Granted Patent B2

US 8,972,608 · App. 13/537,300 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Abstract

Claims (52)

1. A method performed by a first network element, the method comprising:

receiving first user inputs for mapping an IEEE 1588 clock class into ITU-T G.781 quality levels;

producing a first table that maps the IEEE 1588 clock class to the ITU-T G.781 quality level;

providing the first table to a second network element;

receiving second user inputs for mapping the ITU-T G.781 quality level into the IEEE 1588 clock class;

producing a second table that maps the ITU-T G.781 quality level to the IEEE 1588 clock class, wherein each ITU-T G.781 quality level maps into a single IEEE 1588 clock class; and

providing the second table to the second network element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first table and second table asymmetrically map the ITU-T G.781 quality level and the IEEE 1588 clock class.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second user inputs are based upon an industry standard specification.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving third user inputs for mapping the IEEE 1588 clock class into the ITU-T G.781 quality levels;

producing a third table that maps the IEEE 1588 clock class to the ITU-T G.781 quality level;

determining whether to provide the first table or the third table to the second network element;

providing the determined table to the second network element.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving fourth user inputs for mapping the ITU-T G.781 quality level into the IEEE 1588 clock class;

producing a fourth table that maps the ITU-T G.781 quality level to the IEEE 1588 clock class; and

determining whether to provide the second table or the fourth table to the second network element;

providing the determined second table or fourth table to the second network element.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining whether to provide the first table or the third table to the second network element is based upon a characteristic of the second network element.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving fourth user inputs for mapping the ITU-T G.781 quality level into the IEEE 1588 clock class;

producing a fourth table that maps the ITU-T G.781 quality level to the IEEE 1588 clock class; and

determining whether to provide the second table or the fourth table to the second network element;

providing the determined table to the second network element.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the IEEE 1588 clock classes may map into the same ITU-T G.781 quality level.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of ITU-T G.781 quality levels may map into the same IEEE 1588 clock class.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network element is a network manager.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first table to the second network element overwrites a default mapping table in the second network element.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second mapping tables provided to the second network element are for use with a specific third network element adjacent to the second network element.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by first network element, the medium comprising:

instructions for receiving first user inputs for mapping an IEEE 1588 clock class into ITU-T G.781 quality levels;

instructions for producing a first table that maps the IEEE 1588 clock class to the ITU-T G.781quality level;

instructions for providing the first table to a second network element;

instructions for receiving second user inputs for mapping the ITU-T G.781 quality level into the IEEE 1588 clock class, wherein each ITU-T G.781 quality level maps into a single IEEE 1588 clock class;

instructions for producing a second table that maps the ITU-T G.781 quality level to the IEEE 1588 clock class; and

instructions for providing the second table to the second network element.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first table and second table asymmetrically map the ITU-T G.781 quality level and the IEEE 1588 clock class.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first and second user inputs are based upon an industry standard specification.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving third user inputs for mapping the IEEE 1588 clock class into the ITU-T G.781 quality levels;

instructions for producing a third table that maps the IEEE 1588 clock class to the ITU-T G.781 quality level;

instructions for determining whether to provide the first table or the third table to the second network element;

instructions for providing the determined table to the second network element.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving fourth user inputs for mapping the ITU-T G.781 quality level into the IEEE 1588 clock class;

instructions for producing a fourth table that maps the ITU-T G.781 quality level to the IEEE 1588 clock class; and

instructions for determining whether to provide the second table or the fourth table to the second network element;

instructions for providing the determined second table or fourth table to the second network element.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein determining whether to provide the first table or the third table to the second network element is based upon a characteristic of the second network element.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein providing the first table to the second network element overwrites a default mapping table in the second network element.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first and second mapping tables provided to the second network element are for use with a specific third network element adjacent to the second network element.

Assignments (11)