includes:
a first interface which is connected to said source of optical signals and
which includes two sets of connection ports, each set of said ports
including an output transmitting port, and the other one of the ports of
each set being an input receiving port;
a plurality of second interfaces each of which is associated with a station
and each of which includes first and second sets of connection ports, each
set including two ports with one of the ports of each said set of said
second interface being an output transmitting port and the other one of
the ports of each said set of ports of each said second interface being an
input receiving port; and
jumper means for connecting input and output ports of one set of ports of
said first interface to input and output ports of one set of ports of a
first one of said second interfaces and for connecting any successive
second interface through primary and secondary rings of said dual ring
which include said first interface and said first one of said second
interfaces with means connecting input and output ports of the other set
of ports of a last successive one of said second interfaces to input and
output ports of the other set of ports of said first interface; and
optical media means for connecting input and output ports of each set of
ports of each said second interface to a station and for connecting input
and output ports of said first interface to said source of optical
signals.
15. The network architecture of claim 14, wherein an input port of one of
the sets of each said second interface and an output port of the other one
of the sets of each said second interface being adapted to be connected to
a primary ring and with an output port of said one of the sets of said
second interface and an input port of the other one of the sets of said
second interface being adapted to be connected to a secondary ring.
16. The network architecture of claim 15, wherein at least one of said
second interfaces includes an entry interface and wherein an entry
interface comprises four ports comprising first and second sets of ports,
each set of ports including an input and an output port with a first port
of said first set being an input port.
17. The network architecture of claim 16, wherein at least one of said
second interfaces includes an exit interface and wherein an exit interface
comprises first and second sets of ports, each set of ports including an
input and an output port with a first port of said first set being an
output port.
18. The network architecture of claim 17, wherein an inverted connection is
made between two exit or between two entry interfaces in which input and
output ports of corresponding rings of different sets are connected by
jumpers.
19. The network architecture of claim 18, wherein a direct connection is
made between an exit and an entry interface in which input and output
ports of corresponding sets are connected by jumpers.
20. The network architecture of claim 19, wherein said first interface is
an exit interface which comprises first and second sets of ports, each set
of ports including an input and an output port with a first port of said
first set being an output port and wherein each of said second interfaces
is an entry interface which comprises four ports comprising first and
second sets of ports, each set of ports including an input and an output
port with a first port of said first set being an input port, wherein said
first interface is connected to first and last ones of said second
interfaces with direct connections and wherein each second interface is
connected to a next successive second interface with an inverted
connection.
21. The network architecture of claim 19, wherein said administrative
location is a first administrative location, and wherein said network
architecture also includes a second administrative location in which is
disposed a first interface which is connected by said media means to a
source of optical signals in said first administrative location and a
plurality of second interfaces, each of said first and second interfaces
in said second administrative location having two sets of ports each set
having an input and output port, each of said interfaces in said second
administrative location being an exit interface with said interfaces being
interconnected in a dual ring with inverted connections.
22. The network architecture of claim 21, wherein said second
administrative location also includes at least one exit interface
associated with a station, said at least one exit interface associated
with a station being connected in an inverted manner with a last one of
said second interfaces and with said first interface.
23. The network architecture of claim 22, wherein said second
administrative location includes a plurality of exit interfaces which are
connected in an inverted manner and each of which is associated with a
station.
24. The network architecture of claim 21, which also includes a third
administrative location in which is disposed a first interface which is
connected to a source of optical signals in said second administrative
location and a plurality of second interfaces, said first interface in
said third administrative location being an entry interface and said
second interfaces in said third administrative location being exit
interfaces, with jumpers being used to provide direct connections between
said first interface and first and last ones of said second interfaces in
said third administrative location and with inverted connections between
each two successive second interfaces in said third administrative
location.
25. The network architecture of claim 15, wherein duplex jumpers are used
to connect fiber ports and wherein a jumper includes two optical fibers,
each jumper adapted to be connected to first and second ports of the first
set or to first and second ports of the second set.
26. The network architecture of claim 25, wherein a jumper comprising a
pair of optical fibers is used to connect first and the second ports of a
first set of said first interface to first and second ports of the first
set of a last one of the second interfaces, wherein a jumper is used to
connect first and second ports of a second set of said first interface to
first and second ports of the second set of a first one of said second
interfaces, and wherein adjacent ones of said second interfaces are
connected by a jumper which extends from first and second ports of the
first set of one of said second interfaces to second and first ports,
respectively, of the second set of ports of a next successive one of said
second interfaces.
27. A network architecture for providing optical signals to .eta. stations
in a dual ring, counter rotating topology said network architecture
comprising:
a source of optical signals;
at least two stations each of which is capable of transmitting and
receiving optical signals;
an administrative location, which includes:
a first interface which is connected to said source of optical signals and
which includes first and second sets of connection ports, each set of said
ports comprising two ports including an output transmitting port, and the
other one of the ports of each set being an input receiving port, with one
port of each set being associated with a primary ring and with the other
port of each set being associated with a secondary ring;
a plurality of second interfaces each of which is associated with at least
one station and each of which includes first and second sets of connection
ports, each set of ports including two ports with one of the ports of each
said set of said second interface being an output transmitting port and
the other one of the ports of each said set of ports of each said second
interface being an input receiving port, one port of each set of each said
second interface being associated with a primary ring and the other ports
of the sets being associated with a secondary ring; and
jumper means for connecting said first and second interfaces, said jumper
means including jumpers extending from an output port of the first set of
ports of said first interface to the input port of the first set of ports
of a first one of said second interfaces, from the output port of the
second set of ports of said first second interface to an input port of the
first set of a next successive second interface and from an output port of
the second set of said next successive second interface to an input port
of the first set of ports of a next successive second interface and
through any next successive second interface to a last successive second
interface with a jumper connecting an output port of the second set of the
last successive second interface to an input port of the second set of
ports of said first interface, said jumper means also including jumpers
extending from the output port of the second set of ports of said first
interface to an input port of the second set of ports of said last
successive second interface and from the output port of the first set of
ports of the last successive second interface to the input port of the
second set of ports of the next to last successive second interface and
through any other second interface with a jumper extending to the input
port of the second set of ports of said first one of said second
interfaces and from the output port of said first set of ports of the
first one of the second interfaces to an input port of the first set of
ports of said first interface; and
means for connecting an input port of the first set of ports of each said
second interface and an output port of the second set of ports of each
said second interface to a station, for connecting an output port of the
first set of ports and an input port of the second set of ports of each
said second interface to a station and for connecting output and input
ports of said first interface to said source of optical signals.
28. The network architecture of claim 27, wherein said administrative
location is a first administrative location and said architecture further
includes:
a second administrative location which includes:
a first interface which is connected to a source of optical signals and
which includes first and second sets of connection ports with each set
comprising two ports and including an output transmitting port and an
input receiving port, one port of each set of said first interface of said
second administrative location being associated with the primary ring and
the other port of each set of said first interface of said second
administrative location being associated with the secondary ring;
a plurality of second interfaces each of which includes first and second
sets of two connection ports each, one of the ports of each said set of
each said second interface in said second administrative location being an
output transmitting port and the other being an input receiving port, one
port of each set of each said second interface in said second
administrative location being associated with the primary ring and the
other port of each set being of each said second interface in said second
administrative location associated with the secondary ring; and
jumper means for connecting said first and second interfaces in said second
administrative location, said jumper means including jumpers from the
output port of the first set of the first interface in said second
administrative location to an input port of the second set of a first one
of said second interfaces in said second administrative location, from the
output port of the first set of said first one of said second interfaces
in said second administrative location to an input port of the second set
of another one of said second interfaces in said second administrative
location and from an output port of the first set of the other one of said
second interfaces in said second administrative location to the input port
of the second set of ports of any next successive second interface in said
second administrative location and means connecting from an output port of
the first set of ports of a last successive second interface in said
second administrative location to the input port of the second set of
ports of said first interface in said second administrative location, said
jumper means further including means connecting from the output port of
the second set of ports of said first interface in said second
administrative location to the input port of the first set of ports of
said last successive one of said second interfaces in said second
administrative location and jumpers from an output port of the second set
of ports of said last successive second interface in said second
administrative location to the input port of the first set of ports of the
previous successive second interface in said second administrative
location and on from the output port of the second set of ports of said
first one of the plurality of second interfaces in said second
administrative location to the input port of the first set of ports of
said first interface in said second administrative location; and
media means for connecting input and output ports of the first and second
set of ports of said first interface in said second administrative
location to output and input ports of first and second sets of ports of
one of said second interfaces of said first administrative location.
29. The network architecture of claim 27, which includes an exit interface
and an entry interface, each said interface including first and second
sets of ports, each set including first and second ports, the first port
of said first set and the second port of said second set comprising output
and input ports, respectively, of a primary ring of said dual ring
topology and the second port of said first set and the first port of said
second set comprising input and output ports, respectively, of a secondary
ring of said dual ring topology.
30. The network architecture of claim 29, wherein the first port of said
first set and the first port of said second set of ports of an exit
interface comprise output ports, respectively, of said primary and said
secondary rings, respectively.
31. The network architecture of claim 30, wherein said second port of said
first set and said second port of said second set of ports of an exit
interface comprises input ports, respectively, of said secondary and said
primary rings, respectively.
32. The network architecture of claim 31, wherein the first port of said
first set and the first port of said second set of ports of an entry
interface comprise input ports, respectively, of said primary and
secondary rings, respectively.
33. The network architecture of claim 32, wherein said second port of said
first set and said second port of said second set of ports of an entry
interface comprises output ports, respectively, of said secondary and said
primary rings, respectively.
34. The network architecture of claim 33, which includes direct connections
wherein a direct connection is a connection between an exit interface and
an entry interface with jumpers extending between an output port of one
set of one interface to an input port of a corresponding set of the same
ring of the other interface.
35. The network architecture of claim 33, which includes inverted
connections between two entry interfaces, or between two exit interfaces,
wherein an inverted connection includes jumpers extending from an output
port of one set of one interface to an input port of the same ring of the
other set of the other interface.
36. The network architecture of claim 35, wherein each said interface is
located in a color coded field.
37. The network architecture of claim 36, said network architecture being
used to provide service to a plurality of stations within one buliding
which includes an equipment room, at least one service closet and the
plurality of stations and wherein said interfaces are disposed in said
equipment room, in said at least one service closet and at each of said
stations, and wherein media means carries a source of optical signals said
one building and terminates in an exit interface in a brown field.
38. The network architecture of claim 37, wherein said equipment room is
provided with at least one entry interface in a white field which is
connected to said exit interface in a brown field with direct connections.
39. The network architecture of claim 37, which also includes at least one
satellite closet such that said at least one service closet is a riser
closet with the dural ring extending from said equipment room to said
riser closet to said satellite closet and to said stations and back to
said equipment room, wherein connections between interfaces in each closet
and in said equipment room are made with jumper means.
40. The network architecture of claim 39, wherein an equipment room is
provided with a plurality of entry interfaces in a white field each of
which is connected to an exit interface in a white field in one of a
plurality of riser closets, the exit interface in a white field in each
riser closet being connected in a dual ring manner with inverted
connections to at least one exit interface in a gray field which is
connected by media means to an entry interface in a gray field in a
satellite closet or to an interface at a station.
41. The network architecture of claim 40, which also includes another
building having an equipment room in which are disposed an entry interface
in a white field which is connected by said media means to said exit
interface in a brown field of said equipment room of said one building and
an entry interface in a white field which is connected in a dual ring in
the other building to at least one riser 6 closet.
42. The network architecture of claim 40, which also includes interfaces in
a blue-white field for connecting dual attached stations to the primary
ring and to the secondary ring.
43. The network architecture of claim 42, wherein a riser closet includes
an exit interface in a white field which is connected to an entry
interface in a white field in an associated equipment room and is
connected with inverted connections to at least one exit interface in a
gray field in said riser closet, each said exit interface in a gray field
in said riser closet being connected by media means to an entry interface
in a gray field in a satellite closet which is associated with said riser
closet.
44. The network architecture of claim 43, wherein said network further
includes at least one blue-white dual ring station interface in a riser
closet with a first port of said first set of ports of a last successive
exit interface in a gray field in said riser closet being connected to the
second port of the second set of ports of a first exit interface in a
blue-white in said riser closet and with the first port of the first set
of ports of a last successive exit interface unit in the blue-white field
in said riser closet being connected to the second port of the second set
of ports of said exit interface in the white field in said riser closet,
said first port of said second set of ports of said exit interface in the
white field in said riser closet being connected to the second port of the
first set of ports of said last successive blue-white interface in said
riser closet and from the first port of the second set of ports of the
first exit interface in the blue-white field in said riser closet to the
second port of the first set of the last successive exit interface in the
gray field in said riser closet, from the first port of the second set of
the last successive exit interface in the gray field in said riser closet
through to the second port of the first set of the first exit interface in
the gray field in said riser closet and from the first port of the second
set of ports of the first exit interface in the gray field in said riser
closet to the second port of the first set of said exit interface in the
white field in the riser closet, said first and second ports of the first
set of each exit interface in the blue-white field in said riser closet
being connected respectively to the second and first ports of the second
set of ports of a next successive exit interface, if any, in the
blue-white field in said riser closet.
45. The network architecture of claim 44, wherein said satellite closet
includes an entry interface in a gray field and at least one exit
interface in a blue-white field, said media connections being made from an
exit interface in a gray field in an associated riser closet to said entry
interface in said gray field in said satellite closet, said entry
interface in said gray field in said satellite closet being connected to a
first and a last one of said interfaces in the blue-white field in said
satellite closet by jumpers in a direct connection arrangement, the
connections between each two successive interfaces in the blue-white field
in said satellite closet being inverted.
46. The network architecture of claim 45, wherein said exit interface in
the white field in said riser closet is connected in a dual ring to the
first one of said exit interfaces in the gray field in said riser closet
with jumpers in an inverted connection arrangement with a last successive
one of said exit interfaces in the gray field and said exit interface in
the white field in said riser closet being connected in a dual ring to at
least one exit interface in the blue-white field in said riser closet in
an inverted connection arrangement, the connections within the gray and
within the blue-white fields in said riser closet being inverted.
47. The network architecture of claim 45, wherein an equipment room closet
includes an exit interface in a brown field and a plurality of entry
interfaces in a white field, each entry interface in said equipment room
closet being associated with a floor of said building, said interfaces in
the brown and white fields in said equipment room closet being included in
a ring which includes at least a riser closet on each floor, the
connections between said exit interface in the brown field and a first and
last one of said entry interfaces in the white field in said equipment
room closet being a direct connection arrangement whereas the connections
between said entry interfaces in the white field in said equipment room
closet are inverted connection arrangements.
48. A method of connecting data transmitting and receiving stations in a
ring network topology, said method comprising the steps of:
providing at least two stations;
providing at least one administrative location;
establishing an optical path which extends from each said administrative
location to a first one of said stations and which returns from said first
one of said stations to said each administrative location;
establishing an optical path which extends from each said administrative
location to a second one of said stations and which returns from the
second one of said stations to said each administrative location;
terminating said optical path to said first one of said stations and
terminating said optical path to the second one of said stations; and
completing an optical ring along the optical paths through each said
administrative location.
49. A method of connecting data transmitting and receiving stations in a
dual ring optical network topology, said method comprising the steps of:
providing at least two stations;
providing an administrative location;
establishing a first optical path which extends in one ring direction from
an administrative location to a first one of the stations and back to the
administrative location and which extends from the administrative location
to a second one of the stations and returns to the administrative
location;
establishing a second optical path which extends in the opposite ring
direction from the administrative location to the first one of said
stations and returns and which extends from the administrative location in
the opposite ring direction to the second one of said stations and returns
to the administrative location;
terminating the first optical ring path and terminating the second optical
ring path at each administrative location and at each station with an
interface; and
completing a first optical ring along the first optical path through the
administrative location and completing a second optical ring along the
second optical path through the administrative location.
50. A method of connecting data transmitting and receiving stations in a
dual ring optical topology, said method including the steps of:
providing a plurality of stations which are capable of transmitting and
receiving optical signals on a plurality of floors of a building;
causing an administrative location to be disposed on each floor which
includes a station;
providing a first optical path which extends in one ring direction from the
one administrative location on each floor to each station on that floor
and back to the administrative location on that floor;
providing a second optical path which extends in the-opposite ring
direction from the one administrative location on each floor to each
station on that floor and back to the administrative location on that
floor;
causing a portion of the first optical path and of the second optical path
to extend between the administrative locations; and
cross-connecting the first optical path through each administrative
location to complete a first optical ring and establish a primary ring
therealong and for cross-connecting the second optical path through each
administrative location to complete a second optical ring and establish a
secondary ring therealong. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an arrangement for administering a architecture
for a local area network (LAN). More particularly, the invention relates
to single ring and to counter rotating dual ring network topologies and to
methods of adminstering same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The data communications industry has established the fiber distributed data
interface (FDDI) as a standard for the definition of the properties of a
local area network. A system in accordance with that standard is referred
to as an FDDI system and is an optical system port to port operating at a
data line rate of 125 megabits per second.
FDDI is the first, all optical fiber high speed local area network system
and will become prominent in the last decade of the twentieth century. It
will provide a high speed optical transmission path between mainframe and
peripheral equipment and is suitable for use as a backbone network between
lower speed local area networks. FDDI presently is a 100 megabit LAN
transfer rate system that recommends a 62.5/125 micron core/cladding
diameter optical fiber and is an LED based standard involving dual,
counter-rotating, token passing rings that operate at a center wavelength
of 1300 nm.
Dual rings include a primary ring and a secondary ring. Dual rings are used
to provide enhanced reliability and an option for higher performance. If
both rings are operative, the capability of transmitting in both ring
directions exists.
The large scale use of optical fiber for the local area network will result
in an extensive use of optical fiber in building distribution systems. The
FDDI system presents several challenges. There are restrictions imposed by
FDDI standards and there are complications associated with large
quantities of fiber that include fiber which extends to individual work
stations. In order to aid network engineers and installers in enforcing
basic rules and/or more restrictive policies which may be chosen by the
user, the FDDI standard has defined certain requirements.
Details of a receptacle for a dual fiber connector are specified in a
standard referred to as the Physical Layer Medium Dependent (PMD) part of
the FDDI standard. The PMD determines the specifications for optical
transmitters and receivers, optical fiber, optical connections and optical
bypass switches along with optional keying configurations. The receptacle
and an associated plug are polarized mechanically to prevent the
transposition of transmit/receive fibers, and keys corresponding to
station interfaces are designed to avoid mixing primary and secondary
rings and to avoid mixing station attachments. Viewing a station with the
key on top, the transmit signal always exits the interface on a left fiber
port, and the receive signal always enters the interface on a right fiber
port.
A simple dual ring architecture can be arranged with the keying and signal
directions defined in the PMD standard by using duplex jumper cables. The
primary ring is constructed by connecting a B receptacle of each station
to an A receptacle of the next station in a forward direction around the
primary ring. When the primary ring is closed, the secondary ring is
completed with the secondary ring signal flowing in an opposite direction.
Networks may be as simple as one which includes a station interconnecting
within a common data center connected to an equipment room, as common as
one which includes stations which connect within a single multi-floor
building or as complicated as one which interconnects a campus involving
several buildings. As long as the rings are confined to a relatively small
area such as a data center, for example, a simple fiber topology which
includes duplex jumpers that interconnect the network nodes is relatively
easy to install and administer.
The prior art includes such a simple fiber topology for a single floor on
which are disposed a plurality of stations. For a dual ring, counter
rotating topology, each station includes two sets of ports each set
associated with a receptacle. One port of one set (B receptacle) is an
output port for the primary ring and the other port, an input port for the
secondary ring. The other set of ports (A receptacle) for each station
includes an output port for the secondary ring and an input port for the
primary ring. Jumpers connect the primary output port of each station to
the primary input port of a next successive station until a primary ring
has been completed through all the stations. Likewise, the secondary ring
is completed by connecting the secondary output port of each station in an
opposite ring direction to the secondary input port of an adjacent
station.
As the network expands to multiple floors of a single building or to a
campus including multiple buildings, connections become prohibitively
complex to administer. For such expanded networks, it should be clear that
a manageable distribution system is necessary. Desirably, the sought-after
system should be one which includes simplistic rules for installation and
administration.
What is needed is a strategy for implementing a network in a mechanistic
way without having to understand the architecture. Without the
sought-after system, a craftsperson would have to trace an optical signal
through the network for every fiber path which is prohibitively difficult
and time consuming. Also, without such a system, repairs would require
higher skill levels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing problems of the prior art have been overcome by the local
area network architecture of this invention. A ring network topology
comprises at least two stations and at least one administrative location.
An optical path extends from the at least one administrative location to a
first one of the stations and returns from the one station to the
administrative location. An optically path also extends from the at least
one administrative location to a second one of the stations and returns
from the second one of the stations to the administrative location.
Interface means are disposed at the administrative location for
terminating the optical path to the first one of the stations and for
terminating the optical path to the second one of the stations. Disposed
at the administrative location are jumpers for providing a ring by
completing the optical path from the first one of the stations through the
administrative location to the second one of the stations.
A dual ring network topology in accordance with this invention comprises at
least two stations and at least one administrative location. The topology
also includes a first optical path which extends in one ring direction
from the at least one administrative location to a first one of the
stations and which returns from the one station to the at least one
administrative location, and which extends from the at least one
administrative location to a second one of the stations and which returns
from the second one of the stations to the one administrative location. A
second optical path extends in an opposite ring direction from the at
least one administrative location to the first one of the stations and
returns to the administrative location, and extends from the at least one
administrative location to the second one of the stations and returns to
the administrative location. Also included are interface means disposed at
the administrative location for terminating each portion of the first
optical path and for terminating each portion of the second optical path.
Jumper means disposed in the administrative location are used to provide a
first ring by completing the first optical path through the administrative
location and to provide a second ring by completing the second optical
path through the administrative location.
In general, a network architecture characterized by a logical ring topology
provides optical signals to .eta. stations, where .eta. is an integer
having a value of at least two. Each of the stations is capable of
transmitting and receiving optical signals. Also included is a first
interface which includes two sets of optical fiber connection ports, one
of the ports of each set being a transmit or an output port and the other
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