Use of subcarrier deactivation in a multi-subcarrier channel to improve reach in an optical network

An apparatus comprising:

• a transponder including a plurality of lasers including at least one laser for each of a plurality of subcarriers of a group of optical subcarriers;
• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the computer program code, when executed by the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to:
• activate the plurality of lasers to transmit a data signal over a path of a WDM optical network via the group of optical subcarriers;
• determine that a hop-to-hop route for the path has been changed or rerouted;
• determine that the transmission of the data signal over the rerouted path using the group of optical subcarriers is not optically feasible;
• determine that the transmission of the data signal over the rerouted path using a subset of the group of optical subcarriers is optically feasible;
• and
• deactivate one or more of the plurality of lasers, to cause one or more of the subcarriers of the group of optical subcarriers to be inactive and allow the subset of the group of optical subcarriers to remain active, and to transmit the data signal over the rerouted path of the WDM network using the subset of the group of optical subcarriers via the activated lasers, with at least one inactive subcarrier provided between two active subcarriers within the subset.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the computer program code, when executed by the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to:
• activate a plurality of lasers, with at least one laser for each of a plurality of subcarriers of a group of optical subcarriers, to transmit a data signal over a path of a WDM optical network via the group of optical subcarriers;
• determine that a hop-to-hop route for the path has been changed or rerouted;
• determine that the transmission of the data signal over the rerouted path using the group of optical subcarriers is not optically feasible;
• determine that the transmission of the data signal over the rerouted path using a subset of the group of optical subcarriers is optically feasible;
• and
• deactivate one or more of the plurality of lasers, to cause one or more of the subcarriers of the group of optical subcarriers to be inactive and allow the subset of the group of optical subcarriers to remain active, and to transmit the data signal over the rerouted path of the WDM network using the subset of the group of optical subcarriers via the activated lasers, with at least one inactive subcarrier provided between two active subcarriers within the subset.

A method comprising:

• determining that a transmission of a data signal over a path of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical network using a group of optical subcarriers is not optically feasible;
• determining that the transmission of the data signal over the path using a subset of the group of optical subcarriers is optically feasible;
• activating subcarriers for the subset of optical carriers while deactivating one or more optical subcarriers of the group, at least one deactivated subcarrier provided between at least two activated subcarriers of the group;
• and
• transmitting the data signal over at least a portion of the path using the activated subcarriers of the group.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the computer program code, when executed by the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to:
• determine that a transmission of a data signal over a path of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical network using a group of optical subcarriers is not optically feasible;
• determine that the transmission of the data signal over the path using a subset of the group of optical subcarriers is optically feasible;
• activate subcarriers for the subset of optical carriers while deactivating one or more optical subcarriers of the group, at least one deactivated subcarrier provided between at least two activated subcarriers of the group;
• and
• transmit the data signal over at least a portion of the path using the activated subcarriers of the group.