Method and system for in-band connectivity for optical switching applications

• US 6,477,291 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nayna Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nayna Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramadas, Krishna Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,742
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16, 385/17, 385/18, 385/24, 385/14, 385/15, 385/20, 385/46, 324/97, 359/115, 359/124, 359/127, 359/128
• US Class Current: 385/17
• 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: H04J 14/0227 Operation, administration, maintenance or provisioning [OAMP] of WDM networks, e.g. media access, routing or wavelength allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0241 Wavelength allocation for communications one-to-one, e.g. unicasting wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0283 WDM ring architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0284 WDM mesh architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0297 Optical equipment protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/003 using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0079 Operation or maintenance aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0088 Signalling aspects

Abstract

A method (and system) for communicating between at least two optical switching systems. Each of the optical switching systems includes an optical cross-connect coupled to an incoming fiber bundle and coupled to an outgoing fiber bundle. The method determines a control channel from a plurality of available channels. The plurality of available channels is provided on one or more optical fibers. The plurality of optical fibers are coupled between a first optical switch system and a second optical switch system. The method also opens an internal communication loop for the control channel between a first multiplexing device coupled to the first optical switch system and a second multiplexing device coupled to the second optical switch system. The method also includes forming a connection between the first optical switch system and the second optical switch system during a period of time that the internal communication loop has been opened. A step of maintaining the connection and transferring internal information between the first optical switch system and the second optical switch system also is included.

Claims

1. An optical communication system for switching one of a plurality of optical signals through a MEMS based cross-connect device, the system comprising:

first fiber input/output device;

second fiber input/output device;

an optical cross-connect device coupled between the first fiber input/output device and the second fiber input/output device; and

an in-band communication control device coupled to the optical cross-connect device, the in-band communication control device being adapted to identify a wavelength from either one of the first input/output device or the second fiber input/output device and being adapted to select one of the first input/output devices for transmitting internal information to a second optical switch system through an optical fiber pathway between the configured between the optical cross-connect device and the second optical switch system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the internal information includes a wavelength and a data rate associated with the wavelength.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the internal information is control information.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication control device is adapted to open a path from the selected fiber input/output device to the second optical switch system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first fiber input/output device comprises a multiplexer device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the second fiber input/output device comprises a multiplexer device.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a packet extraction card coupled to a fiber interface card, the fiber interface card couples to the first input/output device.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising route engine control card coupled to a packet extraction card, the packet extraction card coupled to a fiber interface card, the fiber interface card couples to the first input/output device, the route engine control card, packet extraction card, fiber interface card being adapted to transfer the internal information.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the internal information is transferred through the optical fiber pathway in a frame carrier.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the internal information is transferred as OC3, OC12, OC48, or OC192.

11. A method for communicating between at least two optical switching systems, each of the optical switching systems including an optical cross-connect coupled to an incoming fiber bundle and coupled to an outgoing fiber bundle, the method comprising:

determining a control channel from a plurality of available channels, the plurality of available channels being on a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers being coupled between a first optical switch system and a second optical switch system;

opening an internal communication loop for the control channel between a first multiplexing device coupled to the first optical switch system and a second multiplexing device coupled to the second optical switch system;

forming a connection between the first optical switch system and the second optical switch system during a period of time that the internal communication loop has been opened; and

maintaining the connection and transferring internal information between the first optical switch system and the second optical switch system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the opening of the internal communication loop is provided by changing a first configuration on the first multiplexing device and changing a second configuration on the second multiplexing device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the internal information is processed at the first switch system.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the internal communication loop is an optical supervisory channel (OSC).

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the internal information includes control messages.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the internal information comprises information for constructing an IP network.