Abstract: A method of parallelized optical link calibration of an optical section having a plurality of spans interconnecting a transmit Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (OADM) with a receive OADM via a plurality of line amplifiers includes partitioning the optical section into a plurality of sub-sections, each including one or more spans of the plurality of spans; utilizing equipment at the plurality of line amplifiers to isolate the plurality of sub-sections from one another; and performing measurements of spans for the parallelized optical link calibration in some or all of the plurality of sub-sections at a same time. Advantageously, timing of the parallelized optical link calibration is independent of a number of spans in the optical section.

Abstract: A method for per-span optical fiber nonlinearity compensation comprises determining values of fiber parameters characterizing one or more target optical fibers in one or more respective spans of a link, and applying selected weight values to one or more photonic computing chips (PCCs), each PCC integrated in a different respective span of the link, wherein selection of the weight values is based on the values of the fiber parameters and a mapping associated with each PCC. The method further comprises transmitting an optical signal through the link, wherein each integrated PCC emulates an inverse of a nonlinear transfer function of the target optical fiber in the respective span, thereby reducing nonlinearity contributed by the one or more target optical fibers to the optical signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical fiber characterization using a nonlinear measurement of shaped Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) transmitted over the optical fiber are provided. A method includes receiving an ASE signal on an optical fiber, wherein the ASE signal is transmitted from an ASE source connected to the optical fiber and the ASE signal includes a spectral shape at an input of the optical fiber; measuring a broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal where the broadened spectral shape is different from the spectral shape at the input and broadened due to propagation of the ASE signal over the optical fiber; and determining one or more parameters of the optical fiber based on the broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for in-service measurement of nonlinear interference on a per span basis in an optical network having a plurality of spans include steps of varying power in a span of the plurality of spans to cause small power perturbations which do not impact traffic carrying signals; observing a change in noise at an optical receiver at an end of the plurality of spans with the change due to the varying the power in the span; and determining the nonlinear interference for the span based on the change in the noise.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for logging long-term data and analyzing the long-term data with short-term data to determine the health of fiber connections in an optical network. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of obtaining data associated with performance of fiber connections of an optical network. The fiber connections include at least an inter-node fiber connecting two adjacent network nodes and an intra-node fiber connection connecting two photonic devices within each of the two adjacent network nodes. The method further includes the step of logging the data over time as historical data and then analyzing the health of the fiber connections based on the historical data and newly-obtained data. Also, the method includes displaying a report on an interactive user interface, whereby the report is configured to show the health of the fiber connections.

Abstract: Systems and methods of optimizing launch power for each span in an optical system with a plurality of spans are provided. In an embodiment, a method includes varying power on a span under test of the plurality of spans; observing performance measurements related to of one or more channels, at corresponding optical receivers; and one of setting launch power for the span under test and repeating the varying and observing, responsive to the observed measurements.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for analyzing one or more root causes of service degradation events in a network or other environment. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of monitoring a plurality of overlying services offered in an underlying infrastructure having a plurality of resources arranged with a specific topology. In response to detecting a negative impact on the overlying services during a predetermined time window and based on an understanding of the specific topology, the method further includes the step of identifying suspect components from the plurality of resources in the underlying infrastructure. The method also includes the step of obtaining status information with respect to the suspect components to determine a root cause of the negative impact on the overlying services.

Abstract: Systems and methods of optimizing launch power for each span in an optical system with a plurality of spans are provided. In an embodiment, a method includes varying power on a span under test of the plurality of spans; observing performance measurements related to of one or more channels, at corresponding optical receivers; and one of setting launch power for the span under test and repeating the varying and observing, responsive to the observed measurements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical fiber characterization using a nonlinear measurement of shaped Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) transmitted over the optical fiber are provided. A method includes receiving an ASE signal on an optical fiber, wherein the ASE signal is transmitted from an ASE source connected to the optical fiber and the ASE signal includes a spectral shape at an input of the optical fiber; measuring a broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal where the broadened spectral shape is different from the spectral shape at the input and broadened due to propagation of the ASE signal over the optical fiber; and determining one or more parameters of the optical fiber based on the broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal.

Abstract: System and methods of measuring nonlinear interference (NLI) on a per-span basis in an optical system with a plurality of spans are provided. The method includes steps of varying power based on phase sensitive detection method on a span under test of the plurality of spans; observing total noise, at an optical receiver, from all of the plurality of spans; and isolating noise for the span under test from the total noise based on the varying power. The optical system can be in-service with one or more traffic-carrying channels, and the varying power is small enough on the span under test which does not impact the one or more traffic-carrying channels.

Abstract: Systems and methods include causing transmission of one or more shaped Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) signals, from an ASE source (70), on an optical fiber (58, 60); obtaining received spectrum of the one or more shaped ASE signals from an optical receiver (68) connected to the optical fiber (58, 60); and characterizing the optical fiber (58, 60) based in part on one or more of a nonlinear skirt and a center dip depth in the received spectrum of the one or more shaped ASE signals. The one or more shaped ASE signals can be formed by the ASE source (70) communicatively coupled to a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) (62) that is configured to shape ASE from the ASE source to form the one or more shaped ASE signals with one or two or multiple peaks and with associated frequency.

Abstract: A management system for an optical line system includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to receive State of Polarization (SOP) measurements from one or more optical components in the optical line system, wherein the SOP measurements are taken while traffic-bearing channels are operating, and monitor health of one or more fibers based on the SOP measurements. The health can include detection and/or localization of SOP transients.

Abstract: A method for per-span optical fiber nonlinearity compensation comprises determining values of fiber parameters characterizing one or more target optical fibers in one or more respective spans of a link, and applying selected weight values to one or more photonic computing chips (PCCs), each PCC integrated in a different respective span of the link, wherein selection of the weight values is based on the values of the fiber parameters and a mapping associated with each PCC. The method further comprises transmitting an optical signal through the link, wherein each integrated PCC emulates an inverse of a nonlinear transfer function of the target optical fiber in the respective span, thereby reducing nonlinearity contributed by the one or more target optical fibers to the optical signal.

Abstract: Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) trace monitoring for change of fiber and Raman gain profile with Raman amplification uses Machine Learning. The OTDR trace monitoring includes obtaining data associated with a plurality of Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) traces each performed at a different time; responsive to changes between the plurality of OTDR traces being above a threshold, analyzing the changes between the plurality of OTDR traces with a trained machine learning model; and determining an impact factor based on the machine learning model, wherein the impact factor is a classification of the changes between the plurality of OTDR traces.

Abstract: An optical network element includes a connection to an optical fiber in an optical line system including a coherent receiver; a microphone configured to detect sound; and circuitry connected to the microphone and configured to cause transmission of information related to sounds detected by the microphone to a receiver at an end of the optical line system, wherein the transmission is over the optical fiber in the optical line system to the coherent receiver. The optical network element can include a polarization controlling device connected to the circuitry and configured to modulate a state-of-polarization (SOP) envelope for the transmission.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for analyzing one or more root causes of service degradation events in a network or other environment. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of monitoring a plurality of overlying services offered in an underlying infrastructure having a plurality of resources arranged with a specific topology. In response to detecting a negative impact on the overlying services during a predetermined time window and based on an understanding of the specific topology, the method further includes the step of identifying suspect components from the plurality of resources in the underlying infrastructure. The method also includes the step of obtaining status information with respect to the suspect components to determine a root cause of the negative impact on the overlying services.

Abstract: An optical network element includes a connection to an optical fiber in an optical line system including a coherent receiver; a microphone configured to detect sound; and circuitry connected to the microphone and configured to cause transmission of information related to sounds detected by the microphone to a receiver at an end of the optical line system, wherein the transmission is over the optical fiber in the optical line system to the coherent receiver. The optical network element can include a polarization controlling device connected to the circuitry and configured to modulate a state-of-polarization (SOP) envelope for the transmission.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing the root cause of service failures and service degradation in a telecommunications network are provided. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of receiving any of Performance Monitoring (PM) data, standard path alarms, service PM data, standard service alarms, network topology information, and configuration logs from equipment configured to provide services in a network. The method also includes a step of automatically detecting a root cause of a service failure or signal degradation from the available PM data, standard path alarms, service PM data, standard service alarms, network topology information, and configuration logs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical amplifier failure prediction using Machine Learning (ML), such as for an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), are described. A method include obtaining a plurality of inputs from an optical amplifier associated with an optical network; analyzing the plurality of inputs with a trained machine learning model; obtaining an estimate of a total pump current of the optical amplifier as an output of the trained machine learning model; and comparing the estimate of a total pump current to a measured total pump current of the optical amplifier.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for logging long-term data and analyzing the long-term data with short-term data to determine the health of fiber connections in an optical network. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of obtaining data associated with performance of fiber connections of an optical network. The fiber connections include at least an inter-node fiber connecting two adjacent network nodes and an intra-node fiber connection connecting two photonic devices within each of the two adjacent network nodes. The method further includes the step of logging the data over time as historical data and then analyzing the health of the fiber connections based on the historical data and newly-obtained data. Also, the method includes displaying a report on an interactive user interface, whereby the report is configured to show the health of the fiber connections.