US 8,798,454 B2Granted

Method and system for automatic lane negotiation in an optical network

AssigneeFujitsu Limited

InventorYouichi Akasaka

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Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing signals in an optical network are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure a method for distributing signals in an optical network comprises combining input signals into one or more output signals, determining, an availability status of optical lanes for carrying the output signals and distributing the output signals to optical transmitters associated with the optical lanes if the availability status indicates that the optical lanes are available. The method further comprises, transmitting the output signals as optical signals using the optical transmitters associated with the lanes that are available and determining that a previously available optical lane is not available for carrying the output signals, terminating distribution of the output signals to the optical transmitter associated with the lane that is not available and redistributing the output signals to the plurality of transmitters associated with the lanes that are still available.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for distributing signals in an optical network comprising:

combining, by a network element, a plurality of input signals into a different plurality of output signals;
determining, by the network element, an availability status of a plurality of optical lanes for carrying the output signals;
distributing, by the network element, the output signals at the same time across all of a plurality of optical transmitters associated with the plurality of optical lanes if the availability status indicates that all of the plurality of optical lanes are available, wherein the plurality of optical transmitters are greater in number than the plurality of output signals when all of the plurality of optical lanes are available;
transmitting, by the network element, the output signals as optical signals at the same using all of the plurality of optical transmitters associated with the lanes that are available, such that the plurality of optical transmitters transmitting the output signals are greater in number than the plurality of output signals;
determining that at least one previously available optical lane is not available for carrying the output signals;
terminating distribution of the output signals to at least one optical transmitter associated with the at least one lane that is not available for carrying the output signals;
and
redistributing, by the network element, all of the output signals at the same time across all of the plurality of optical transmitters associated with the lanes that are still available.

5 more elements

A network element comprising:

a multiplexer configured to combine a plurality of input signals into a different plurality of output signals;
a network interface comprising a plurality of optical transmitters associated with a plurality of optical lanes and configured to transmit the output signals as optical signals;
a processor, communicatively coupled to the multiplexer and the network interface, the processor configured to determine an availability status, for carrying the output signals, of the plurality of lanes;
and
a distributor communicatively coupled to the processor and plurality of optical transmitters, wherein the plurality of optical transmitters are greater in number than the plurality of output signals when all of the plurality of optical lanes are available, the distributor configured to:
distribute the output signals at the same time across all of the plurality of optical transmitters if the availability status indicates that all of the plurality of optical lanes associated with the plurality of optical transmitters are available, such that the plurality of optical transmitters to which the output signals are distributed are greater in number than the plurality of output signals;
terminate distributing the output signals to one or more of the plurality of optical transmitters if the processor determines that one or more optical lanes associated with the one or more optical transmitters is no longer available for carrying the output signals;
and
redistribute all of the output signals at the same time across all of the plurality of optical transmitters associated with the lanes that are still available.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.