Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links comprising data channels. A time-domain sampled waveform of a selected data channel is obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveform of the selected data channel to generate a frequency-domain waveform of the selected data channel. Time-domain sampled waveforms of the selected data channels neighboring data channels are obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveforms of the neighboring data channels to generate frequency-domain waveforms of the neighboring data channels. The noise-to-signal ratio is calculated based on the frequency-domain waveforms. Based on the calculated noise-to-signal ratio, an optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) penalty is estimated. A notification is generated when the OSNR penalty exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure describe an interlock mechanism for optical fibers. A protective enclosure for selectively covering a manual release mechanism of an optical fiber connector is described. In some examples, an optical system includes the protective enclosure, a mechanical actuator, and an optical device, among other components. A user interacts with the mechanical actuator to move the protective enclosure to a covered position or an uncovered position, disallowing or allowing, respectively, physical access to the manual release mechanism. The user's interaction with the mechanical actuator also concurrently turns the optical device on, off, or to a different power level, which provides, stops, or reduces the power of, respectively, optical signals provided to the optical fibers via the optical connector.

Abstract: A system for transmitting a light signal between a first solid core optical fiber network and a hollow core fiber network includes a plurality of transponder-amplifiers, where each transponder-amplifier of the plurality of transponder-amplifiers comprises a transponder in optical communication with one of a power amplifier and a pre-amplifier. The plurality of transponder-amplifiers is in optical communication with the first solid core optical fiber network and is operative to receive a plurality of first light signals from the plurality of transponder amplifiers. A multiplexer located downstream of the plurality of transponder-amplifiers is operative to receive the plurality of first light signals. The multiplexer is operative to select between a plurality of first light signals and transmits at least one light signal of the plurality of first light signals to the hollow core fiber network.

Abstract: A device for transmitting data from a plurality of solid core optical fibers to a hollow core fiber comprises a multiplexer; a first 4F optical system that is operative to receive the light output from the multiplexer; an amplifier disposed downstream of the first 4F optical system and upstream of a second 4F optical system, where the second 4F optical system is operative to receive amplified light output from the amplifier and output the amplified light to the hollow core fiber in a form that is compatible with the hollow core fiber.

Abstract: A high-power multiplexer/demultiplexer (“mux/demux”) and a three-dimensional (“3D”) printed phase mask are provided for hollow-core optical fiber applications. The high-power mux/demux includes hollow core optical fiber interfaces configured to couple with free-space optical fiber cables, a diffraction grating, a 3D printed phase mask, and a set of lenses. The diffraction grating is configured, based on different wavelengths, either to at least diffract each optical signal of a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths into two or more optical signals or to at least diffract a single optical signal having multiple wavelengths into a plurality of optical signals. The phase mask includes reflective features configured to reflect optical signals at different optical path lengths to provide reflected optical signals with different phases. The set of lenses is configured to collimate optical signals onto or from the diffraction grating or to focus optical signals onto or from the phase mask.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing a free space optical backplane structure including a body and a plurality of mirrors. The body includes a chamber, a front panel, and a plurality of apertures disposed in the front panel, the plurality of apertures including a first set of apertures and a second set of apertures. The plurality of mirrors includes first and second arrays of mirrors mounted at first and second sets of heights, respectively, within the chamber, and is aligned with the first and second sets of apertures located in the front panel. The first and second arrays of mirrors are arranged to direct laser signals travelling through free space that are transmitted from or to a first device through the first set of apertures, between the first and second arrays of mirrors, and to or from a corresponding second device through the second set of apertures.

Abstract: A power transient event detection system includes a first bank of photodetectors (PDs) located within a first node of an optical communication system. Each PD within the first bank of PDs has a different response time. The system further includes an output signal monitor that monitors signal output from each of the PDs in the first bank and that logs power transient event detection information. A transient event characterizer identifies, based on the logged event detection information, a subset of the PDs in the first bank that observed a power transient event, and determines a duration of the power transient event based on an amount of time that the signal output satisfies low signal criteria for at least one PD in the subset.

Abstract: A system for monitoring coherent optical service channel includes a transmitter configured to generate a multiple polarization signal based on an input signal, a hollow core fiber (HCF) configured to transmit the multiple polarization signal, a receiver configured to receive the multiple polarization signal, and a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of the received multiple polarization signal. The multiple polarization signal may use both the phase and the frequency polarization to multiplex the optical signal.

Abstract: A power transient event detection system includes a first bank of photodetectors (PDs) located within a first node of an optical communication system. Each PD within the first bank of PDs has a different response time. The system further includes an output signal monitor that monitors signal output from each of the PDs in the first bank and that logs power transient event detection information. A transient event characterizer identifies, based on the logged event detection information, a subset of the PDs in the first bank that observed a power transient event, and determines a duration of the power transient event based on an amount of time that the signal output satisfies low signal criteria for at least one PD in the subset.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links interconnected by add-drop nodes, the optical data links comprising data channels. The data channels are allocated into equal-sized bins. In response to a first data channel request between a given source-destination pair, one of the equal-sized bins is assigned to the data channel request. In response to requests for additional bandwidth for the same source-destination data channel request, unused channels within the assigned equal-sized bin are allocated to the data channel request. In response to subsequent data channel requests between different source-destination pairs, additional unallocated equal-sized bins are assigned to the subsequent data channel requests. In response to subsequent data channel requests when resource sharing for one equal-sized bin, data channels in the last equal-sized bin are assigned using the reverse channel assignment process. Reverse channel assignment can also be used for other bins as an option.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links comprising data channels. A time-domain sampled waveform of a selected data channel is obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveform of the selected data channel to generate a frequency-domain waveform of the selected data channel. Time-domain sampled waveforms of the selected data channels neighboring data channels are obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveforms of the neighboring data channels to generate frequency-domain waveforms of the neighboring data channels. The noise-to-signal ratio is calculated based on the frequency-domain waveforms. Based on the calculated noise-to-signal ratio, an optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) penalty is estimated. A notification is generated when the OSNR penalty exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining an optical bypass for an inter-regional wide area network (WAN) for regions of server facilities of a cloud service provider. In particular, the optical bypass connects non-adjacent regional server centers of the WAN by eliminating needs of data conversions at intermediate regional server centers. The determining the optical bypass includes receiving a WAN topology data, capacity and demand information about the WAN. The determining includes an objective function to maximize a number of network resources to free up by determining a revised data flow and bandwidth allocations by introducing the optical bypass in the WAN. The disclosed technology transmits the determined data traffic flow and resource allocation information of the optical bypass, causing a network traffic enforcers to reconfigure the WAN.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links interconnected by add-drop nodes, the optical data links comprising data channels. The data channels are allocated into equal-sized bins. In response to a first data channel request between a given source-destination pair, one of the equal-sized bins is assigned to the data channel request. In response to requests for additional bandwidth for the same source-destination data channel request, unused channels within the assigned equal-sized bin are allocated to the data channel request. In response to subsequent data channel requests between different source-destination pairs, additional unallocated equal-sized bins are assigned to the subsequent data channel requests. In response to subsequent data channel requests when resource sharing for one equal-sized bin, data channels in the last equal-sized bin are assigned using the reverse channel assignment process. Reverse channel assignment can also be used for other bins as an option.

Abstract: A preFEC BER of a selected optical link is determined. A FEC Detected Degrade (FDD) threshold, FEC Excessive Degrade (FED) threshold, and FEC limit threshold are obtained for the selected optical link. The FDD threshold is less than the FED threshold and the FED threshold is less than the FEC limit. Based on the FDD threshold, FED threshold, the FEC limit, and a determination that a postFEC BER==0, it is determined whether a link down condition of the selected optical link can be asserted or de-asserted.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links interconnected by add-drop nodes, the optical data links comprising data channels. The data channels are allocated into equal-sized bins. In response to a first data channel request between a given source-destination pair, one of the equal-sized bins is assigned to the data channel request. In response to requests for additional bandwidth for the same source-destination data channel request, unused channels within the assigned equal-sized bin are allocated to the data channel request. In response to subsequent data channel requests between different source-destination pairs, additional unallocated equal-sized bins are assigned to the subsequent data channel requests. In response to subsequent data channel requests when resource sharing for one equal-sized bin, data channels in the last equal-sized bin are assigned using the reverse channel assignment process. Reverse channel assignment can also be used for other bins as an option.

Abstract: A preFEC BER of a selected optical link is determined. A FEC Detected Degrade (FDD) threshold, FEC Excessive Degrade (FED) threshold, and FEC limit threshold are obtained for the selected optical link. The FDD threshold is less than the FED threshold and the FED threshold is less than the FEC limit. Based on the FDD threshold, FED threshold, the FEC limit, and a determination that a postFEC BER==0, it is determined whether a link down condition of the selected optical link can be asserted or de-asserted.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining an optical bypass for an inter-regional wide area network (WAN) for regions of server facilities of a cloud service provider. In particular, the optical bypass connects non-adjacent regional server centers of the WAN by eliminating needs of data conversions at intermediate regional server centers. The determining the optical bypass includes receiving a WAN topology data, capacity and demand information about the WAN. The determining includes an objective function to maximize a number of network resources to free up by determining a revised data flow and bandwidth allocations by introducing the optical bypass in the WAN. The disclosed technology transmits the determined data traffic flow and resource allocation information of the optical bypass, causing a network traffic enforcers to reconfigure the WAN.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining an optical bypass for an inter-regional wide area network (WAN) for regions of server facilities of a cloud service provider. In particular, the optical bypass connects non-adjacent regional server centers of the WAN by eliminating needs of data conversions at intermediate regional server centers. The determining the optical bypass includes receiving a WAN topology data, capacity and demand information about the WAN. The determining includes an objective function to maximize a number of network resources to free up by determining a revised data flow and bandwidth allocations by introducing the optical bypass in the WAN. The disclosed technology transmits the determined data traffic flow and resource allocation information of the optical bypass, causing a network traffic enforcers to reconfigure the WAN.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links interconnected by add-drop nodes, the optical data links comprising data channels. The data channels are allocated into equal-sized bins. In response to a first data channel request between a given source-destination pair, one of the equal-sized bins is assigned to the data channel request. In response to requests for additional bandwidth for the same source-destination data channel request, unused channels within the assigned equal-sized bin are allocated to the data channel request. In response to subsequent data channel requests between different source-destination pairs, additional unallocated equal-sized bins are assigned to the subsequent data channel requests. In response to subsequent data channel requests when resource sharing for one equal-sized bin, data channels in the last equal-sized bin are assigned using the reverse channel assignment process. Reverse channel assignment can also be used for other bins as an option.

Abstract: An optical communications network comprises optical data links comprising data channels. A time-domain sampled waveform of a selected data channel is obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveform of the selected data channel to generate a frequency-domain waveform of the selected data channel. Time-domain sampled waveforms of the selected data channel's neighboring data channels are obtained. The Fourier transform is applied to the time-domain sampled waveforms of the neighboring data channels to generate frequency-domain waveforms of the neighboring data channels. The noise-to-signal ratio is calculated based on the frequency-domain waveforms. Based on the calculated noise-to-signal ratio, an optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) penalty is estimated. A notification is generated when the OSNR penalty exceeds a predetermined threshold.