Low cost secure ROADM branching unit with redundancy protection

• US 9,654,209 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Aida, Ryuji, Ji, Philip Nan, Wang, Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello, Agustin
• Application Number:
  US15/090,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 398 1- 8, 398 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/032 using working and protection systems H04J14/0287 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2589 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0204 Broadcast and select arrangements, e.g. with an optical splitter at the input before adding or dropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0205 Select and combine arrangements, e.g. with an optical combiner at the output after adding or dropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0216 Bidirectional architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0297 Optical equipment protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0043 Fault tolerance

Abstract

A communication system includes a primary module with: first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to first circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to first central couplers; second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to second circulators; and first and second bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the first central couplers. The system also includes a secondary module with first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to third circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to second central couplers; second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to fourth circulators, and third and fourth bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the second central couplers. The system further includes one or more 2×2 switches coupling the primary module WSS outputs with the secondary module WSS outputs.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a primary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to first circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to first central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to second circulators,

first and second bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the first central couplers; and

a secondary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to third circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to second central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to fourth circulators,

third and fourth bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the second central couplers; and

2×

2 switches cross connecting the primary module WSS outputs with the secondary module WSS outputs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the 2×

2 optical switches comprise either 2×

2 bypass switches or 2×

2 cross switches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the WSS is used in all paths to provide full reconfigurability and secure data delivery.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising circulators and the bidirectional operation of WSS'"'"'s within the ROADM subsystem of a submarine branching unit to reduce hardware by half.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a symmetric wavelength assignment module within the submarine network to provide bi-directional operations.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising a backup WSS to provide redundancy hardware and light paths.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising 2×

2 optical switches and interconnections between working and backup components to enable full function during two simultaneous failures.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the WSSes have identical first wavelength configuration in a first direction and identical second wavelength configuration in a second direction.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second wavelength configurations are complementary in a channel plan.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the WSSes operate simultaneously in both directions.

11. A communication system, comprising:

a primary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to first circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to first central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to second circulators,

first and second bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the first central couplers; and

a secondary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to third circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to second central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to fourth circulators,

third and fourth bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the second central couplers; and

a single 2×

2 cross switch connecting the primary module WSS outputs with the secondary module WSS outputs.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the WSS is used in all paths to provide full reconfigurability and secure data delivery.

13. The system of claim 11, comprising circulators and the bidirectional operation of WSS'"'"'s within the ROADM subsystem of a submarine branching unit to reduce hardware by half.

14. The system of claim 11, comprising a symmetric wavelength assignment module within the submarine network to provide bi-directional operations.

15. The system of claim 11, comprising a backup WSS to provide redundancy hardware and light paths.

16. The system of claim 11, comprising 2×

2 optical switches and interconnections between working and backup components to enable full function during two simultaneous failures.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the WSSes have identical first wavelength configuration in a first direction and identical second wavelength configuration in a second direction.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second wavelength configurations are complementary in a channel plan.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the WSSes operate simultaneously in both directions.

20. A communication system, comprising:

a primary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to first circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to first central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to second circulators,

first and second bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the first central couplers; and

a secondary module including;

first trunk and branch input and output ports, each coupled to first in/out couplers, the first in/out couplers coupled to third circulators, and the circulators in turn coupled to second central couplers;

second trunk branch input and output ports, each coupled to second in/out couplers, each of second in/out couplers coupled to fourth circulators,

third and fourth bidirectional wavelength-selective switches (WSSes) coupled to the second central couplers; and

one or more 2×

2 switches coupling the primary module WSS outputs with the secondary module WSS outputs.