Method and an apparatus to provide optical equipment protection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- splitting an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals;
sending the first and the second optical signals to a first and a second equipments in an optical network node, respectively, the second equipment being a protection module for the first equipment;
monitoring a first and a second outgoing optical signals from the first and second equipments;
using a switch to select only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals from the optical network node;
outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals selected;
declaring a failure of the optical network node if only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals has failed; and
if both of the first and the second outgoing optical signals have failed,determining a failure is outside of the optical network node, andmaintaining a signal selection state of the switch to continue outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals in the same direction without declaring that the optical network node has failed.
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus to provide optical equipment protection have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes splitting an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals, sending the first and the second optical signals to a first and a second equipments in an optical network node, respectively, the second equipment being a protection module for the first equipment, monitoring a first and a second outgoing optical signals from the first and second equipments, and declaring a failure of the optical network node if only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals has failed. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.
195 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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splitting an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals; sending the first and the second optical signals to a first and a second equipments in an optical network node, respectively, the second equipment being a protection module for the first equipment; monitoring a first and a second outgoing optical signals from the first and second equipments; using a switch to select only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals from the optical network node; outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals selected; declaring a failure of the optical network node if only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals has failed; and if both of the first and the second outgoing optical signals have failed, determining a failure is outside of the optical network node, and maintaining a signal selection state of the switch to continue outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals in the same direction without declaring that the optical network node has failed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory tangible machine-accessible medium that stores instructions which, if executed by a processor, will cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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splitting an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals; sending the first and the second optical signals to a first and a second equipments in an optical network node, respectively, the second equipment being a protection module for the first equipment; monitoring a first and a second outgoing optical signals from the first and second equipment; and using a switch to select only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals from the optical network node; outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals selected; declaring a failure of the optical network node if only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals has failed; and if both of the first and the second outgoing optical signals have failed, determining a failure is outside of the optical network node, and maintaining a signal selection state of the switch to continue outputting the only one of the first and the second outgoing optical signals in the same direction without declaring that the optical network node has failed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a first optical equipment in an optical network device having a first plurality of input ports and a first plurality of output ports; a second optical equipment in the optical network device having a second plurality of input ports and a second plurality of output ports, the second optical equipment being a protection module of the first optical equipment; a plurality of optical signal splitters, each of the plurality of optical signal splitters coupled to one of the first plurality of input ports and one of the second plurality of input ports, to split an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals and to input to the first and the second optical equipments, respectively; and a plurality of optical signal switches, each of the plurality of the optical signal switches coupled to one of the first plurality of output ports and one of the second plurality of output ports, to select a first output optical signal from the first optical equipment, wherein a respective optical signal switch switches to select a second output optical signal from the second optical equipment if the first output optical signal fails and the second output optical signal has not failed, and if both of the first and the second outgoing optical signals have failed, to determine a failure is outside of the optical network node, and a signal selection state of the respective optical signal switch remains unchanged to continue selecting the first output optical signal to output in the same direction without declaring that the optical network device has failed, wherein the plurality of optical signal switches are switched together substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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a plurality of optical fibers; and a plurality of optical nodes coupled to each other via the plurality of optical fibers, each of the plurality of optical nodes comprising; a first optical equipment in an optical network device having a first plurality of input ports and a first plurality of output ports; a second optical equipment in the optical network device having a second plurality of input ports and a second plurality of output ports, the second optical equipment being a protection module of the first optical equipment; a plurality of optical signal splitters, each of the plurality of optical signal splitters coupled to one of the first plurality of input ports and one of the second plurality of input ports, to split an incoming optical signal into a first and a second optical signals and to input to the first and the second optical equipment, respectively; and a plurality of optical signal switches, each of the plurality of the optical signal switches coupled to one of the first plurality of output ports and one of the second plurality of output ports, to select a first output optical signal from the first optical equipment, wherein a respective optical signal switch switches to select a second output optical signal from the second optical equipment if the first output optical signal fails and the second output optical signal has not failed, and if both of the first and the second outgoing optical signals have failed, to determine a failure is outside of the optical network node, and a signal selection state of the respective optical signal switch remains unchanged to continue selecting the first output optical signal to output in the same direction without declaring that the optical network device has failed, wherein the plurality of optical signal switches are switched together substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification