Dispersion slope compensation and dispersion map management systems and methods
First Claim
1. A dispersion compensation node, comprising:
- a reconfigurable input device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch and a de-multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch;
a reconfigurable output device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a de-multiplexer and a multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a wavelength selective switch;
a plurality of dispersion compensation elements each disposed between and connected to the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements comprise different dispersion compensation values, wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements are connected to otherwise unused ports for local add/drop of the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, and wherein the number of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop;
wherein a wavelength is routed to one of the plurality of dispersion compensation elements by the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device responsive to an amount of compensation required for the wavelength and network ingress and egress points of the wavelength relative to the dispersion compensation node comprising the plurality of dispersion compensation elements, and wherein a minimum attainable step size of compensation obtainable by the plurality of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop; and
a computer configured to execute a planning tool to determine the different dispersion compensation values responsive to fiber types and wavelength routing.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to dispersion slope compensation and dispersion map management systems and methods in an optical network utilizing a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) with a plurality of different values of dispersion compensation modules (DCMs). The DCMs form a dispersion compensation ladder at certain intermediate nodes in the optical network to provide dispersion slope compensation and dispersion map management. The reconfigurable routing structure of the ROADM enables these intermediate nodes to route individual wavelengths to any one of the DCMs as required for the particular path of the wavelength. Advantageously, the present invention removes the requirement for banded compensation at receiver nodes and allows for dispersion map management at intermediate points along a fiber route as opposed to bulk compensation at the receiver.
20 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A dispersion compensation node, comprising:
-
a reconfigurable input device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch and a de-multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch; a reconfigurable output device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a de-multiplexer and a multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a wavelength selective switch; a plurality of dispersion compensation elements each disposed between and connected to the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements comprise different dispersion compensation values, wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements are connected to otherwise unused ports for local add/drop of the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, and wherein the number of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop; wherein a wavelength is routed to one of the plurality of dispersion compensation elements by the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device responsive to an amount of compensation required for the wavelength and network ingress and egress points of the wavelength relative to the dispersion compensation node comprising the plurality of dispersion compensation elements, and wherein a minimum attainable step size of compensation obtainable by the plurality of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop; and a computer configured to execute a planning tool to determine the different dispersion compensation values responsive to fiber types and wavelength routing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An optical network, comprising:
-
a plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes comprises a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer configured with a dispersion compensation ladder comprising a plurality of dispersion compensation elements of differing values disposed between inputs and outputs of the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer; and an algorithm configured to route wavelengths traversing the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer configured with the dispersion compensation ladder to one of the plurality of dispersion compensation elements based on an amount of dispersion compensation required for each of the wavelengths and network ingress and egress points for each of the wavelengths relative to the at least one of the plurality of nodes; wherein the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer comprises a reconfigurable input device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch and a de-multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch and a reconfigurable output device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a de-multiplexer and a multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a wavelength selective switch; wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements are connected to otherwise unused ports for local add/drop of the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, and wherein the number of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop; and wherein a minimum attainable step size of compensation obtainable by the plurality of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of dispersion compensation in an optical network, comprising:
-
configuring the optical network with at least one reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer node comprising a dispersion compensation ladder comprising a plurality of dispersion compensation elements of differing values disposed between inputs and outputs of the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer; adding a wavelength that traverses the at least one reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer node; determining dispersion compensation required for the wavelength responsive to a path of the wavelength in the optical network with regard to ingress and egress points relative to the at least one reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer node; and configuring the at least one reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer node to route the wavelength to one of the plurality of dispersion compensation elements responsive to the dispersion compensation required; wherein the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer node comprises a reconfigurable input device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch and a de-multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch and a reconfigurable output device comprising one of a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a de-multiplexer and a multiplexer that is not a wavelength selective switch when the reconfigurable input device is a wavelength selective switch; wherein the plurality of dispersion compensation elements are connected to otherwise unused ports for local add/drop of the reconfigurable input device and the reconfigurable output device, and wherein the number of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop; and wherein a minimum attainable step size of compensation obtainable by the plurality of dispersion compensation elements is based on the number of unused ports for local add/drop. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
Specification