Abstract: There is provided a distance-adaptive and fragmentation-aware all-optical traffic grooming (DFG) method, which addresses the all-optical traffic grooming problem while considering the transmission reach constraints. The DFG procedure provisions traffic demands in optical channels such that the spectrum requires for guard bands is minimized. The DFG procedure provisions optical channels such that network fragmentation is minimized while ensuring the transmission reach constrains over flexible-grid WDM networks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for embedding cloud demands with shared protection in a software-defined flexible-grid optical transport network. The method includes mapping working virtual nodes of the cloud demands over physical nodes of the network. The method further includes mapping backup virtual nodes of the cloud demands over the physical nodes. The method also includes mapping working virtual links of the cloud demands over physical routes of the network. The method additionally includes mapping backup virtual links of the cloud demands over the physical routes. The mapping steps are performed by an optical-defined controller having a processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for packet switching in a network, including two or more hybrid packet/circuit switching network architectures configured to connect two or more core level switches in the network architectures, the network architectures being controlled and managed using a centralized software defined network (SDN) control plane. An optical ring network may be configured to interconnect the two or more hybrid network architectures, and one or more hybrid electrical/optical packet/circuit switches configured to perform switching and traffic aggregation. One or more high-speed optical interfaces and one or more low-speed electrical/optical interfaces may be configured to transmit data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for flexible-client, flexible-link optical transponders include electrical-to-optical transponders, which accept client data from a flow distributor, and a first multiplexing switch that connects modulated optical carriers from the transponders to line interfaces. The electrical-to-optical transponders each include a flexible optical transport unit (OTU) framer module that compresses multiple optical data units (ODUs) into a single ODU having a higher order than any of the input ODUs to form an optical transport network (OTN) frame. An electrical-to-optical modulator modulates OTN frames onto a carrier. The transponder includes a second multiplexing switch that accepts optical carriers from line interfaces and optical-to-electrical transponders that accept modulated optical carriers from the second multiplexing switch.

Abstract: A spectrum-aware rate selection includes finding a set of channels based on spectrum availability information such that the total required spectrum for a requested data rate of a traffic demand is minimized.

Abstract: A multi direction variable transceiver including a transmitter comprising a subcarrier aggregator including at least one variable transmitter splitter and at least one variable transmitter coupler. The transceiver typically includes a receiver having at least one variable receiver splitter and at least one variable receiver coupler. In some examples, each of the transmitter and the receiver may include a controller for dynamically adjusting a splitting ratio for at least one of the variable receiver splitter, variable receiver coupler, variable transmission splitter and variable transmission coupler.

Abstract: Systems and methods for method for data transport using secure reconfigurable branching units, including receiving signals from a first trunk terminal and a second trunk terminal by branching units. Broadcasting is prevented for secure information delivery by dividing, within the branching units, the one or more signals from the first trunk terminal and the second trunk terminal into two or more sections, and sending the two or More sections to an optical coupler. Signals may be received from a branch terminal by one or more branching units using two fiber pairs, and the signals from the branch terminals may be divided into two or more groups of optical sections, wherein one of the sections includes dummy light. The divided, signals from the first trunk terminal, the second trunk terminal, and dummy light from the branch terminal may be merged, and the merged signal sent to the branch terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for method for data transport using secure reconfigurable branching units, including receiving signals from a first trunk terminal and a second trunk terminal by branching units. Broadcasting is prevented for secure information delivery by dividing, within the branching units, the signals from the first trunk terminal and the second trunk terminal into three or more sections. Signals may be received from a branch terminal by one or more branching units using a single branch fiber pair, and the signals from the branch terminals may be divided into three or more groups of optical channels, wherein at least e of the channels includes dummy light. The divided signals from the first trunk terminal, the second trunk terminal, and dummy light from the branch terminal may be merged, and the merged signal sent to the branch terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for variable rate control include determining a new communications rate in response to measured data traffic patterns. A receive change message is transmitted to a receiver that triggers the receiver to wait for an end of transmission (EoT) message and to set a new communications rate. A transmit change message is transmitted to a transmitter that triggers the transmitter to send the EoT message to the receiver, to set the new communications rate, and to send a start of transmission (SoT) message to the receiver before resuming data communications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data transport, including receiving one or more signals into a reconfigurable and flexible rate shared rate multi-transponder network architecture, wherein the network architecture includes one or more transponders with multiple line side interfaces and one or more client side interfaces. The transponders are configured to map one or more signals to multiple parallel Virtual Ethernet Links, remove idle characters from the one or more signals, buffer one or more blocks of characters using an intermediate block buffer, activate and deactivate one or more portions of input/output electrical lanes of an Ethernet module, multiplex and demultiplex the one or more signals to and from the input/output electrical lanes to enable sharing of a single optical transceiver by multiple independent signals, and insert blocks of idle characters to enable transmission over a lower rate transmission pipe.

Abstract: A method for solving a cloud embedding problem includes first mapping virtual links over physical links followed by virtual nodes over physical nodes. The inventive method entails an efficient procedure, namely network followed by compute load balancing (NCLB), that first maps virtual links over physical links while balancing network resources, and finally, maps virtual nodes over physical nodes while balancing different types of computational resources.

Abstract: A method entails an efficient procedure, namely Compute followed by Network Load Balancing (CNLB), that first maps virtual nodes over physical nodes while balancing computational resources of different types, and finally, maps virtual links over physical routes while balancing network spectral resources

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a filter-less coherent receiving system with a filter-less coherent receiver frontend; a signal-signal beat-noise detector coupled to the filter-less coherent receiver frontend; and a real-time processor coupled to the filter-less coherent receiver frontend and the signal-signal beat-noise detector to reject signal-signal interference.

Abstract: A method for blocking estimation to evaluate connection blocking in flexible optical wavelength division multiplexing WDM networks includes a novel Markovian model to analyze the steady state probabilities and connection blocking probability along a fiber in FWDM networks and finding the state dependent arrival rate for each type of line rate on a fiber

Abstract: A spectrum-aware rate selection includes finding a set of channels based on spectrum availability information such that the total required spectrum for a requested data rate of a traffic demand is minimized.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a filter-less coherent receiving system with a filter-less coherent receiver frontend; a signal-signal beat-noise detector coupled to the filter-less coherent receiver frontend; and a real-time processor coupled to the filter-less coherent receiver frontend and the signal-signal beat-noise detector to reject signal-signal interference.

Abstract: A method includes generating at least two lightwave carriers from a lightwave source, the carriers having a wavelength spacing, creating an up-subchannel and a down-subchannel orthogonal to one another and spaced apart based on the fixed wavelength spacing from modulations of the lightwave carriers according to respective up-converted OFDM signals that are carrier suppressed, and combining one lightwave from the up-subchannel and one lightwave from the down-subchannel into an optical channel for transmission over an optical fiber.

Abstract: A method for generating transparent pipes for heterogeneous service transmission via OFDMA-PON. In an exemplary embodiment, dedicated sub-channels, which are composed of one or more subcarriers—are used as a “transparent pipe” for delivery of arbitrary analog or digital signals for both circuit switched and packet switched systems.

Abstract: A method includes determining spectral interference in real time on an optical signal by an optical path, the spectral interference being indicative of polarization mode dispersion by the optical path, and imposing optical pulses with a phase opposite to the spectral interference on the optical signal. Preferably, the imposing step comprises altering the amplitude or phase of a signal indicative of the spectral interference with an active element. The active element is preferably an acousto-optic modulator.

Abstract: An optical equalization filter and method for simultaneously suppressing inter-symbol interference within a number of dense wavelength division multiplexed channels contained within a DWDM signal wherein the filter may be positioned in any of a number of locations within a DWDM system such that an entire channel therein exhibits a raised cosine function.