Optical channel telemetry

A method for performing optical channel telemetry, comprising:

• generating a plurality of channel estimates of an optical channel, wherein the plurality of channel estimates are generated by an optical detector;
• determining, from the plurality of channel estimates, a plurality of channel properties regarding the optical channel;
• determining, using a summarization function and the plurality of channel properties, a channel summary that describes a portion of the optical channel during a predetermined period of time, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to a processor interval of a computer processor;
• transmitting, over a network, the channel summary to an optical network controller;
• determining a classification zone for a channel property type from a plurality of classification zones, wherein the classification zone is based on a plurality of historical properties for the optical channel;
• comparing the plurality of historical properties and the plurality of channel properties;
• and
• adjusting, using a machine learning algorithm and in response to comparing the plurality of historical properties and the plurality of channel properties, the classification zone to produce an adjusted classification zone.

A network element, comprising:

• a computer processor;
• a computer memory coupled to the computer processor;
• an optical detector coupled to an optical transmission medium, wherein the optical detector is configured to:
• generate a plurality of channel estimates of an optical channel according to a hardware sampling by hardware in the optical detector,
• determine, from the plurality of channel estimates, a plurality of channel properties regarding the optical channel;
• and
• an optical summarizer coupled to the computer memory, a hardware register, and the optical detector, wherein the optical summarizer is configured to:
• determine a channel summary using a summarization function and the plurality of channel properties, and
• store the channel summary in the hardware register,
• wherein the computer processor is configured to sample the hardware register according to a processor interval,
• wherein the channel summary describes a portion of the optical channel between samples of the processor interval,
• and
• wherein the computer processor is configured to transmit, over a network, the channel summary to an optical network controller.