Reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node automated topology discovery systems and methods
First Claim
1. A degree in a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node, comprising:
- transmit optical components configured to receive a plurality of transmit wavelengths and to transmit the plurality of transmit wavelengths external to the node;
receive optical components configured to receive a plurality of receive wavelengths external from the node and to transmit the plurality of receive wavelengths to one or more components in the node; and
topology optical components configured to transmit and receive a topology wavelength both external to the node and to the one or more components in the node, wherein the topology optical components are connected to the transmit optical components and the receive optical components, wherein in a wavelength division multiplexed system there are N wavelengths available for carrying data, wherein the topology wavelength comprises one of the N wavelengths that is dedicated and unavailable for carrying traffic and is within a gain bandwidth of an optical amplifier, and wherein the topology wavelength is being detected at an unprovisioned port in the reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node, and the reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node is configured to map connections based on the topology wavelength and further passes the topology wavelength to other nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer (ROADM) node automatic topology discovery systems and methods providing a mapping of optical connections within a mesh optical network that includes tunable lasers and multi-degree ROADM'"'"'s with colorless/directionless add/drop. The present disclosure may include additional transceiver, receiver, and add/drop filter equipment integrated in or disposed at a ROADM degree. This equipment supports a so-called topology wavelength which is one of a plurality of wavelengths supported by a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) system that is dedicated and used solely for topology discovery. The topology wavelength may be utilized by the system to detect interconnects between ROADM degrees and between XCVRs/CDMDs. Further, the automated topology discovery may be integrated within a management system and/or control plane.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A degree in a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node, comprising:
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transmit optical components configured to receive a plurality of transmit wavelengths and to transmit the plurality of transmit wavelengths external to the node; receive optical components configured to receive a plurality of receive wavelengths external from the node and to transmit the plurality of receive wavelengths to one or more components in the node; and topology optical components configured to transmit and receive a topology wavelength both external to the node and to the one or more components in the node, wherein the topology optical components are connected to the transmit optical components and the receive optical components, wherein in a wavelength division multiplexed system there are N wavelengths available for carrying data, wherein the topology wavelength comprises one of the N wavelengths that is dedicated and unavailable for carrying traffic and is within a gain bandwidth of an optical amplifier, and wherein the topology wavelength is being detected at an unprovisioned port in the reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node, and the reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node is configured to map connections based on the topology wavelength and further passes the topology wavelength to other nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for automated topology discovery in an optical network, comprising:
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dedicating one of a plurality of wavelengths supported in the optical network as a topology wavelength, wherein in a wavelength division multiplexed system there are N wavelengths available for carrying data, wherein the topology wavelength comprises one of the N wavelengths that is dedicated and unavailable for carrying traffic and is within a gain bandwidth of an optical amplifier, and wherein the topology wavelength is being detected at an unprovisioned port in a node in the optical network, and the node is configured to map connections based on the topology wavelength and further passes the topology wavelength to other nodes in the optical network; transmitting the topology wavelength from one degree at one node in the optical network; and mapping connections of the one degree through the optical network responsive to topology optical components at each degree in the optical network detecting the topology wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A mesh optical network, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer nodes, wherein each of the plurality of interconnected reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer nodes comprises at least one optical degree; topology discovery hardware at each of the optical degrees, the topology discovery hardware is configured to transmit and receive a topology wavelength comprising one of a plurality of wavelengths for automatically discovering topology of the mesh optical network, wherein in a wavelength division multiplexed system there are N wavelengths available for carrying data, wherein the topology wavelength comprises one of the N wavelengths that is dedicated and unavailable for carrying traffic and is within a gain bandwidth of an optical amplifier, and wherein the topology wavelength is being detected at an unprovisioned port in an interconnected reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node, and the interconnected reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer node is configured to map connections based on the topology wavelength and further passes the topology wavelength to other interconnected reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer nodes. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification