Abstract: A primary optical path in an optical network is established between first and second edge nodes of the optical network for communication between the first edge node and a primary customer network site coupled to the second edge node. A backup optical path through the optical network from the first edge node to a third edge node of the optical network other than the second edge node is determined for communication between the first edge node and a backup customer network site coupled to the third edge node of the optical network. The backup customer network site is designated to back up the primary customer network site. Communications are forwarded on the primary optical path from the first edge node toward the primary customer network site via the second edge node. Upon detection of a degradation or failure of the primary customer network site, communications are forwarded on the backup optical path from the first edge node toward the backup customer network site via the third edge node.

Abstract: A primary optical path in an optical network is established between first and second edge nodes of the optical network for communication between the first edge node and a primary customer network site coupled to the second edge node. A backup optical path through the optical network from the first edge node to a third edge node of the optical network other than the second edge node is determined for communication between the first edge node and a backup customer network site coupled to the third edge node of the optical network. The backup customer network site is designated to back up the primary customer network site. Communications are forwarded on the primary optical path from the first edge node toward the primary customer network site via the second edge node. Upon detection of a degradation or failure of the primary customer network site, communications are forwarded on the backup optical path from the first edge node toward the backup customer network site via the third edge node.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing communication services in an optical communication system utilizes a optical service agent (OSA) that operates within the domain of the network user and manages various communication services on behalf of the network user. The OSA interacts with the optical communication network to obtain various communication services and manages those communication services for the network user based upon predetermined parameters defined by the network user. An authenticated auto-discovery mechanism is used to automatically identify and authenticate OSA-enabled users and to distribute information between peer OSA-enabled users. A peer-to-peer signaling mechanism is used to extend OSA functionality to OSA-enabled users that do not interface directly with the optical communication network.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for bandwidth management in an optical communication system uses an optical service agent to provide bandwidth management services on behalf of a user. The optical service agent may monitor bandwidth utilization on a connection, control bandwidth utilization on a connection, obtain additional bandwidth for a connection, relinquish excess bandwidth for a connection, and allocate bandwidth among multiple connections, to name but a few. The optical service agent may interact with an optical communication network and/or various peer users in order to obtain and reserve communication services.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing alternate site switching in an optical communication system recovers from failures/degradations that are uncorrected by the core optical communication network. When an uncorrected failure/degradation is detected, communications for a protected end-system are switched from a primary end-system to a backup end-system. The backup end-system may be selected a priori, for example, during connection establishment, in order to reduce switching time once a decision has been made to switch communications from the primary end-system to the backup end-system. Provisions are made for completing the alternate site switching within a specified amount of time. Load balancing may be used to further reduce switching time from the primary end-system to the backup end-system. This alternate site switching augments the various protection mechanisms provided by the core optical communication network in order to provide end-to-end protection for the optical communication path.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing alternate site switching in an optical communication system recovers from failures/degradations that are uncorrected by the core optical communication network. When an uncorrected failure/degradation is detected, communications for a protected end-system are switched from a primary end-system to a backup end-system. The backup end-system may be selected a priori, for example, during connection establishment, in order to reduce switching time once a decision has been made to switch communications from the primary end-system to the backup end-system. Provisions are made for completing the alternate site switching within a specified amount of time. Load balancing may be used to further reduce switching time from the primary end-system to the backup end-system. This alternate site switching augments the various protection mechanisms provided by the core optical communication network in order to provide end-to-end protection for the optical communication path.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing service level agreements in an optical communication system uses an optical service agent to manage a service level agreement (SLA) for a user. The optical service agent can perform both real-time and off-line analysis for the user, and can interact with various network elements (including the core optical communication network) to handle billing, penalty, and other issues associated with a SLA breach.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing connection establishment and related services in an optical communication system uses an optical service agent to manage the connection establishment and related services on behalf of a user. The optical service agent may negotiate various connection and connection-related services, model connections, reserve communication services, establish connections on behalf of the user, and aggregate multiple optical communication paths over a connection, to name but a few. The optical service agent may interact with an optical communication network and/or various peer users in order to obtain and reserve communication services.

Abstract: An optical switch router performs both optical switching and traditional routing. The optical switch router includes optical interfaces for coupling to one or more incoming optical fibers and to one or more outgoing optical fibers, and also includes a number of traditional router ports. Individual incoming optical data streams received over the incoming optical fiber(s) can be selectively passed through to one or more of the outgoing optical fibers or “dropped” from the optical communication path for traditional routing. Routed traffic, which can be received over the router ports or from the “dropped” optical data streams, can be forwarded over optical data streams that are “added” to the outgoing optical fiber(s). The “added” optical data streams may be added to the outgoing optical fiber(s) at any unused wavelengths, including, but not limited to, the wavelengths of the “dropped” optical data streams.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for dropping and adding optical data streams in an optical communication network uses a photonic switching fabric for dropping but not adding optical data streams, and uses a combiner external to this photonic switching fabric for combining passed optical data streams from the photonic switching fabric together with added optical data streams. The added optical data streams are not limited to the wavelengths of the dropped optical data streams. The photonic switching fabric may be a Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) that uses single-sided mirrors configurable to drop but not add optical data streams.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing communication services in an optical communication system utilizes a optical service agent (OSA) that operates within the domain of the network user and manages various communication services on behalf of the network user. The OSA interacts with the optical communication network to obtain various communication services and manages those communication services for the network user based upon predetermined parameters defined by the network user. An authenticated auto-discovery mechanism is used to automatically identify and authenticate OSA-enabled users and to distribute information between peer OSA-enabled users. A peer-to-peer signaling mechanism is used to extend OSA functionality to OSA-enabled users that do not interface directly with the optical communication network.

Abstract: A method for improving modal bandwidth in computer networks using multimode optical fiber and laser sources is disclosed in which an annular beam is generate by the laser source, thus preventing center fiber transmission modes from reaching the detector. This prevents or lessens a pulse-splitting effect at the detector. The annular beam is generated preferably by configuring a vertical cavity surface emitting laser to have a center totally-reflecting block of 5-7 microns to generate a substantially dark-centered beam.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for photonic switching combines photonic add/drop multiplexing capabilities with photonic cross-connect switching capabilities. The photonic switch is coupled to a number of incoming fibers and to a number of outgoing fibers. Each incoming fiber is fed into a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the incoming optical signal into its component optical data streams. The demultiplexed optical data streams from each incoming fiber are fed into a corresponding drop-only fabric, which, for each demultiplexed optical data stream, either drops or passes the optical data stream. The passed optical data streams from the various drop-only fabrics are fed into a number of input ports of a photonic cross-connect switch. The photonic cross-connect switch switches each optical data stream from an input port to an output port. The signals from a number of output ports are combined to form an outgoing optical signal, which is sent over an outgoing fiber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coupling a plurality of local nodes to a wavelength division multiplexed network. Each local node is connected to an I/O port of an optical cross-connect. Other I/O ports of the optical cross-connect are connected to a wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer for coupling the optical cross-connect to a fiber ring network. Additionally, one or more optical-to-tunable-optical converters are connected to ports of the optical cross-connect to transmit data from the local nodes to the WDM mux/demux at a specified wavelength for uplinking onto the fiber ring network.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for producing optical data streams in an optical communication network uses M fixed wavelength lasers and N external modulators (N<M). The M fixed wavelength lasers are coupled to the N external modulators through a photonic cross-connect switch that is capable of routing the outputs of any N of the M fixed wavelength lasers to the N external modulators. The photonic cross-connect switch is configured to route N optical carriers at N specific wavelengths to the N external modulators. N data signals are fed to the N external modulators for producing N optical data streams at the N specific wavelengths. The photonic cross-connect switch maintains the polarity of the N optical carriers that are routed to the N external modulators.

Abstract: A method of improving modal bandwidth in computer networks using multimode optical fiber and single mode sources is disclosed in which the optical signal from a center of the optical fiber is prevented from reaching the detector. This is accomplished according to a number of different techniques including the use of opaque spots on the fiber media/fiber couplers or the use of dark-cored fiber couplers. These configurations prevent pulse splitting that occurs in single mode source/multimode fiber systems by preventing light from the multimode fiber's center from interfering with the detector. When this is achieved, the detector is insulated from the effects of pulse splitting, supporting increased data rates by increasing the modal bandwidth.

Abstract: A method for improving modal bandwidth in computer networks using multimode optical fiber and single mode sources is disclosed in which the optical signal from a center of the optical fiber is blocked from reaching detector. This is accomplished according to a number of different techniques including the use of opaque spots on the fiber media/fiber couplers or the use of dark-cored fiber couplers. These configurations prevent pulse splitting that occurs in single mode source/multimode fiber systems by preventing light from the multimode fiber's center from interfering with the detector. When this is achieved, the detector is insulated from the effects of any pulse splitting, supporting data rates of greater than one GBPS by increasing the modal bandwidth.

Abstract: Input values are data encoded for improved signal characteristics (e.g., limited maximum run length and limited cumulative DC-offset) so as to form "data codewords," and then a number of the data codewords, collectively referred to as a block, are error protection encoded, preferably using a conventional linear and systematic forward error control ("FEC") code, to yield an FEC code block. Preferably, an FEC code block is formed by generating a number of check bits or FEC bits equal to the number of data codewords in the block, and then concatenating one FEC bit and its binary complement with each data codeword, so that one FEC bit and its complement is interposed between each successive codeword.

Abstract: Input values are data encoded for improved signal characteristics (e.g., limited maximum run length and limited cumulative DC-offset) so as to form "data codewords, " and then a number of the data codewords, collectively referred to as a block, are error protection encoded, preferably using a conventional linear and sytematic forward error control ("FEC") code, to yield an FEC code block. Preferably, an FEC code block is formed by generating a number of check bits or FEC bits equal to the number of data codewords in the block, and then concatenating one FEC bit and its binary complement with each data codeword, so that one FEC bit and its complement is interposed between each successive codeword.

Abstract: A fiber-optic communication system (10) employs a Fabry-Perot laser (14) that launches its output onto a single-mode pigtail (16) physically coupled to a mode scrambler (22), which is air coupled to a transmission medium consisting of multi-mode fiber-optic cable. Because the mode scrambler (22) divides the laser output power among many modes, the fraction of any reflected light that is coupled back into the cavity of the laser (14) can be made small enough to permit sufficient laser coherence for high-data-rate-transmission.