Dynamic performance monitoring systems and methods for optical networks
AssigneeCiena Corporation
InventorsMichael Y. Frankel, Loudon T. Blair, Christian Bourget, Lyndon Y. Ong
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides dynamic performance monitoring systems and methods for optical networks to ascertain optical network health in a flexible and accurate manner. The present invention introduces accurate estimations for optical channel performance characteristics based either on existing channels or with a dynamic optical probe configured to measure characteristics on unequipped wavelengths. Advantageously, the dynamic performance monitoring systems and methods introduce the ability to determine physical layer viability in addition to logical layer viability.
Claims20
An optical network, comprising:
- a plurality of nodes interconnected through a plurality of links;
- a control plane communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of nodes;
- and
- a plurality of optical probes distributed through the optical network;
- wherein the plurality of optical probes are configured to measure incident electrical fields on unused light paths in the optical network prior to establishing data connections on the unused light paths;
- and
- wherein the control plane comprises an optical path computation function configured to provide estimation of optical channel performance characteristics based on the measured incident electrical fields;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of optical probes comprise a transmitter solely generating and transmitting first selectively variable test data to another probe and a receiver receiving and processing second selectively variable test data from the another probe.
An optical probe, comprising:
- a Coherent receiver with a digital post-processor, the Coherent receiver configured to directly measure an incident electrical field amplitude and phase of first selectively variable test data received from another probe;
- and
- a transmitter transmitting only second selectively variable test data to the another probe;
- wherein the Coherent receiver is configured to directly measure the incident electrical field amplitude and phase on an unused light path in an optical network prior to establishing a data connection on the unused light path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.