Systems and methods for optimization of transmission signal quality in point-to-multipoint networks

A method of determining an achievable receive signal quality of each subcarrier group of a plurality of subcarrier groups of an optical signal, comprising:

• receiving, by a hub node, the optical signal comprising a plurality of subcarrier groups each transmitted at a transmission output power;
• determining, by the hub node, a receive signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups;
• determining, by the hub node, that each of the plurality of subcarrier groups is currently being transmitted at a required receive signal quality margin by comparing the receive signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups to the required receive signal quality margin;
• sending, by the hub node, a first signal to leaf nodes transmitting the plurality of subcarrier groups, the first signal configured to cause the leaf nodes to report a first transmission output power of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups when each of the plurality of subcarrier groups is being transmitted at the required receive signal quality margin to the hub node;
• sending, by the hub node, a second signal to each of the leaf nodes transmitting the plurality of subcarrier groups, the second signal configured to cause the leaf nodes to gradually increase the transmission output power of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups;
• monitoring, by the hub node, the plurality of subcarrier groups to determine if any of the plurality of subcarrier groups has reached a maximum transmission output power;
• monitoring, by the hub node, a signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups to determine if the receive signal quality of any of the plurality of subcarrier groups begins to degrade;
• determining, by the hub node, that one or more of the plurality of subcarrier groups has reached the maximum transmission output power or the receive signal quality of one or more of the plurality of subcarrier groups has begun to degrade;
• and
• determining, by the hub node, a current receive signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups when one or more of the plurality of subcarrier groups has reached the maximum transmission output power or the receive signal quality of one or more of the plurality of subcarrier groups has begun to degrade, the current receive signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups being an achievable receive signal quality of each of the plurality of subcarrier groups without degrading the receive signal quality of any other one of the plurality of subcarrier groups.

An optical network system, comprising:

• one or more existing leaf nodes each transmitting an optical signal having an existing subcarrier group transmitted at a transmission output power over an optical network;
• a new leaf node connected to the optical network and configured to transmit a new optical signal having a new subcarrier group transmitted at a new transmission output power over the optical network;
• an optical combiner configured to combine the optical signals transmitted from the one or more existing leaf nodes and the new optical signal transmitted from the new leaf node into a combined optical signal;
• and
• a hub node configured to receive the combined optical signal from the one or more existing leaf nodes and the new leaf node, the hub node having a processor and memory storing processor executable code that, when executed, causes the processor to:
• continuously run a signal optimization cycle configured to iteratively adjust a receive signal quality of each of the existing subcarrier groups to be within a required receive signal quality margin, while staying within a transmission output power margin for each of the existing subcarrier groups, the signal optimization cycle comprising:
• determining, by the processor, the receive signal quality of each existing subcarrier group;
• determining, by the processor, that one or more of the existing subcarrier groups is outside of the required receive signal quality margin by comparing the receive signal quality of each existing subcarrier group to the required receive signal quality margin for each of the existing subcarrier groups;
• determining, by the processor, a power adjustment to bring the receive signal quality of the one or more existing subcarrier groups that is outside of the required receive signal quality margin to within the required receive signal quality margin;
• and
• adjusting, by each leaf node, the transmission output power of each of the existing subcarrier groups based on the power adjustment necessary to bring the receive signal quality of one or more of the existing subcarrier groups within the required receive signal quality margin while staying within the transmission output power margin;
• determining, by the processor, that each of the existing subcarrier groups is currently being transmitted within the required receive signal quality margin by comparing the receive signal quality of each existing subcarrier group to the required receive signal quality margin;
• sending, by the hub node, a first signal to the one or more existing leaf nodes transmitting the existing subcarrier groups, the first signal configured to cause the existing leaf nodes to report a current transmission output power of each of the existing subcarrier groups when each of the existing subcarrier groups is being transmitted within the required receive signal quality margin as a first transmission output power to the hub node;
• sending, by the hub node, a second signal to the new leaf node, the second signal configured to cause the new leaf node to begin transmitting the new subcarrier group that is combined into the combined optical signal and received by the hub node;
• running, by the hub node and the new leaf node, the signal optimization cycle configured to bring a receive signal quality of the new subcarrier group up to within the required receive signal quality margin by gradually increasing the new transmission output power of the new subcarrier group until the receive signal quality of the new subcarrier group is within the required receive signal quality margin;
• sending, by the hub node, a third signal to the new leaf node, the third signal configured to cause the new leaf node to report a current transmission output power of the new subcarrier group when the receive signal quality of the new subcarrier group is within the required receive signal quality margin as a second transmission output power to the hub node;
• sending, by the hub node, a fourth signal to each of the existing leaf nodes transmitting the existing subcarrier groups and the new leaf node transmitting the new subcarrier group, the fourth signal configured to cause the new leaf node to gradually increase the new transmission output power of the new subcarrier group and cause the existing leaf nodes transmitting the existing subcarrier groups to continuously run the signal optimization cycle and adjust to receive signal quality changes caused by the increase of the new transmission output power of the new leaf node;
• monitoring, by the hub node, the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group to determine if any of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group has reached a maximum transmission output power;
• monitoring, by the hub node, a signal quality of each of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group to determine if the receive signal quality of any of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group begins to degrade;
• determining, by the hub node, that one or more of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group has reached the maximum transmission output power or that the signal quality of one or more of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group has begun to degrade;
• and
• determining, by the hub node, a current receive signal quality of the new subcarrier group when one or more of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group has reached the maximum transmission output power or the receive signal quality of one or more of the existing subcarrier groups and the new subcarrier group has begun to degrade, the current receive signal quality of the new subcarrier group being an achievable received signal quality of the new subcarrier group without degrading the signal quality of the existing subcarrier groups.