Arrangement for low cost path protection for optical communications networks
First Claim
1. An arrangement for low cost path protection in an optical communications network, the arrangement comprising:
- a portion configured to provide an outbound optical signal;
at least first and second transmitting portions configured to transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways;
a selection arrangement configured to select among plural incoming optical signals according to a select control signal, and to provide a selected signal; and
an analyzer configured to measure a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the selected signal, to ensure that the select control signal causes the selection arrangement to select an incoming optical signal that has better than a threshold SNR value, and to provide the select control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement provides low cost path protection in an optical communications network. The arrangement has a portion 3 that provides (broadcasts) an outbound optical signal, and at least first and second transmitting portions 202, 206 transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways 231, 232. Meanwhile, a selection arrangement 204 selects among plural incoming optical signals (via 1, 5) according to a SELECT control signal 228 to provide a selected signal, and an analyzer 222 analyzes characteristics of the selected signal to provide the SELECT control signal 228.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An arrangement for low cost path protection in an optical communications network, the arrangement comprising:
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a portion configured to provide an outbound optical signal; at least first and second transmitting portions configured to transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways; a selection arrangement configured to select among plural incoming optical signals according to a select control signal, and to provide a selected signal; and an analyzer configured to measure a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the selected signal, to ensure that the select control signal causes the selection arrangement to select an incoming optical signal that has better than a threshold SNR value, and to provide the select control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of low cost path protection in an optical communications network, the method comprising:
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a) at a first node in the network, providing an outbound optical signal; b) at the first node, transmitting plural versions of the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto respective mutually distinct and at least partially geographically diverse optical pathways that extend from the first node to a second node in the optical communications network, so that a failure of one of the optical pathways does not constitute a failure in another of the distinct optical pathways; c) at the second node, selecting among plural incoming optical signals constituting the plural versions of the outbound optical signal from the first node, according to a select control signal, so as to provide a selected signal; d) analyzing characteristics of the selected signal; and e) providing the select control signal based on analyzed characteristics of the selected signal; wherein the analyzing step includes; d1) measuring a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the selected signal; and d2) ensuring selection of an incoming optical signal that has better than a threshold SNR value. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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10. A method of low cost path protection in an optical communications network, the method comprising:
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a) providing an outbound optical signal; b) transmitting plural versions of the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto respective mutually distinct optical pathways; c) selecting among plural incoming optical signals according to a select control signal, so as to provide a selected signal; d) analyzing characteristics of the selected signal; and e) providing the select control signal based on analyzed characteristics of the selected signal; wherein the analyzing step includes; d1) measuring a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the selected signal; and d2) ensuring selection of an incoming optical signal that has better than a threshold SNR value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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Specification