# US 10,313,046 B2 · Verifying configuration in wavelength selective switching node > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,046 B2 - Document ID: US10313046B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/577,392 - Filed: 2015-06-17 - Published: 2018-06-21 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-17 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Roberto Magri; Matteo Constantini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313046B2 ## CPC - H04J 14/0217: {Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two} - H04B 10/07: Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems - H04J 14/02122: {Colourless, directionless or contentionless [CDC] arrangements} - H04J 14/0221: {Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant} - H04Q 11/0005: {Switch and router aspects} - H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract Verifying a configuration of reconfigurable internal optical paths (970) in a wavelength selective optical switching WSS node (62) involves identifying which of several WSS subsystems (920, 950, 960) is coupled upstream of a first internal optical path based on detecting optical power distinctive of the upstream subsystem and carried to the downstream WSS subsystem. The detecting can be of a power of wavelengths used for traffic (110), or a power of optical noise when there is no traffic (120). A record is made of the identified configuration. The automated verification can be carried out without the conventional dedicated optical wavelengths or dedicated optical hardware for inserting such additional wavelengths dedicated to discovery, and without disrupting the traffic if upgrading a node. It can be controlled locally or by an NMS such as an SDN controller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of verifying a configuration of reconfigurable internal optical paths in a wavelength selective optical switching node having at least two wavelength selective switching (WSS) subsystems, each subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems having at least two internal ports and being configured such that an internal optical path carries traffic from an internal port of an upstream subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems to an internal port of a downstream subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems, the method comprising: identifying a configuration, comprising a particular upstream subsystem and a particular internal port of a particular downstream subsystem that are coupled to the internal optical path, based on detecting an optical signal distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem and carried to the particular downstream subsystem, the detecting comprising: detecting a pattern of wavelengths used for traffic in a first direction, the pattern being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem, and detecting a power of an optical noise source when there is no traffic in a second direction, the power of the optical noise source being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem; and making a record of the identified configuration of the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem, wherein the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem is coupled to the particular upstream subsystem via the internal optical path, wherein the internal optical path is a bidirectional path between the particular upstream subsystem and the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the configuration is based on detecting the pattern of wavelengths by at least one of: detecting a distinctive pattern of which wavelengths are in use and detecting a distinctive optical power modulation applied to enable the verification. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the power of the optical noise source is performed when no optical noise is being output from upstream subsystems other than the particular upstream subsystem. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the particular upstream subsystem to broadcast the distinctive optical signal to more than one internal port of the particular upstream subsystem, wherein identifying the configuration is based on detecting at different ones of the particular downstream subsystem's internal ports. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the particular upstream subsystem to route the distinctive optical signal to different ones of the particular upstream subsystem's internal ports for respective defined periods. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the configuration comprises comparing the detected distinctive optical signal to a known optical signal output by the particular upstream subsystem. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: if detecting the power of the optical noise source produces an ambiguity, causing an unambiguously identifiable optical signal to be output from the particular upstream subsystem over the internal optical path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling nodes, upstream of the particular upstream subsystem, to route a temporarily unused wavelength to the particular downstream subsystem to provide a further distinctive optical signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling an optical amplifier at the particular upstream subsystem to provide the distinctive optical signal without including an additional dedicated optical wavelength. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using the identified configuration to identify an incorrect configuration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is carried out by a network management system. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for verifying a configuration of reconfigurable internal optical paths in a wavelength selective optical switching node having at least two wavelength selective switching (WSS) subsystems, each subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems having at least two internal ports and being configured such that an internal optical path carries traffic from an internal port of an upstream subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems to an internal port of a downstream subsystem of the at least two WSS subsystems, the apparatus comprising: a processing circuit; and a memory circuit storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, configure the apparatus to: identify a configuration, comprising a particular upstream subsystem and a particular internal port of a particular downstream subsystem that are coupled to the internal optical path, based on detecting an optical signal distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem and carried to the particular downstream subsystem, the detecting comprising: detecting a pattern of wavelengths used for traffic in a first direction, the pattern being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem, and detecting a power of an optical noise source when there is no traffic in a second direction, the power of the optical noise source being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem, and make a record of the identified configuration of the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem, wherein the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem is coupled to the particular upstream subsystem via the internal optical path, wherein the internal optical path is a bidirectional path between the particular upstream subsystem and the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to identify the configuration based on detecting the pattern of wavelengths by at least one of: using an optical channel monitor to detect a distinctive pattern of which wavelengths are in use and using an optical power detector to detect a distinctive optical power modulation applied to enable the verification. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the particular upstream subsystem is configured to broadcast the distinctive optical signal to internal ports of the particular upstream subsystem, and wherein execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to identify the configuration based on detecting at different ones of the particular downstream subsystem's internal ports. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to control nodes, upstream of the particular upstream subsystem, to route the distinctive optical signal to different ones of the particular upstream subsystem's internal ports for respective defined periods. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to, in the case of an ambiguity in detecting the power of the optical noise source, control the particular upstream subsystem to output an unambiguously identifiable optical signal over the internal optical path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to compare the detected distinctive optical signal to a known optical signal output by the particular upstream subsystem. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A network management system comprising the apparatus of claim 12. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A controller for a node comprising the apparatus of claim 12. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, configure an apparatus to perform operations comprising: identifying a configuration, comprising a particular upstream wavelength selective switching (WSS) subsystem and a particular internal port of a particular downstream WSS subsystem that are coupled to an internal optical path, based on detecting an optical signal distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem and carried to the particular downstream subsystem, the detecting comprising: detecting a pattern of wavelengths used for traffic in a first direction, the pattern being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem, and detecting a power of an optical noise source when there is no traffic in a second direction, the power of the optical noise source being distinctive of the particular upstream subsystem; and making a record of the identified configuration of the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem, wherein the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem is coupled to the particular upstream subsystem via the internal optical path, wherein the internal optical path is a bidirectional path between the particular upstream subsystem and the particular internal port of the particular downstream subsystem.