High efficiency optical traffic monitoring and reporting
OwnerDan Dan Yanginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices which use a tunable optical filter to only scan selected portions of spectrum of the optical carrier. By not scanning the whole spectrum, fast scanning is achieved while providing high scanning resolution by the use of the tunable optical filter. To save board space and cost, data is compared with existing data from the network at a logically remote location.
Claims19
A method of gathering data related to signal quality of multiple optical signals transmitted to a node in an optical network using an optical carrier, the method comprising:
- a) receiving the optical carrier and said multiple optical signals at said node;
- b) scanning a specific wavelength band of said optical carrier for signal characteristics of a specific optical signal, said wavelength band being substantially centered around a wavelength used by said specific optical signal
- c) repeating steps a) and b) for each of said multiple optical signals.
A method of determining signal quality of at least one optical signal transmitted to a node in an optical network using an optical carrier, the method comprising:
- a) gathering data related to signal quality for said at least one optical signal;
- b) processing said data to determine signal quality parameters of said at least one optical signal;
- c) retrieving signal quality references from a location logically remote from said node;
- d) comparing said signal quality parameters with said signal quality references.
A method of automatically determining if a laser transmitter is malfunctioning, the method comprising:
- a) receiving at a node an optical carrier having multiple optical signals;
- b) scanning a specific wavelength band of the optical carrier to determine an actual wavelength at which an optical signal under observation is being transmitted, the specific wavelength band being centered at a predetermined reference wavelength, the predetermined reference wavelength being a theoretical wavelength at which the optical signal under observation is supposed to be transmitted, the optical signal under observation being one of the multiple optical signals;
- c) comparing the actual wavelength with the reference wavelength;
- d) storing differences between the actual wavelength and the reference wavelength
- e) repeating steps b) to d) for a plurality of the multiple optical signals
- f) determining if the differences stored in step d) are uniform for each of the plurality of multiple optical signals.
An optical network component having a tunable optical filter, the optical component gathering optical signal data using the optical filter by the following method:
- a) receiving an optical carrier and multiple optical signals;
- b) scanning a specific wavelength band of said optical carrier for signal characteristics of a specific optical signal, said wavelength band being substantially centered around a wavelength used by a specific optical signal
- c) repeating steps a) and b) for each of said multiple optical signals wherein step b) is executed using the optical filter.
Computer readable media containing computer readable and executable code for controlling a portion of an optical network component, said computer readable and executable code executing a a method of gathering data related to signal quality of multiple optical signals transmitted using an optical carrier to a node at an optical network, the method comprising:
- a) receiving the optical carrier and said multiple optical signals at said node;
- b) scanning a specific wavelength band of said optical carrier for signal characteristics of a specific optical signal, said wavelength band being substantially centered around a wavelength used by said specific optical signal
- c) repeating steps a) and b) for each of said multiple optical signals.
A method of self-calibration for use on an optical network node which monitors optical traffic on an optical network, the method comprising:
- a) receiving at the node an optical carrier having multiple optical signals
- b) retrieving a predetermined reference wavelength from a logically remote location, the predetermined reference wavelength being a theoretical wavelength at which an optical signal under observation is supposed to be transmitted, the optical signal under observation being one of the multiple optical signals;
- c) determining an actual wavelength at which the optical signal under observation is being transmitted;
- d) comparing the actual wavelength with the reference wavelength;
- e) storing differences between the actual wavelength and the reference wavelength
- f) repeating steps b) to e) for a plurality of the multiple optical signals
- g) determining if a magnitude of the differences stored in step e) are uniform for each of the plurality of multiple optical signals
- h) if the magnitude of the differences are uniform, adjusting subsequent wavelength measurements by a specified amount, said specified amount being determined by the magnitude of the differences.
An optical network component to be used with a network node for monitoring network traffic, said component comprising:
- a tunable optical filter receiving an optical carrier from said node, said optical carrier carrying a plurality of optical signals;
- an optical detector receiving a filtered optical signal from said tunable optical filter;
- an internal controller coupled to and controlling said filter and said detector, said controller receiving an output of said detector for processing;
- wherein
- said controller determines signal characteristics of a specific optical signal based on said output of said detector, said specific optical signal being one of said plurality of optical signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.