# US 2026/0100758 A1 · Optical network data traffic control using a link quality metric

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- Number: US 2026/0100758 A1
- Document ID: US20260100758A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/908,127
- Filed: 2024-10-07
- Published: 2026-04-09
- Earliest claimed: 2024-10-07
- Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Randy ZHANG; Emerson Luis de Campos MOURA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260100758A1

## CPC

- H04B 10/0793: {Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters}
- H04B 10/27: Arrangements for networking
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

In one embodiment, an optical network includes a plurality of converged IP and optical routers and a plurality of optical links interconnecting the plurality of converged IP and optical routers. The optical network further includes a network controller configured to broadcast a link quality metric (LQM) to the plurality of converged IP and optical routers. The LQM defines a link quality associated with each optical link of the plurality of optical links, wherein data traffic mapping is performed by the plurality of converged IP and optical routers using the broadcast LQM.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical network, comprising:
a plurality of converged IP and optical routers;
a plurality of optical links interconnecting the plurality of converged IP and optical routers; and
a network controller configured to broadcast a link quality metric (LQM) to the plurality of converged IP and optical routers, wherein the LQM defines a link quality associated with each optical link of the plurality of optical links, wherein data traffic mapping is performed by the plurality of converged IP and optical routers using the broadcast LQM.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers are configured to select one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical network of claim 2, wherein the one or more optical links comprise optical links with a highest link quality path determined by the LQM.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers are configured to exclude one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The optical network of claim 4, wherein the one or more optical links comprise optical links with a link quality path determined by the LQM that is below a threshold value for the type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optical network of claim 1, wherein the LQM associated with each optical link of the plurality of optical links is used to create one or more optical network topologies for controlling network traffic.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The optical network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers each have digital coherent optics (DCO) ports associated with an LQM value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The optical network of claim 1, wherein the LQM is calculated from Q Margin data.

### Claim 9

A method for network traffic control, the method comprising:
calculating, by a processor, a link quality metric (LQM) for each optical link of a plurality of optical links interconnecting a plurality of converged IP and optical routers;
broadcasting the LQM to the plurality of converged IP and optical routers to cause the plurality of converged IP and optical routers to perform data traffic mapping using the broadcast LQM; and
transmitting data traffic via the plurality of optical links based using the data traffic mapping.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers are configured to select one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more optical links comprise optical links with a highest link quality path determined by the LQM.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers are configured to exclude one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more optical links comprise optical links with a link quality path determined by the LQM that is below a threshold value for the type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising creating one or more optical network topologies for controlling network traffic using the LQM associated with each optical link of the plurality of optical links.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers each have digital coherent optics (DCO) ports associated with an LQM value.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the LQM is calculated from Q Margin data.

### Claim 17

A system for controlling data traffic, comprising:
a plurality of processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the plurality of processors, cause the plurality of processors to:
calculate a link quality metric (LQM) for each optical link of a plurality of optical links interconnecting a plurality of converged IP and optical routers;
broadcast the LQM to the plurality of converged IP and optical routers to cause the plurality of converged IP and optical routers to perform data traffic mapping using the broadcast LQM; and
transmit data traffic via the plurality of optical links based on the LQM.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of converged IP and optical routers are configured to select one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted or exclude one or more optical links of the plurality of optical links using the broadcast LQM and based on a type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the selected one or more optical links comprise optical links with a highest link quality path determined by the LQM and the excluded one or more optical links comprise optical links with a link quality path determined by the LQM that is below a threshold value for the type of data traffic to be transmitted.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the plurality of processors, further cause the plurality of processors to create one or more optical network topologies for controlling network traffic using the LQM associated with each optical link of the plurality of optical links.