US Patent 7526197 Utilizing the protecting bandwidth in a SONET network

A system provides more cost and bandwidth efficient utilization of a SONET network having both a Working path and a Protection path by using both communication paths to carry data. A system for communicating data over a Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, the system comprises an Optical Line Termination unit operable to interface with a plurality of Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy communication paths, and communicate different data on each of the plurality of Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy communication paths.