Abstract: Methods, nodes and control modules are disclosed. In the method, circuitry of a first node in a mesh network converts an optical layer in a working path between the first node and a second node, to a data stream in a digital layer. The working path carries data traffic from the first node to the second node in the optical layer of the mesh network when there is no failure in the working path. Circuitry of the first node in the mesh network detects a failure in the working path due to detection of an error in the data stream in the digital layer. The circuitry of the first node establishes, through transmission of at least one signal from the first node to the second node, a restoration path in the optical layer based on, at least in part, detection of the error in the data stream in the digital layer.

Abstract: Consistent with an aspect of the present disclosure, electrical signals or digital subcarriers are generated in a DSP based on independent input data streams. Drive signals are generated based on the digital subcarriers, and such drive signals are applied to an optical modulator, including, for example, a Mach-Zehnder modulator. The optical modulator modulates light output from a laser based on the drive signals to supply optical subcarriers corresponding to the digital subcarriers. These optical subcarriers may be received by optical receivers provided at different locations in an optical communications network, where the optical subcarrier may be processed, and the input data stream associated with such optical subcarrier is output. Accordingly, instead of providing multiple lasers and modulators, for example, data is carried by individual subcarriers output from an optical source including one laser and modulator. Thus, a cost associated with the network may be reduced.

Abstract: An optical device having an amplifier and a controller is described. The amplifier is configured to amplify an optical signal in at least one of the C-Band or the L-Band. The controller includes a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium. The non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code that when executed by the processor causes the processor to: select a target tilt and gain setting from a plurality of target tilt and gain settings stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium based on the type of fault event message responsive to a fault event message affecting the C-band or the L-Band. The selected and pre-calculated target tilt and gain settings are applied to the amplifier.

Abstract: One or more servers may receive an instruction to change a modulation format, associated with one or more optical channels, from a first modulation format to a second modulation format; provide the instruction to change the modulation format to a network device, associated with the one or more optical channels, to cause the network device to change the modulation format, associated with the one or more optical channels, from the first modulation format to the second modulation format; and determine that a license repository is to be updated based on receiving the instruction to change the modulation format. The license repository may store one or more licenses. The one or more servers may generate a license update instruction to update the license repository based on determining that the license repository is to be updated and output the license update instruction to cause the license repository to be updated.

Abstract: A method of executing in-session encryption verification includes receiving a plurality of client data packets for transmission through a network; receiving one or more test data packets for verifying an encryption device; merging the client data packets and the one or more test packets into a data stream; selecting security parameters for each packet in the data stream based on a corresponding packet type; encrypting each packet in the data stream using the encryption device and the corresponding security parameters; and transmitting the data stream comprising encrypted packets through the network. The method also includes decrypting the encrypted packets at a receiving system using congruent techniques.

Abstract: Consistent with an aspect of the present disclosure, electrical signals or digital subcarriers are generated in a DSP based on independent input data streams. Drive signals are generated based on the digital subcarriers, and such drive signals are applied to an optical modulator, including, for example, a Mach-Zehnder modulator. The optical modulator modulates light output from a laser based on the drive signals to supply optical subcarriers corresponding to the digital subcarriers. These optical subcarriers may be received by optical receivers provided at different locations in an optical communications network, where the optical subcarrier may be processed, and the input data stream associated with such optical subcarrier is output. Accordingly, instead of providing multiple lasers and modulators, for example, data is carried by individual subcarriers output from an optical source including one laser and modulator. Thus, a cost associated with the network may be reduced.

Abstract: An optical network is described that has a first ROADM node, a second ROADM node, and an optical transmission line establishing optical communication between the first ROADM node and the second ROADM node. The optical transmission line including an in-line amplifier node having a total input power and a total output power. The in-line amplifier node has a first monitoring tool configured to measure input optical power of the in-line amplifier node, and a second monitoring tool configured to measure output optical power of the in-line amplifier node. A software defined L0 network controller has circuitry configured to receive the optical power measured by the first and second monitoring tools from the in-line amplifier node, and to configure at least one of a gain and a gain tilt of the in-line amplifier node.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and optical power controllers are disclosed. Various problems caused by the use of a single L0 power controller in the prior art are addressed by using first and second L0 power controllers with the first L0 power controller managing first optical components with the optical network, and the second L0 power controller managing second optical components within the optical network.

Abstract: A device may include a substrate. The device may include a carrier mounted to the substrate. The device may include a transmitter photonic integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the carrier. The transmitter PIC may include a plurality of lasers that generate an optical signal when a voltage or current is applied to one of the plurality of lasers. The device may include a first microelectromechanical structure (MEMS) mounted to the substrate. The first MEMS may include a first set of lenses. The device may include a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) mounted to the substrate. The PLC may be optically coupled to the plurality of lasers by the first set of lenses of the first MEMS. The device may include a second MEMS, mounted to the substrate, that may include a second set of lenses, which may be configured to optically couple the PLC to an optical fiber.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for optical network link traversal, including a method comprising the steps of receiving, by a traverser software module for an optical network, from a first node in a network link defining a path in the optical network, one or more node sets indicative of one or more of a second node also in the network link; determining, with the traverser software module, an order of traversal of the one or more node sets; traversing the network link using the determined order of traversal; communicating, by the traverser software module, information with a feature manager software module for a first software feature, the first software feature configured to perform a function specific to a specific node; and triggering, by the feature manager software module, the first software feature to execute one or more computer executable instruction based on information from the traverser software module.

Abstract: In an asynchronous optical modulation system, a drive circuit may generate a plurality of dither tones in accordance with a predetermined dither frequency ratio. Based on the components of the dither frequency ratio, the optical modulation system may be configured to determine a feedback signal magnitude component that is independent of the delay ? and a feedback signal sign component that is also independent of the delay ?. A feedback signal that is independent of the delay ? can then be reconstructed based on the feedback signal magnitude component and the feedback signal sign component.

Abstract: Optical network systems and components are disclosed, including a transmitter comprising a digital signal processor that receives data; circuitry that generate a plurality of electrical signals based on the data; a plurality of filters, each of which receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical signals, a plurality of roll-off factors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of filters; a plurality of DACs that receive outputs from the digital signal processor, the outputs being indicative of outputs from the plurality of filters; a laser that supplies light; and a modulator that receives the light and outputs from the DACs, and supplies a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the outputs, such that one of the optical subcarriers has a frequency bandwidth that is wider than remaining ones of the optical subcarriers, said one of the optical subcarriers carrying information for clock recovery.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include methods and apparatuses for providing optical channel protection by a switching controller in an optical networking system. The switching controller may receive, from a light module, a digital fault status message that indicates whether a digital frame demodulated from an optical signal include a fault. The switching controller may receive from an Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC) module, an Optical Layer Defect Propagation (OLDP) status message that indicates an OSC status of the optical signal on a current optical path. The switching controller may receive, from an Optical Add Drop Multiplexer (OADM) module, an optical power status message that indicates a measured power level of the optical signal on the optical path. Based on at least one of the OLDP status, the optical power status, or the digital fault status message, the switching controller may determine the optical path as a working path or a protecting path.

Abstract: Memory devices, methods and systems are described in which a non-transitory memory device stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive, via an input component, at least one message from a network element in a multi-layer network comprising information indicative of at least one failure of a working path; determine based at least in part on information indicative of a data transport path coincident with the working path in a second layer in the network different from the first layer, an alternate path in the first layer for transmission of the data through the multi-layer network; and transmit, via an output component, at least one signal comprising configuration instructions to at least one line module, the configuration instructions directing the line module to switch and transmit the data using the alternate path.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed to characterize and correct for the effects of IQ skew and insertion loss in a coherent optical transmitter. The coherent optical transmitter receives a digital data signal including in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components and generates corresponding first and second dither signals. The first dither signal may be combined with the I component and the second dither signal may be combined with the Q component to generate I and Q combined signals, which may be converted into I and Q analog waveforms. An optical signal may be generated corresponding to the I and Q analog waveforms for transmission over an optical fiber. The IQ skew and/or insertion loss for the coherent optical transmitter may then be calculated based on the optical signal using the disclosed dither tone processing techniques in order to correct IQ skew and/or insertion loss impairment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed, including an optical switching system comprising an upstream optical signal detector between a first node and a second node configured to detect optical signals from the second node and to switch data traffic from a working path to a protecting path when optical signals from the second node are indicative of a failure in the working path; wherein the first node is configured to transmit data traffic in first optical signals with wavelengths in channels in a first band and receive the data traffic in second optical signals with wavelengths in channels in a second band from the second node; and one or more optical filter, between the second node and the upstream optical signal detector, configured to block signals with wavelengths in the first band that are reflected because of a break in the path between the optical filter and the second node.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed including a system comprising a first node, having a first transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, comprising a tunable laser, configured to transmit a first optical signal on a first channel and to transmit a second optical signal on a second channel if the first receiver does not detect a third optical signal; a second node having a second transceiver comprising a second receiver and a second transmitter configured to transmit the third optical signal on the first channel if the second receiver detects the second optical signal; and a filter having ports configured to a particular bandwidth and to suppress the first optical signal if the first optical signal is not within the particular bandwidth of the port, and to transmit the second optical signal to the second node if the second optical signal is within the particular bandwidth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing optical transport using a software defined network (SDN) controller are disclosed herein. The SDN controller may define a margin optimization function based on at least one optical system performance metric. The function may include at least one related initiation criterion. Further, the SDN controller may collect at least one measurement for the performance metric. The measurement may include an assessment of deployed carriers not carrying client data. The SDN controller may determine whether the initiation criterion is met based on at least one collected measurement. The SDN controller may select a system margin optimization mechanism and define a system margin optimization threshold criterion on a condition that the initiation criterion is met. The SDN controller may determine whether the optimization threshold criterion is met. The SDN controller may implement one or more optimization events on a condition that the optimization threshold criterion is met.

Abstract: An optical transceiver package comprising a transceiver module, a digital signal processor (DSP), a substrate supporting the transceiver module and the DSP, and a barrier to mechanically protect and thermally insulate the transceiver module. The substrate comprises a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 2.3-14 ppm/° C. and the barrier comprises a material having a CTE of 3.5-14 ppm/° C.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for reconciling planned data for a network (such as a fiber optic network) with data describing the deployed network. Network probing and planning components obtain a snapshot of the deployed network and organize the snapshot into three “layers”: the “link layer,” which represents the physical links that underlie the network, the “digital layer,” which includes optical channel groups that divide the total capacity of the physical links, and the “service layer,” which includes the services delivered over the network. The techniques involve comparing the planned data to the deployed data in the order of link layer, digital layer, and service layer. Differences considered to be “minor” are reconciled automatically. Differences that are “major” are reconciled after receiving instructions from a planner or administrator regarding whether to update the planned data based on what was originally in the planned data or what is in the deployed network.