METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTICAL CONNECTION VALIDATION IN A RECONFIGURABLE OPTICAL ADD-DROP MULTIPLEXER (ROADM) NODE

• US 20160099851A1
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Bao, Jun, Archambault, Jean-Luc, Kohlert, Scott, Zhu, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 9,680,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07955 Monitoring or measuring power
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0047 Broadcast; Multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/009 Topology aspects

Abstract

A method of validating connections in an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) that includes a plurality of modules configured to route optical signals through the OADM, and at least one multi-fiber cable connecting modules of the OADM. A light source coupled to a first port of a first module is controlled to emit a test light. A determination is made whether or not the test light is received at a first photo-detector connected to a second port. Continuity of a connection between the first port and the second port is validated when the test light is received at the first photo-detector.

Claims

1. A method of validating connections in an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) comprising a plurality of modules configured to route optical signals through the OADM, and at least one multi-fiber cable connecting modules of the OADM, the method comprising:

controlling a light source connected to a first port of a first module to emit a test light;

determining whether or not the test light is received at a first photo-detector connected to a second port;

validating a continuity of a connection between the first port and the isecond port when the test light is received at the first photo-detector.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an optical amplifier, and wherein controlling the light source comprises driving the amplifier to emit Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) light as the test signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical amplifier is an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA).

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising filtering the ASE light to generate a narrow-band test signal having a predetermined wavelength.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a dedicated optical emitter and wherein controlling the light source comprises controlling the dedicated optical emitter to emit the test signal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first module is a Multi-Cast Switch (MC S) module configured to route wavelength channels to and from respective transceivers of the OADM, and wherein controlling the light source comprises controlling a transmitter of a transceiver coupled to the MCS module to emit the test signal.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

measuring an optical power of the test signal received by the photo-detector;

comparing the measured optical power to an optical power of the test signal emitted by the light source; and

determining losses of the connection between the first port and the second port based on the comparison result.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein controlling the light source comprises modulating information onto the test signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the information comprises information identifying a source of the test signal within the OADM.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising steps of:

detecting the information modulated on the test signal received by the photo-detector;

identifying the source of the test signal based on the detected information; and

mapping a topology of the OADM based on the identified source of the test signal and the first photodetector.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first port is an input port of the first module.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the connection between the first port and the second port comprises a loop-back path in a second module.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second module is a Fiber Interconnection Module (FIM), and wherein the loop-back path comprises a loop-back connector coupled to an unused port of the FIM.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second port is an input port of a second module.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the connection between the first port and the second comprises a light path between the first and second modules via a Fiber Interconnection Module (FIM).

16. A non-transient machine readable storage medium including software instructions for controlling a processor to execute a method of validating connections in an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) comprising a plurality of modules configured to route optical signals through the OADM, and at least one multi-fiber cable connecting modules of the OADM, the software instructions comprising instructions for controlling the processor to:

control a light source coupled to a first port of a first module to emit a test light;

determine whether or not the test light is received at a first photo-detector connected to a second port; and

validate a continuity of a connection between the first port and the second port when the test light is received at the first photo-detector.

17. The storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light source comprises an optical amplifier, and wherein the software instructions for controlling the processor to control the light source comprises software instructions for controlling the processor to drive the amplifier to emit Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) light as the test signal.

18. The storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light source comprises a dedicated optical emitter and wherein the software instructions for controlling the processor to control the light source comprises software instructions for controlling the processor to control the dedicated optical emitter to emit the test signal.

19. The storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first module is a Multi-Cast Switch (MCS) module configured to route wavelength channels to and from respective transceivers of the OADM, and wherein the software instructions for controlling the processor to control the light source comprises software instructions for controlling the processor to control a transmitter of a transceiver coupled to the MCS module to emit the test signal.

20. The storage medium as claimed in claim 16, further comprising software instructions for controlling the processor to:

measure an optical power of the test signal received by the photo-detector;

compare the measured optical power to an optical power of the test signal emitted by the light source; and

determine losses of the connection between the first port and the second port based on the comparison result.

21. The storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the software instructions for controlling the processor to control the light source comprises software instructions for controlling the processor to modulate information onto the test signal.

22. The storage medium as claimed in claim 21, further comprising software instructions for controlling the processor to:

detect the information modulated on the test signal received by the photo-detector;

identify a source of the test signal based on the detected information; and

map a topology of the OADM based on the identified source of the test signal and the first photodetector.