CHANGING THE SPECTRAL POSITION OF A LIGHTPATH
First Claim
1. A method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of an optical network, wherein the optical network uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation and the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the method comprising at the source node:
- reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources;
re-tuning a light source at the source node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; and
releasing at least some of the first spectral resources,wherein the source node continues to send traffic over the lightpath during the re-tuning.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of an optical network. The optical network uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation and the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position. The method comprises, at the source node, reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources. The method comprises re-tuning a light source at the source node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources. The method comprises releasing at least some of the first spectral resources. The source node continues to send traffic over the lightpath during the re-tuning.
19 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of an optical network, wherein the optical network uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation and the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the method comprising at the source node:
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reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; re-tuning a light source at the source node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources, wherein the source node continues to send traffic over the lightpath during the re-tuning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12)
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8. A method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of an optical network, wherein the optical network uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation and wherein the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the method comprising at the destination node:
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reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources after the lightpath has moved in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; wherein the destination node continues to receive traffic over the lightpath during the change in the spectral position of the lightpath. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 19)
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13. An apparatus for use at a node of an optical network which uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation, the apparatus comprising:
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a transponder which is arranged to support a lightpath which is allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the transponder comprising a light source; and a controller which is arranged to support a change in a spectral position of the lightpath by; reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; re-tuning the light source at the node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources, wherein the node is arranged to continue to send traffic over the lightpath during the change in the spectral position of the lightpath. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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14. An apparatus for use at a node of an optical network which uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation, the apparatus comprising:
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a transponder which is arranged to support a lightpath which is allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position; and a controller which is arranged to support a change in a spectral position of the lightpath by; reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources after the lightpath has moved in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources, wherein the node is arranged to continue to receive traffic over the lightpath during the change in the spectral position of the lightpath. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A network management system for an optical network comprising a plurality of nodes which use a flexible grid for spectral allocation, the network management system comprising:
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a controller; and a signalling interface for communicating with nodes of the network, wherein the controller is arranged to send instructions to the nodes to perform a method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of the optical network, wherein the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the method comprising at the source node; reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; re-tuning a light source at the source node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources, wherein the source node continues to send traffic over the lightpath during the re-tuning.
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18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of changing the spectral position of a lightpath between a source node and a destination node of an optical network, wherein the optical network uses a flexible grid for spectral allocation and the lightpath has been allocated first spectral resources at a first spectral position, the method comprising at the source node:
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reserving additional spectral resources for the lightpath which are contiguous in frequency with the first spectral resources; re-tuning a light source at the source node such that the lightpath moves in frequency from using the first spectral resources at the first spectral position to using second spectral resources at a second spectral position, wherein the second spectral resources comprise at least some of the additional spectral resources; and releasing at least some of the first spectral resources, wherein the source node continues to send traffic over the lightpath during the re-tuning.
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Specification