# US 2012/0328296 A1 · Optical Spectrum Recovery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0328296 A1 - Document ID: US20120328296A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/168,811 - Filed: 2011-06-24 - Published: 2012-12-27 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-24 - Assignees: Techsys Insights - Inventors: Edward T. Sullivan; Hal Kauffeldt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120328296A1 ## CPC - H04J 14/0275: {using an optical service channel} - H04J 14/0212: {using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]} - H04J 14/0257: {Wavelength assignment algorithms} - H04J 14/026: {using WDM channels of different transmission rates} - H04J 14/0279: {WDM point-to-point architectures} - H04J 14/0204: {Broadcast and select arrangements, e.g. with an optical splitter at the input before adding or dropping} - H04J 14/0205: {Select and combine arrangements, e.g. with an optical combiner at the output after adding or dropping} - 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) ## Abstract The invention is directed to systems and methods for re-arranging optical spectrum utilization so that unallocated portions of the spectrum may be made contiguous. Rearrangement of optical spectrum is accomplished by moving a channel from its initial spectral location to a targeted spectral location by reserving additional spectrum for that channel that at least includes the targeted spectral location, shifting the channel to the targeted location and then collapsing the reserved spectrum around the targeted location to cover the minimal required spectrum for the channel allocation of the channel. In some cases, a secondary channel can be used as an alternate source to carry user traffic while the first channel is shifted to the targeted location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 1) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization, comprising: expanding the optical spectrum reserved for use by an optical channel to include a target location, shifting said optical channel within the expanded said optical spectrum reserved for use by said optical channel to said target location, collapsing the expanded said optical spectrum reserved for use by said optical channel around said target location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 2) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said expanded reserved optical spectrum occupies a single contiguous range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 3) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said expanded reserved optical spectrum occupies two or more spectral ranges which are non-contiguous with respect to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 4) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said shifting of said optical channel changing the location of said optical channel in one or more increments, the spectral width of each of said increments being less than the spectral width of said optical channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 5) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said shifting of said optical channel changing the location of said optical channel in one or more increments, the spectral width of each of said increments being at least as large as the spectral width of said optical channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 6) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said shifting of said optical channel changes the location of said optical channel within said optical spectrum reserved for use by said optical channel by the maximum amount consistent with said optical channel being constrained to remain within said optical spectrum reserved for use by said optical channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) 7) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 1, wherein said shifting of said optical channel occurs without interrupting said optical channel. ### Claim 8 8) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization, comprising: a tunable optical transmitting device capable of moving a optical channel from a first portion to a second portion of one or more reserved portions of said optical spectral range, a receiver capable of receiving said optical channel over said first portion and said second portion of said optical spectral range, at least one optical transmission medium connecting said tunable optical transmitting device and said receiver, one or more controllers collectively operable to expand the reserved portion of said optical spectrum usable by said optical channel to include at least said first portion and said second portion, shift said optical channel from said first portion to said second portion, collapse said reserved portion to a smaller portion of said optical spectrum which includes said optical channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) 9) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 8, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one fiber optic transmission medium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) 10) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 8, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one free space optical transmission medium. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) 11) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 8, wherein said tunable optical transmitting device is a coherent transmitter and said receiver is a coherent receiver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) 12) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 8, wherein said tunable optical transmitting device is not a coherent transmitter and said receiver is not a coherent receiver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) 13) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 8, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least a first optical transmission medium and a second optical transmission medium, said first optical transmission medium coupled to said second transmission medium via at least one optical coupling device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) 14) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization as in claim 13, wherein said at least one optical coupling device includes at least one of either an optical switch, a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer, or an optical amplifier. ### Claim 15 15) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel, comprising: switching from said first optical channel to said second optical channel, expanding the optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel to include a target location, shifting said first optical channel within the expanded said optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel to said target location, collapsing said optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel around said target location, switching from said second optical channel to said first optical channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) 16) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 15, wherein: expanding the optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel occurs prior to switching from said first optical channel to said second optical channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) 17) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 15, wherein: switching from said second optical channel to said first optical channel occurs prior to collapsing said optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel around said targeted location. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) 18) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 15. wherein: the connection of said first optical channel and the connection of said second optical channel are entirely diverse with respect to each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) 19) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 15, wherein: the connection of said first optical channel and the connection of said second optical channel are not entirely diverse with respect to each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) 20) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 15, wherein: the spectral width of said first optical channel after collapsing said optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel around said target location is equal to the spectral width of said first optical channel prior to expanding said optical spectrum reserved for use by said first optical channel. ### Claim 21 21) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel. comprising: a tunable optical transmitting device capable of transmitting said first optical channel within either a first portion or a second portion of said optical spectrum, a receiver capable of receiving said first optical channel over said first portion or over said second portion of said optical spectrum, at least one optical transmission medium connecting said tunable optical transmitting device and said receiver, one or more selectors capable of selecting said first optical channel or selecting said second optical channel, one or more controllers collectively operable to select said second optical channel, expand the reserved portion of said optical spectrum usable by said first optical channel to include at least said first portion and said second portion, shift the portion of spectrum used by said first optical channel from said first portion to said second portion, collapse said reserved portion to a smaller portion of said optical spectrum which includes said first optical channel. and select said first optical channel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) 22) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 21, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one fiber optic transmission medium. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) 23) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 21, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one free space optical transmission medium. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) 24) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 21, wherein said tunable optical transmitting device is a coherent transmitter and said receiver is a coherent receiver. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) 25) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 21, wherein said tunable optical transmitting device is not a coherent transmitter and said receiver is not a coherent receiver. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) 26) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 21, wherein said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least a first optical transmission medium and a second optical transmission medium, said first optical transmission medium coupled to said second transmission medium via at least one optical coupling device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) 27) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 26, wherein said at least one optical coupling device includes at least one of either an optical switch, a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer, or an optical amplifier. ### Claim 28 28) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel, comprising: switching from said first optical channel to said second optical channel, abolishing said first optical channel, re-establishing said first optical channel within said optical spectrum with different optical spectrum utilization than that prior to said abolishing of said first optical channel, switching from said second optical channel to said re-established said first optical channel. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) 29) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 28, wherein: the connection of said first optical channel and the connection of said second optical channel are entirely diverse with respect to each other. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) 30) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 28, wherein: the connection of said first optical channel and the connection of said second optical channel are not entirely diverse with respect to each other. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) 31) A method for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 28, wherein: said different optical spectrum utilization of said first optical channel differs in at least one of spectral location or spectral width. ### Claim 32 32) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel, comprising: a tunable optical transmitting device capable of transmitting said first optical channel within either a first portion or a second portion of said optical spectrum, a receiver capable of receiving said first optical channel over said first portion or over said second portion of said optical spectrum, at least one optical transmission medium connecting said tunable optical transmitting device and said receiver, one or more selectors capable of selecting said first optical channel or selecting said second optical channel, at least one controller operable to select said second optical channel, abolish said first optical channel from said first portion of said optical spectrum, re-establish said first optical channel within said second portion of said optical spectrum, and select said first optical channel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) 33) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 32, wherein: said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one fiber optic transmission medium. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) 34) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 32, wherein: said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least one free space optical transmission medium. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) 35) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 32. wherein: said tunable optical transmitting device is a coherent transmitter and said receiver is a coherent receiver. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) 36) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 32, wherein: said tunable optical transmitting device is not a coherent transmitter and said receiver is not a coherent receiver. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) 37) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 32, wherein: said at least one optical transmission medium includes at least a first optical transmission medium and a second optical transmission medium, said first optical transmission medium coupled to said second transmission medium via at least one optical coupling device. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) 38) A system for changing optical spectrum utilization of a first optical channel using a second optical channel during the changing of said first optical channel as in claim 37, wherein: said at least one optical coupling device includes at least one of either an optical switch, a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer, or an optical amplifier.