System, device, and method for managing communication services in an optical communication system
First Claim
1. A computer program product including an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing communication services for a user in an optical communication system in which the user lacks at least some network information related to the services, comprising:
- a user-to-network interface (UNI) for interfacing with an optical communication network, including signaling to a network device having network information related to the communication services, including network topological information, to cause the network device to signal an indication of group membership to other devices in communication with the optical communication network; and
optical service logic for obtaining a new optical communication path from the optical communication network via the network device by signaling through the UNI, the network device selecting the communication path based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication services and managing said optical communication path for the user without exposing the network topological information to the user,whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, device, and method for managing communication services in an optical communication system utilizes a optical service agent (OSA) that operates within the domain of the network user and manages various communication services on behalf of the network user. The OSA interacts with the optical communication network to obtain various communication services and manages those communication services for the network user based upon predetermined parameters defined by the network user. An authenticated auto-discovery mechanism is used to automatically identify and authenticate OSA-enabled users and to distribute information between peer OSA-enabled users. A peer-to-peer signaling mechanism is used to extend OSA functionality to OSA-enabled users that do not interface directly with the optical communication network.
46 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A computer program product including an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing communication services for a user in an optical communication system in which the user lacks at least some network information related to the services, comprising:
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a user-to-network interface (UNI) for interfacing with an optical communication network, including signaling to a network device having network information related to the communication services, including network topological information, to cause the network device to signal an indication of group membership to other devices in communication with the optical communication network; and optical service logic for obtaining a new optical communication path from the optical communication network via the network device by signaling through the UNI, the network device selecting the communication path based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication services and managing said optical communication path for the user without exposing the network topological information to the user, whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device comprising:
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a user application stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a computer, the user application requiring a new communication path from an optical communication network; and an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a computer, the optical service agent for obtaining the new optical communication path from a network device associated with the optical communication network via a user-to-network interface (UNI), the network device being operable to manage said optical communication path for the user application and including network information related to communication paths, including network topological information, and optical service logic for obtaining new optical communication paths from the optical communication network in response to signaling from the optical service agent via the UNI based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication paths, and without exposing the network topological information to the user, whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for use in optical communication network, comprising:
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a controller for providing optical communication services; and an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a computer, the optical service agent for obtaining a new optical communication path from the controller, wherein the controller is operable to manage said optical communication path for a network user and includes network information related to communication paths, including network topological information, and wherein the controller is operable in response to signaling from the optical service agent to obtain new optical communication paths from the optical communication network based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication paths, and without exposing the network topological information to the user, whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A system comprising:
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an optical communication network; and a first network user coupled to the optical communication network, wherein the first network user comprises an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a computer, the optical service agent for obtaining new optical communication paths from the optical communication network via a network device through a user-to-network interface (UNI), the network device managing the optical communication paths for the first network user, and including network information related to communication paths, including network topological information, and optical service logic operable in response to signaling from the optical service agent for obtaining new optical communication paths from the optical communication network based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication paths, and without exposing the network topological information to the user, whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification