Concatenated optical spectrum transmission systems and methods
First Claim
1. An optical network, comprising:
- a first network element with an add Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS);
a second network element with a drop WSS communicatively coupled to the add WSS of the first network element by a first optical fiber, wherein the first optical fiber includes a first plurality of optical channels and a second plurality of optical channels;
wherein each of the first plurality of optical channels are located on an optical spectrum over the first optical fiber with substantially no spectrum between adjacent channels, and wherein each of the second plurality of optical channels are located on the optical spectrum with substantially no spectrum between adjacent channels;
wherein a plurality of bins are defined directly adjacent to and touching one another over the optical spectrum by a management system for operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of the optical network, wherein each of the first plurality of optical channels and the second plurality of optical channels are assigned to a variable number of the plurality of bins, and wherein a width of each of the plurality of bins is smaller than or equal to a smallest required roll-off on the add WSS, the drop WSS, or any wavelength selective components in the optical network; and
wherein at least one channel of the first plurality of optical channels or the second plurality of optical channels is assigned to more than one bin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to concatenated optical spectrum transmission systems and methods that allocate optical spectrum of groups of channels to reduce or eliminate deadbands or guardbands (i.e., unused optical spectrum) between channels. The concatenated optical spectrum transmission systems and methods include various techniques for using optical spectrum such as over the C-band or any other frequency bands. In particular, the concatenated optical spectrum transmission systems and methods provide a balance between fixed channel systems such as provided for by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and a more flexible system enabled by coherent optical detection. In an exemplary embodiment, the concatenated optical spectrum transmission systems and methods may utilize a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) and a plurality of moderate Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) coherent receivers in combination to achieve a concatenated optical spectrum.
51 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An optical network, comprising:
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a first network element with an add Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS); a second network element with a drop WSS communicatively coupled to the add WSS of the first network element by a first optical fiber, wherein the first optical fiber includes a first plurality of optical channels and a second plurality of optical channels; wherein each of the first plurality of optical channels are located on an optical spectrum over the first optical fiber with substantially no spectrum between adjacent channels, and wherein each of the second plurality of optical channels are located on the optical spectrum with substantially no spectrum between adjacent channels; wherein a plurality of bins are defined directly adjacent to and touching one another over the optical spectrum by a management system for operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of the optical network, wherein each of the first plurality of optical channels and the second plurality of optical channels are assigned to a variable number of the plurality of bins, and wherein a width of each of the plurality of bins is smaller than or equal to a smallest required roll-off on the add WSS, the drop WSS, or any wavelength selective components in the optical network; and wherein at least one channel of the first plurality of optical channels or the second plurality of optical channels is assigned to more than one bin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An optical system, comprising:
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a flexible spectrum wavelength selective switch configured to receive a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal with at least one drop port configured to receive a first group of optical channels from the WDM signal with adjacent channels spectrally spaced substantially next to one another; a power splitter coupled to the at least one drop port; and a plurality of Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) coherent optical receivers coupled to the power splitter, wherein each of the CMRR coherent optical receivers receives each of the first group of optical channels and selectively receives one of the first group of optical channels; wherein the first group of optical channels occupy a variable number of bins defined directly adjacent to and touching one another and over an optical spectrum by a management system for operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of the optical network, and wherein a width of each of the bins is smaller than or equal to a smallest required roll-off on the flexible spectrum wavelength selective switch or any wavelength selective component in an optical network associated with the optical system; and wherein at least one channel of the first group of optical channels occupies more than one bin. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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determining a plurality of bins defined directly adjacent to and touching one another over an optical spectrum associated with an optical fiber in an optical network by a management system for operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of the optical network; dropping a first optical signal to a first coherent optical receiver, wherein the first optical signal uses one or more bins of the plurality of bins; and dropping a second optical signal to a second coherent optical receiver, wherein the second optical signal uses one or more of adjacent bins to the one or more bins used by the first optical signal; wherein each of the first optical signal and the second optical signal are assigned to a variable number of the plurality of bins, and wherein a width of each of the plurality of bins is smaller than or equal to a smallest required roll-off on any wavelength selective component in the optical network; and wherein at least one of the first optical signal and the second optical signal uses more than one bin, and wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal have a same A-Z path in the optical network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification