Intelligent optical systems and methods for optical-layer management

An optical communication system, comprising:

• a first optical transceiver module, comprising:
• a power failure monitor configured to detect an imminent power failure in the first optical transceiver module and to produce a dying-gasp signal when an imminent power failure is detected in the first optical transceiver module;
• and
• a first transmitter in communication with the power failure monitor, the first transmitter being configured to output a first optical signal comprising the dying-gasp signal at a transmission optical interface;
• and
• a second optical transceiver module, comprising:
• a second receiver configured to receive the first optical signal comprising the dying-gasp signal from the first optical transceiver via an optical link and to output a second electrical signal in response to the first optical signal;
• and
• a dying gasp detector configured to detect the dying-gasp signal in the first optical signal or the second electrical signal.

An optical network system, comprising:

• a plurality of first optical transceiver modules each comprising:
• a first transmitter configured to output a downstream optical signal in response to a downstream modulation control signal and a first downstream electrical signal comprising downstream user data;
• a first receiver configured to receive an upstream optical signal, wherein the upstream optical signal comprises upstream user data and a upstream modulation signal carrying upstream management information, wherein the first optical receiver is configured to output a first electrical signal comprising the upstream modulation signal and to output a first upstream electrical signal comprising the upstream user data;
• and
• a first processing unit configured to produce the downstream modulation control signal in response to downstream management information and configured to demodulate the first electrical signal to extract the upstream management information;
• a first wavelength filter, comprising:
• a plurality of first branching ports each associated with one of the first optical transceiver modules and being configured to receive the downstream optical signal from the first transmitter in the associated first optical transceiver module and send the upstream optical signal to the first receiver in the associated first optical transceiver module, wherein each of the first branching ports is associated with a wavelength channel;
• and
• a first common port configured to output the downstream optical signal received at the one of the first branching ports;
• a plurality of optical network units each comprising:
• a second receiver configured to receive the downstream optical signal and output a second electrical signal comprising the downstream modulation control signal and a second downstream electrical signal comprising the downstream user data;
• a second processing unit configured to demodulate the second electrical signal to extract the downstream management information and to produce an upstream modulation control signal in response to the upstream management information;
• and
• a second transmitter configured to emit the upstream optical signal in response to the upstream modulation control signal and a second upstream electrical signal comprising the upstream user data;
• and
• a second wavelength filter comprising:
• a plurality of second branching ports each configured to receive the upstream optical signal from one of the optical network units and send the downstream optical signal to the one of the optical network units;
• and
• a second common port configured to output the upstream optical signal to the first common port and receive the downstream optical signal from the first common port.

A method of optical communication by an optical transceiver, comprising:

• producing a first electrical signal at a reception electrical interface in response to a first optical signal by an optical receiver;
• emitting a second optical signal by an optical transmitter in response to a second electrical signal received at a transmission electrical interface;
• receiving the first optical signal at an reception optical interface by the a first optical branching device;
• directing at least a portion of the first optical signal to the optical receiver by the a first optical branching device;
• directing the second optical signal to an transmission optical interface by a second optical branching device;
• directing at least a portion of the first optical signal to the second optical branching device by the first optical branching device;
• and
• directing the portion of the first optical signal received from the first optical branching device to the transmission optical interface by the second optical branching device.

A method of optical communication, comprising:

• Detecting an imminent power failure in a first optical transceiver module by a power failure monitor;
• producing a dying-gasp signal by the power failure monitor when an imminent power failure is detected in the first optical transceiver module;
• outputting a first optical signal comprising the dying-gasp signal at a transmission optical interface;
• receiving the first optical signal comprising the dying-gasp signal from the first optical transceiver by a second receiver in a second optical transceiver module;
• outputting a second electrical signal in response to the first optical signal;
• and
• detecting the dying-gasp signal in the first optical signal or the second electrical signal by a dying gasp detector.