MARGIN DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS IN OPTICAL NETWORKS

• US 20170310392A1
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: BOERTJES, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,831,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0793 Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07953 Monitoring or measuring OSNR, BER or Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/564 Power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0084 Quality of service aspects

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining margin in an optical network include changing powers of signals from one or more transmitters; measuring noise at one or more receivers each communicatively coupled to the one or more transmitters; and determining margin between the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers based on the associated measured noise. The changing, the measuring, and the determining are performed in-service while the one or more transmitters are each transmitting data-bearing signals.

Claims

1. A method of determining margin in an optical network, the method comprising:

changing powers of signals from one or more transmitters;

measuring noise at one or more receivers each communicatively coupled to the one or more transmitters; and

determining margin between the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers based on the associated measured noise.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured noise is separated between linear noise which is proportional to power and nonlinear noise which is proportional to power squared.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying digital noise while changing the powers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing, the measuring, and the determining are performed in-service while the one or more transmitters are each transmitting data-bearing signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises changing a single transmitter at a time and the measuring noise comprises determining cross phase modulation based on relationships between neighboring signals and self-phase modulation based on a signals relationship with itself at the launch powers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises changing a group of signals at a time and the measuring noise comprises determining cross phase modulation based on relationships between neighboring signals and self-phase modulation based on a signals relationship with itself at the launch powers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing powers comprises changing launch powers of the one or more signals, in-service while the one or more signals carry data-bearing signals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing powers comprises changing amplifier output powers, in-service while the one or more signals carry data-bearing signals.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the determined margin with one or more of modulation format for the one or more transmitters, dispersion compensation, and nonlinear pre-compensation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the determined margin in one or more of a control plane, a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, a network management system, and a network planning system as part of routing constraints for path selection.

11. An apparatus adapted to determine margin in an optical network, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry adapted to change powers of signals from one or more transmitters;

circuitry adapted to measure noise at one or more receivers each communicatively coupled to the one or more transmitters; and

circuitry adapted to determine margin between the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers based on the associated measured noise.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the measured noise is separated between linear noise which is proportional to power and nonlinear noise which is proportional to power squared.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

circuitry adapted to apply digital noise while changing the powers.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry operates in-service while the one or more transmitters are each transmitting data-bearing signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry adapted to change powers comprises changing a single transmitter at a time and the circuitry adapted to measure noise comprises determining cross phase modulation based on relationships between neighboring signals and self-phase modulation based on a signals relationship with itself at the launch powers.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry adapted to change powers comprises changing a group of signals at a time and the circuitry adapted to measure noise comprises determining cross phase modulation based on relationships between neighboring signals and self-phase modulation based on a signals relationship with itself at the launch powers.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry adapted to change powers comprises changing launch powers of the one or more signals, in-service while the one or more signals carry data-bearing signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry adapted to change powers comprises changing amplifier output powers, in-service while the one or more signals carry data-bearing signals.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

circuitry adapted to utilize the determined margin with one or more of modulation format for the one or more transmitters, dispersion compensation, and nonlinear pre-compensation; and

circuitry adapted to utilize the determined margin in one or more of a control plane, a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, a network management system, and a network planning system as part of routing constraints for path selection.

20. A server adapted to determine margin in an optical network, the server comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

cause a change powers of signals from one or more transmitters,

cause a measurement of at or by one or more receivers each communicatively coupled to the one or more transmitters, and

determine margin between the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers based on the associated measured noise.