Optical transport having full and flexible bandwidth and channel utilization
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical node comprising:
- one or more transponders; and
a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) that is directionless, colorless, contentionless, and gridless comprising;
flexible spectrum selective switches; and
add/drop ports, wherein the one or more transponders and the ROADM are configured to;
transmit, receive, and switch a non-fixed number of optical channels based on an optical network demand, wherein an optical bandwidth associated with each optical channel is non-fixed; and
a network management module comprising;
a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions; and
a processor, wherein the processor executes the instructions to;
examine a bandwidth allocation of an optical spectrum;
identify whether another bandwidth location can be used to service one of the non-fixed number of optical channels based on whether an assignment of the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other bandwidth location creates a contiguous amount of unused bandwidth that is greater than a contiguous amount of unused bandwidth if the one of the non-fixed optical channels is not assigned to the other bandwidth location;
assign one or more optical carriers belonging to the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other bandwidth location in response to an identification that the other bandwidth location can be used to service the one of the non-fixed optical channels and the assignment creates the contiguous amount of unused bandwidth that is greater than the contiguous amount of unused bandwidth if the one of the non-fixed optical channels is not assigned to the other bandwidth location; and
shift optical network traffic to the one or more assigned optical carriers of the other bandwidth location.
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Abstract
Optical nodes in an optical network may provide directionless, colorless, contentionless, and gridless transmission, reception, and switching of optical signals in which a non-fixed number of optical channels and a non-fixed bandwidth for each optical channel is used. Optical nodes can use the full extent of the optical bandwidth due to the absence of channel spacing.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical node comprising:
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one or more transponders; and a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) that is directionless, colorless, contentionless, and gridless comprising; flexible spectrum selective switches; and add/drop ports, wherein the one or more transponders and the ROADM are configured to; transmit, receive, and switch a non-fixed number of optical channels based on an optical network demand, wherein an optical bandwidth associated with each optical channel is non-fixed; and
a network management module comprising;a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the instructions to; examine a bandwidth allocation of an optical spectrum; identify whether another bandwidth location can be used to service one of the non-fixed number of optical channels based on whether an assignment of the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other bandwidth location creates a contiguous amount of unused bandwidth that is greater than a contiguous amount of unused bandwidth if the one of the non-fixed optical channels is not assigned to the other bandwidth location; assign one or more optical carriers belonging to the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other bandwidth location in response to an identification that the other bandwidth location can be used to service the one of the non-fixed optical channels and the assignment creates the contiguous amount of unused bandwidth that is greater than the contiguous amount of unused bandwidth if the one of the non-fixed optical channels is not assigned to the other bandwidth location; and shift optical network traffic to the one or more assigned optical carriers of the other bandwidth location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An optical communication system comprising:
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a transport system comprising optical nodes connected to optical fibers, wherein each optical node comprises; a network management module; one or more transponders; a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) that is directionless, colorless, contentionless, and gridless; and
the transport system further comprising;a network management system comprising; a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the instructions to; configure the one or more transponders and the ROADM of the optical nodes, via the network management module, to; transmit, receive, and switch a non-fixed number of optical channels based on an optical network demand, wherein an optical bandwidth associated with each optical channel is non-fixed; select one of the non-fixed optical channels; determine whether there is another available light path that is shorter than an existing light path being used to support the one of the non-fixed optical channels; identify an available bandwidth of the other available light path in response to a determination that there is the other available light path that is shorter; determine whether a higher modulation format that uses less bandwidth relative to a modulation format and bandwidth being used along the existing light path can be used; switch the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other available light path in response to a determination that the higher modulation format that uses less bandwidth can be used; and configure the one of the non-fixed optical channels based on the higher modulation format. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An optical communication system comprising:
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optical nodes, wherein each optical node comprises; a network management module; one or more transponders; and a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) that is directionless, colorless, contentionless, and gridless comprising; flexible spectrum selective switches; and add/drop ports, wherein the one or more transponders and the ROADM are configured to; transmit, receive, and switch a non-fixed number of optical channels based on an optical network demand, wherein an optical bandwidth associated with each optical channel is non-fixed, and the optical communication system further comprising a network management system comprising; a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the instructions to; select one of the non-fixed optical channels; determine whether there is another available light path that is shorter than an existing light path being used to support the one of the non-fixed optical channels; identify an available bandwidth of the other available light path in response to a determination that there is the other available light path that is shorter; determine whether a higher modulation format that uses less bandwidth relative to a modulation format and bandwidth being used along the existing light path can be used; switch the one of the non-fixed optical channels to the other available light path in response to a determination that the higher modulation format that uses less bandwidth can be used; configure the one of the non-fixed optical channels based on the higher modulation format; and configure at least one of the network management modules of at least one of the optical nodes with a configuration of the one of the non-fixed optical channels. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification