RFC 1605 (rfc1605) - Page 1 of 3


SONET to Sonnet Translation



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                    W. Shakespeare
Request for Comments: 1605                         Globe Communications
Category: Informational                                    1 April 1994


                      SONET to Sonnet Translation

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   Because Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) transmits data in frames
   of bytes, it is fairly easy to envision ways to compress SONET frames
   to yield higher bandwidth over a given fiber optic link.  This memo
   describes a particular method, SONET Over Novel English Translation
   (SONNET).

Protocol Overview

   In brief, SONNET is a method for compressing 810-byte (9 lines by 90
   bytes) SONET OC-1 frames into approximately 400-byte (fourteen line
   decasyllabic) English sonnets.  This compression scheme yields a
   roughly 50% average compression, and thus SONNET compression speeds
   are designated OCh-#, where 'h' indicates 50% (one half) compression
   and the # is the speed of the uncompressed link.  The acronym is
   pronounced "owch."

   Mapping of the 2**704 possible SONET payloads is achieved by matching
   each possible payload pattern with its equivalent Cerf catalog number
   (see [1], which lists a vast number of sonnets in English, many of
   which are truly terrible but suffice for the purposes of this memo).

Basic Transmission Rules

   The basic transmission rules are quite simple.  The basic SONET OC-1
   frame is replaced with the corresponding sonnet at the transmission
   end converted back from the sonnet to SONET at the receiving end.
   Thus, for example, SONET frame 12 is transmitted as:

        When do I count the clock that tells the time
        And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
        When I behold the violet past prime,
        And sable curls,...




Shakespeare