Abstract: A system comprising a hub transceiver coupled to a first network node; and a plurality of edge transceivers, each configured to be communicatively coupled to a respective second network node, and to the hub transceiver, wherein the hub transceiver is operable to transmit a first message to each of the edge transceivers, the first message comprising an indication of available optical subcarriers and availability to use multiple non-contiguous optical subcarriers; receive, a service request identifying a selected subset of the available optical subcarriers including a non-contiguous first optical subcarrier and second optical subcarrier, transmit a second message to indicate either a success or a failure, and receive, via the selected subset, data from the second network node, and wherein at least one of the edge transceivers is operable to, transmit, using the selected subset of available optical subcarriers, data from the second network node to the first network node.

Abstract: A system comprising a hub transceiver and edge transceivers is described. The hub transceiver is coupled to a first network node via an optical communications network. Each of the edge transceivers is coupled to a respective second network node, and to the hub transceiver. The hub transceiver is operable to form one or more logical partition of optical subcarriers in an optical signal based on connection types. Each logical partition has a first partition boundary, a second partition boundary and a plurality of subcarriers logically between the first partition boundary and the second partition boundary. Each partition boundary is assigned a particular connection type. The hub transceiver assigns a subset of available optical subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers where each assignment includes a number of optical subcarriers based on the connection type in the service request, and a subcarrier location within the one or more logical partition.

Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system, comprises a substrate, an emitter material adhered to the substrate, and a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell. The emitter material is a typically a metal oxide doped nickel oxide sol-gel material, in which the metal is magnesium or zirconium, and in which the sol-gel material comprises 97-99 mol % metal oxide, and about 1-3 mol % nickel oxide dopant. Providing an emitter material as a sol-gel allows the material to be coated on to surfaces providing better adherence to the surface, and also provides excellent heat stability. A sol-gel material is also described.

Abstract: A system comprising a hub transceiver and edge transceivers is described. The hub transceiver is coupled to a first network node via an optical communications network. Each of the edge transceivers is coupled to a respective second network node, and to the hub transceiver. The hub transceiver is operable to form one or more logical partition of optical subcarriers in an optical signal based on connection types. Each logical partition has a first partition boundary, a second partition boundary and a plurality of subcarriers logically between the first partition boundary and the second partition boundary. Each partition boundary is assigned a particular connection type. The hub transceiver assigns a subset of available optical subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers where each assignment includes a number of optical subcarriers based on the connection type in the service request, and a subcarrier location within the one or more logical partition.

Abstract: A system comprising a hub transceiver coupled to a first network node; and a plurality of edge transceivers, each configured to be communicatively coupled to a respective second network node, and to the hub transceiver, wherein the hub transceiver is operable to transmit a first message to each of the edge transceivers, the first message comprising an indication of available optical subcarriers and availability to use multiple non-contiguous optical subcarriers; receive, a service request identifying a selected subset of the available optical subcarriers including a non-contiguous first optical subcarrier and second optical subcarrier, transmit a second message to indicate either a success or a failure, and receive, via the selected subset, data from the second network node, and wherein at least one of the edge transceivers is operable to, transmit, using the selected subset of available optical subcarriers, data from the second network node to the first network node.

Abstract: Methodologies and systems that pass signals between control planes of nodes within a FlexE Network also conforming to the Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) protocol are described. The signals passed between the control planes conform to the GMPLS protocol and comprise a FlexE Ethernet Group Number and identify at least one Ethernet PHY conforming to the requirements of IEEE 802.3-2015. The Flexible Ethernet Group Number and the at least one Ethernet PHY are stored in non-transitory memory accessible by a node within the FlexE Network. Then, the node configures a FlexE Group based upon the Flexible Ethernet Group Number and the at least one Ethernet PHY.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a method comprising: receiving, with a controller having a computer processor, a preservation status input from a user indicative of whether or not to preserve a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag in a header of a data packet transmitted within an Ethernet local area network (E-LAN), the VLAN tag identifying at least one of customer information and service provider information for the data packet in the E-LAN, wherein the E-LAN comprises network devices having physical ports and is configured to allow multiple customers use of an individual physical port; determining a scalable network-wide service configuration model having multiple predetermined rules for automatically configuring the physical ports of the network devices for the E-LAN based on the preservation status input from the user; and configuring automatically, with the controller, the physical ports of the network devices using the predetermined rules of the configuration model.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a link state advertisement message (LSA) conforming to a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) routing protocol is generated and transmitted. The LSA is associated with a TE Link between a transmit node and a receive node in a network. The transmit node supplies a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a plurality of frequencies, the frequencies being allocated among a plurality of spectral portions such that the plurality of spectral portions are grouped into a plurality of frequency slots. The LSA may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions, e.g., spectral slices, which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, said selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node.

Abstract: Methodologies and systems that pass signals between control planes of nodes within a FlexE Network also conforming to the Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) protocol are described. The signals passed between the control planes conform to the GMPLS protocol and comprise a FlexE Ethernet Group Number and identify at least one Ethernet PHY conforming to the requirements of IEEE 802.3-2015. The Flexible Ethernet Group Number and the at least one Ethernet PHY are stored in non-transitory memory accessible by a node within the FlexE Network. Then, the node configures a FlexE Group based upon the Flexible Ethernet Group Number and the at least one Ethernet PHY.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a link state advertisement message (LSA) conforming to a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) routing protocol is generated and transmitted. The LSA is associated with a TE Link between a transmit node and a receive node in a network. The transmit node supplies a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a plurality of frequencies, the frequencies being allocated among a plurality of spectral portions such that the plurality of spectral portions are grouped into a plurality of frequency slots. The LSA may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions, e.g., spectral slices, which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, said selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a method comprising: receiving, with a controller having a computer processor, a preservation status input from a user indicative of whether or not to preserve a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag in a header of a data packet transmitted within an Ethernet local area network (E-LAN), the VLAN tag identifying at least one of customer information and service provider information for the data packet in the E-LAN, wherein the E-LAN comprises network devices having physical ports and is configured to allow multiple customers use of an individual physical port; determining a scalable network-wide service configuration model having multiple predetermined rules for automatically configuring the physical ports of the network devices for the E-LAN based on the preservation status input from the user; and configuring automatically, with the controller, the physical ports of the network devices using the predetermined rules of the configuration model.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for modulating, with circuitry of a source node in a communication network, at least one optical carrier to carry data utilizing a format of a soft decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) data field of an overhead portion of a data frame; encoding, with the circuitry of the source node, first data being SD-FEC data and second data being additional data into the SD-FEC data field, the first and second data being accessible without accessing client data traffic; and transmitting, with the circuitry of the source node, the data frame including the soft decision forward error correction data field. In one implementation, the second data comprises automatic protection switching bytes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for modulating, with circuitry of a source node in a communication network, at least one optical carrier to carry data utilizing a format of a soft decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) data field of an overhead portion of a data frame; encoding, with the circuitry of the source node, first data being SD-FEC data and second data being additional data into the SD-FEC data field, the first and second data being accessible without accessing client data traffic; and transmitting, with the circuitry of the source node, the data frame including the soft decision forward error correction data field. In one implementation, the second data comprises automatic protection switching bytes.

Abstract: A network device is configured to store parameters identifying a respective quality of service (QoS) to apply to corresponding different types of data flows; initiate establishment of a network channel between a source device and a destination device through an optical network; receive first and second data flows destined for the destination device, where the first data flow and the second data flow may have first and second data flow types; identify a first QoS and a different second QoS to apply to the first and second data flows based on the first and second data flow types and based on the parameters; apply the first QoS to the first data flow and the second QoS to the second data flow to form processed first and second data flows; and transmit, via the network channel, the processed first and second data flows towards the destination device.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a link state advertisement message (LSA) conforming to a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) routing protocol is generated and transmitted. The LSA is associated with a TE Link between a transmit node and a receive node in a network. The transmit node supplies a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a plurality of frequencies, the frequencies being allocated among a plurality of spectral portions such that the plurality of spectral portions are grouped into a plurality of frequency slots. The LSA may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions, e.g., spectral slices, which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, said selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a signaling message conforming to a GMPLS signaling protocol and associated with an optical connection is generated and transmitted by a transmit node to a receive node to change the size of a connection bandwidth in a network. The message may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node; and information indicative of a change in the number of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals. The transmit node may resize the connection while data traffic continues to be transmitted over the connection in the Optical Transport Network without service disruption to the client attached to the connection being resized.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed including receiving, by circuitry of a node conforming to GMPLS protocol, a signal comprising at least one of an optical signal attribute indicative of parameters of a super-channel, the super-channel including a plurality of optical carriers, each of which having a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths and being modulated to carry a corresponding one of a plurality of data streams, the super-channel being provisioned in the optical network as one optical channel, wherein the optical signal attribute is one of: quantity of wavelengths of the super-channel, wavelength center frequency of the super-channel, wavelength modulation of the super-channel, wavelength baudrate of the super-channel, and wavelength FEC type of the super-channel. The node further receiving information indicative of frequency slices in use by the super-channel and calculating, using algorithms conforming to CSPF-TE protocol, a path of a second super-channel.

Abstract: A network device is configured to store parameters identifying a respective quality of service (QoS) to apply to corresponding different types of data flows; initiate establishment of a network channel between a source device and a destination device through an optical network; receive first and second data flows destined for the destination device, where the first data flow and the second data flow may have first and second data flow types; identify a first QoS and a different second QoS to apply to the first and second data flows based on the first and second data flow types and based on the parameters; apply the first QoS to the first data flow and the second QoS to the second data flow to form processed first and second data flows; and transmit, via the network channel, the processed first and second data flows towards the destination device.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a signaling message conforming to a GMPLS signaling protocol and associated with an optical connection is generated and transmitted by a transmit node to a receive node to change the size of a connection bandwidth in a network. The message may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node; and information indicative of a change in the number of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals. The transmit node may resize the connection while data traffic continues to be transmitted over the connection in the Optical Transport Network without service disruption to the client attached to the connection being resized.

Abstract: A node is configured to receive an instruction to establish a channel having a bandwidth that corresponds to an operating spectrum an optical fiber; obtain information that identifies a channel spacing and a pointer that identifies where, within the spectrum, to establish bandwidth allocations; identify a group of bandwidth segments based on the spectrum and the channel spacing; and generate bit words that correspond to the bandwidth allocations, where the bit words includes bits that, when set to a value, cause sets of segments to be reserved within the spectrum, and where the sets of segments identify where the bandwidth allocations begin and end, within the spectrum, relative to the pointer.