Optical subchannel routing, protection switching and security
First Claim
1. An optical network, comprising:
- a plurality of nodes interconnected by fiber optic cables, each cable capable of transmitting one or more of a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a plurality of optical subchannels, each node including a plurality of lasers that respectively generate the plurality of subchannel frequencies that represent the plurality of optical subchannels;
a subchannel mapper at each node that maps a plurality of client signals to a corresponding plurality of optical subchannels; and
means for routing one or more of the plurality of client signals mapped to the corresponding one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels from a first to a second of the plurality of nodes by selecting one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels associated with the second of the plurality of nodes, wherein the means for routing comprises a software-controlled routing table that;
assigns the client signals to requested output ports of a desired destination node of the optical network;
assigns available subchannel frequencies to client signals based on the requested output port; and
communicates assignments of client signals, output ports and subchannel frequencies among the nodes of the optical network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes novel techniques, apparatus, and systems for optical WDM communications. Tunable lasers are employed to generate subcarrier frequencies representing subchannels of an ITU channel to which client signals can be mapped. Client circuits can be divided and combined before being mapped, independent of one another, to individual subchannels within and across ITU channels. Subchannels may be independently routed to a single subchannel receiver filter, such that each subchannel detected at the receiver may come from a different source location. Network architectures and subchannel transponders, muxponders and crossponders are disclosed, and techniques are employed (at the subchannel level/layer), to facilitate the desired optical routing, switching, concatenation and protection of client circuits mapped to these subchannels across the nodes of a WDM network. Subchannel hopping may also be used to increase the optical network security.
209 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An optical network, comprising:
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a plurality of nodes interconnected by fiber optic cables, each cable capable of transmitting one or more of a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a plurality of optical subchannels, each node including a plurality of lasers that respectively generate the plurality of subchannel frequencies that represent the plurality of optical subchannels; a subchannel mapper at each node that maps a plurality of client signals to a corresponding plurality of optical subchannels; and means for routing one or more of the plurality of client signals mapped to the corresponding one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels from a first to a second of the plurality of nodes by selecting one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels associated with the second of the plurality of nodes, wherein the means for routing comprises a software-controlled routing table that; assigns the client signals to requested output ports of a desired destination node of the optical network; assigns available subchannel frequencies to client signals based on the requested output port; and communicates assignments of client signals, output ports and subchannel frequencies among the nodes of the optical network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an optical network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by fiber optic cables, each cable capable of transmitting one or more of a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a plurality of optical subchannels, each node including a plurality of lasers that respectively generate the plurality of subchannel frequencies that represent the plurality of optical subchannels, a method comprising:
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mapping at each node a plurality of client signals to a corresponding plurality of optical subchannels; and routing one or more of the plurality of client signals mapped to the corresponding one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels from a first to a second of the plurality of nodes by selecting one or more of the plurality of optical subchannels associated with the second of the plurality of nodes, wherein routing the one or more of the plurality of client signals comprises a software-controlled routing table that performs the following functions; assigns the client signals to requested output ports of a desired destination node of the optical network; assigns available subchannel frequencies to client signals based on the requested output port; and communicates assignments of client signals, output ports and subchannel frequencies among the nodes of the optical network. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification