Optical Switching Patents (Class 398/45)
  • Patent number: 8315518
    Abstract: A technique for transmitting an optical signal along an optical wavelength path through an optical network having a plurality of network nodes is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for transmitting an optical signal along an optical wavelength path through an optical network having a plurality of network nodes. Such a method may comprise transmitting a first message from a first node to a second node requesting an optical wavelength path from the first node to at least the second node, and simultaneously configuring the first node for transmitting an optical signal along the optical wavelength path from the first node to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Zhonghui Yao, Jeffrey Fitchett, Kent Felske
  • Patent number: 8315267
    Abstract: In asynchronous optical packet switches, scheduling packets from a buffer randomly will cause less efficient utilization of the buffer. Additionally, reordering of packets may cause problems for service quality demanding applications. According to the present invention a new electronic buffer scheduling algorithm is proposed and a switch utilizing this algorithm is disclosed. The algorithm is designed for utilizing the buffer resources efficiently, still avoiding serious packet reordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Transpacket AS
    Inventor: Steinar Bjornstad
  • Publication number: 20120288277
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus and method for serial and parallel channel interworking in an optical transport network are provided. The transmission apparatus for serial and parallel channel interworking ensures interworking between parallel optical modules or between parallel and serial optical modules, regardless of a protocol, without having to add logics or with only a minimum number of logics, in order to manufacture a small-size optical module with low power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jong-Yoon SHIN, Jong-Ho KIM, Ji-Wook YOUN
  • Publication number: 20120287410
    Abstract: The invention relates to a maskless lithography system for patterning a target using a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The system comprises an electron optical column including a blanker array for modulating the beamlets. The blanker array includes receivers for receiving data signals and blanker elements for modulating the beamlets in accordance with the data signals. The system further comprises a data path comprising a preprocessing system for processing pattern data and a plurality of transmission channels for transmitting processed pattern data to the blanker elements. The data path further comprises a pattern streaming system for receiving pattern data and generating data signals. First and second channel selectors connect a subset of selected transmission channels for pattern data transmission. The first channel selector is connected between the preprocessing system and the transmission channels. The second channel selector is connected between the channels and the blanker elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: MAPPER LITHOGRAPHY IP B.V.
    Inventors: Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland, Teunis Van De Peut, Floris Pepijn Van Der Wilt, Ernst Habekotte
  • Patent number: 8311410
    Abstract: The polarization direction of an optical signal is changed by a polarization controller so as to be orthogonal to a main axis of a polarizer. A control pulse generator generates control pulses from control beam with a wavelength which is different from the wavelength of the optical signal. The optical signal and the control pulse are input to a nonlinear optical fiber. In the nonlinear optical fiber, the optical signal, during a time period in which the optical signal and the control pulse coincide, is amplified with optical parametric amplification around a polarization direction of the control pulse. The optical signal, during the time period in which the optical signal and the control pulse coincide, passes through the polarizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shigeki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20120281983
    Abstract: There is provided a source node apparatus including: a Bandwidth Resize (BWR) generator configured to insert an InRP signal and an InTSCC signal into OPUflex Resize Control Overhead (RCOH) and to transmit the resultant OPUflex RCOH; and a BWR relay generator configured to insert an Resizing Protocol indicator (RP) signal and a Tributary Slot Connectivity Check (TSCC) signal into higher order OPUk RCOH with reference to the InRP signal and the InTSCC signal included in the OPUflex RCOH transmitted by the BWR generator, and transmit the resultant higher order OPUk RCOH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Ji-Wook YOUN, Jong-Yoon SHIN, Jong-Ho KIM
  • Patent number: 8306025
    Abstract: A method for implementing the subscriber port positioning by broadband access equipments, includes: when the subscriber initiates an access request, the multi-port terminal equipment captures the access request message, adds the subscriber basic information into the access request message, and transmits it to the office equipment; the single-port terminal equipment forwards the access request message to the office equipment directly; the office equipment captures the access request message, adds the terminal basic information into the access request message and forwards it to the broadband access server; for the multi-port terminal equipment, the terminal basic information and the subscriber basic information comprises the subscriber port positioning information; for the single-port terminal equipment, the terminal basic information is taken as the subscriber port positioning information; after the broadband access server receives the access request message, it extracts the subscriber port positioning informa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Lin Ji, Liquan Yuan, Huannan Ma
  • Publication number: 20120275787
    Abstract: A fiber channel over Ethernet (FCoE) network component, comprising a first FCoE data forwarder (FDF) configured to couple to a second FDF and to a third FDF, wherein the first FDF is configured to receive a FCoE frame from the second FDF and send the FCoE frame to the third FDF, wherein the frame comprises a destination address and a fiber channel (FC) payload, and wherein the first FDF does not change the destination address of the frame when the first FDF forwards the frame to the third FDF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: FUTUREWEI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yijun Xiong, Haotao Pan, Yue Chang
  • Publication number: 20120275785
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for reconfiguration of a circuit-switched ring network to a packet-switched ring network is provided. The method may include, for each adjacent pair of network elements in a network bridging traffic between the pair of network elements via a second path other than a first circuit switched-based path directly coupling the pair. The method may also include provisioning packet switched-based network interfaces on each of the pair of network elements. The method may additionally include establishing a packet switched-based path directly between the packet switched-based network interfaces. The method may further include switching traffic from the first path to the packet switched-based path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Shyam Kumar Dasamaneni, Pravin Murugesh Lingayath
  • Publication number: 20120275786
    Abstract: An optical line termination node has a first connection arrangement for connecting a working fibre, a second connection arrangement for connecting a protection fibre, a transceiver arrangement having first primary link and a first secondary link, and protection switching means configured for being switched either in a working operating state or in a protection operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ADVA AG OPTICAL NETWORKING
    Inventor: Klaus Grobe
  • Publication number: 20120275788
    Abstract: A group of K data units received consecutively is arranged by a first device. The arranged K data units are sent to the inputs of M devices, and a group of Hj data units of the arranged K data units are transferred by a device j of the M devices. The data units sent to the devices of the M devices are arranged such that no two inputs of the devices of the M devices transferring receive the same data unit at any moment. A second device combines and arranges the K data units from the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units appear at the output of the second device consecutively, and a length of time gap between data units in a data switching network is shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Chun-Yin Li, Alexander Ping-Kong Wai, Victor On-Kwok Li
  • Publication number: 20120268596
    Abstract: Sensing apparatus includes a network camera, which is configured to capture images of a scene and to output a sequence of data packets containing digitized video data responsively to the images. A one-way link is coupled to the network camera so as to transmit the data packets from the network camera to a packet communication network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: WATERFALL SECURITY SOLUTIONS LTD.
    Inventors: Lior Frenkel, Amir Zilberstein
  • Patent number: 8295699
    Abstract: A device may include a first optical port configured to receive an optical signal and a demultiplexer to spatially separate the optical signal into multiple optical signals. Each of the multiple optical signal may have a different carrier wavelength. The device may also include a switch element with plasmons. The switch element may receive one of the multiple optical signals, direct the received one of the multiple optical signals, and couple energy of the plasmons to energy of the directed optical signal. The device may further include a second optical port. The second optical port may receive the directed optical signal with the coupled energy of the plasmons, and transmit the received, directed optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Roman Egorov, Stuart Elby
  • Patent number: 8295700
    Abstract: A distributed packet switch to control data packet flows in a network is described. The distributed packet switch includes a means for operating over an asynchronous burst optical closed fiber medium. The distributed packet switch also includes at least one control system provided at a node to control data packet flow characteristics, such that the switch is configured to operate dependent on at least one efficiency parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Intune Technologies
    Inventors: James A. Shields, John Dunne, Thomas Farrell
  • Patent number: 8295703
    Abstract: Where add optical signals have k different bit rates, an add controller is connected to k (<N) of N input ports and sends the add optical signals to the k input ports to perform add control. A drop controller is connected to m (<M) of M output ports and performs drop control on optical signals from the m output ports. The k input ports of an N×M wavelength selective switch and the add controller are connected by k links (L1 to Lk) which have introduced therein dispersion compensators for compensating chromatic dispersions of the add optical signals with the respective bit rates. The add controller selects a link through which an add optical signal is to be passed for dispersion compensation, and sends the signal to the N×M wavelength selective switch via the selected link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akira Miura, Hiroki Ooi, Takafumi Terahara
  • Patent number: 8295698
    Abstract: A network of global coverage, scalable to hundreds of petabits per second, comprises bufferless switch units each of dimension n×n, n>1, arranged in a matrix of ? columns and ? rows, ?>1, interconnecting a maximum of ?×n edge nodes. Each edge node has ? upstream channels to ? switch units in ? different columns and ? downstream channels from ? switch units in ? different rows. All upstream channels to a switch unit are time-locked to the switch unit, thus enabling coherent switching at the switch unit. The switch units are preferably fast-switching optical nodes. Alternatively, the switch units may comprise fast-switching optical nodes each of dimension m×m, arranged in a first ?×? matrix, and latent space switches each of dimension n×n, n>1, arranged in a second ?×? matrix, ?>1, where ?×m=?×n. An edge node time locks to each optical node and each latent space switch to which it connects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Inventor: Maged E Beshai
  • Publication number: 20120263462
    Abstract: A network processor for performing residential gateway processing tasks. The network processor includes a first cluster of packet processors and a second cluster of packet processors, wherein each of the first cluster and the second cluster includes a main packet processor and a secondary packet processor, wherein the main packet processor performs at least routing of incoming packets and the secondary packet processor performs off-loading tasks for the main packet processor; a plurality of Ethernet media access control (MAC) adapters for interfacing with a plurality of subscriber devices connected to a residential gateway; an external-network MAC adapter for interfacing with a wide area network (WAN) connected to the network processor; and an ingress handler for at least load balancing the processing of packets between the first cluster and the second cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: BROADLIGHT, LTD.
    Inventors: Asaf Koren, Ifat Naaman, Eliezer Weitz, Alex Goldstein, Yariv Aviram
  • Publication number: 20120257891
    Abstract: Embodiments enable an Ethernet over Coaxial (EoC) Coaxial Media Converter (CMC) that implements only a subset of the functions (e.g., MAC and PHY) of a cable modem termination system (CMTS). The CMC sits between an optical line terminal (OLT) and a plurality of cable modems (CMs) that it serves. From the network management side at the OLT, the CMC appears and can be managed like an optical network unit (ONU). From the subscriber side, the CMC provides the same connectivity functions to the CMs as a CMTS and serves to terminate coaxial connections from the CMs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Wayne Boyd, Joel I. Danzig, Ernie Bahm, Lawrence Drew Davis
  • Patent number: 8285140
    Abstract: A system including first and second sending nodes, a horizontal optical data link (ODL) having optical signals propagating in opposite directions in first and second waveguide segments, a vertical ODL having optical signals propagating in the same direction throughout third and fourth waveguide segments, a first optical output switch operatively connecting the first sending node and the first waveguide segment and configured to switch first data item onto the first waveguide segment during a first timeslot, a second optical output switch operatively connecting the second sending node and the second waveguide segment and configured to switch second data item onto the second waveguide segment during a second timeslot, and an optical coupler pair operatively connecting the first and second waveguide segments to the third and fourth waveguide segments, respectively, and redirecting the first and the second data items from the horizontal to the vertical ODL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Oliver McCracken, Pranay Koka, Herbert Dewitt Schwetman, Jr., Xuezhe Zheng, Ashok Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8285145
    Abstract: In a dense wavelength division multiplexed optical network, an upgradeable, modular, colorless, directionless, reconfigurable add/drop multiplexer having a small form factor. By using wavelength selective switches and couplers, the above features are achieved without the need for photonic cross connects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip N. Ji, Yoshiaki Aono, Hiromitsu Sugahara, Ting Wang
  • Patent number: 8285141
    Abstract: An asymmetrical and dynamic routing system (ADRS) is provided to enable the dynamic adjustment of the bandwidth capacity of two or more network devices exchanging data. The two or more network devices monitor their current bandwidth demand between themselves and others in a network and a first network device can transmit bandwidth request to a second network device when the first network device reaches transmission bandwidth capacity. Each network device is further configured with additional transmit and receive ports and can be selectively enabled in response to a bandwidth request from other network devices. Each network device is further configured to generate control signals that are sent to optical mirrors to re-direct data signals to or from the one or more enabled additional transmit and receive ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
    Inventors: James Q. Crowe, Peter Brennan Doerr, Andrew Dugan
  • Publication number: 20120251106
    Abstract: A node comprising a packet network interface, an ethernet switch, an optical port, and a distribution engine. The packet network interface adapted to receive a packet having a destination address and a first bit and a second bit. The ethernet switch is adapted to receive and forward the packet into a virtual queue associated with a destination. The optical port has circuitry for transmitting to a plurality of circuits. The distribution engine has one or more processors configured to execute processor executable code to cause the distribution engine to (1) read a first bit and a second bit from the virtual queue, (2) provide the first bit and the second bit to the at least one optical port for transmission to a first predetermined group of the plurality of circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Radhakrishna Valiveti, Ping Pan, Ravi Tangirala, Edward E. Sprague, Rajan Rao, Biao Lu
  • Patent number: 8280251
    Abstract: A system for transmitting data, including: a transmitter node having a setup path packet and multiple data packets; a receiver node connected to the transmitter node by a first optical channel (OC); and a first intermediate node having a first forwarding module and connected to the transmitter node by a second OC and to the receiver node by a third OC, where the transmitter node transmits the setup path packet and a first subset of the multiple data packets to the first intermediate node using the second OC, where the first forwarding module relays, in response to receiving the setup packet, the first subset to the receiver node by switching the first subset from the second OC to the third OC, and where the receiver node receives a second subset of the multiple data packets from the transmitter node using the first OC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Pranay Koka, Herbert Dewitt Schwetman, Jr., Xuezhe Zheng
  • Patent number: 8280257
    Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce passband side-lobes associated with WSS-based ROADMs by applying a filter on each channel are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a comb filter, such as a thin film filter or an interleaver, is utilized. Additionally, the present invention provides systems and methods to adaptively control amplifier target power and per wavelength target power to maintain signal launching power as per design in networks with WSS-based ROADMs. Accordingly, signal OSNR does not collapse faster than other similar configured system without WSS-based ROADM. In order to correct amplifier target power, the present invention utilizes system information about side-lobe size and OSNR at each amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaohui Yang, Zhonghua Zhu
  • Patent number: 8280259
    Abstract: An optically-switched fiber optic communication system, such as a Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) based optical fiber link system, may be used to increase the range of peer-to-peer communications. The optically-switched fiber optic communication system may include a head-end unit (HEU) having an optical switch bank. Fiber optic cables comprising optical fibers optically couple the HEU to one or more remote access points in different coverage areas. The optical switch bank in the HEU provides a link between the remote access points in the different coverage areas such that devices in the different cellular coverage areas can communicate with each other over the optical fibers through the HEU. By using the optically-switched fiber optic communication system, the range and coverage of communication between devices may be extended such that devices in different coverage areas and devices using different communication protocols can communicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jacob George, Michael Sauer, Dean M. Thelen
  • Publication number: 20120243867
    Abstract: An optical communication system is disclosed. The optical communication system includes a reflection hub connected to a plurality of communication modules. The communication modules communicate optical signals to one another via two way light channels, such that an optical signal is scattered off a diffuse surface at a distal end of the reflection hub and into the two way light channel of each communication module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Brian R Merrill, Philip Chamberlain
  • Publication number: 20120237216
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for transmitting data and a gigabit-capable passive optical network system, which method comprises: a transmitter carrying indication information in an uplink or a downlink frame transmitted to a receiver for enabling the receiver to discard information which does not need to be processed by the receiver in the uplink or downlink frame according to the indication information. The data type transmitted by GPON systems is expanded and the idle bandwidth is effectively handled by the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Weiliang Zhang, Dan Geng
  • Patent number: 8270830
    Abstract: Leaf switches and spine switches in a Clos network are interconnected by optical fibers. The network enables large numbers of servers or other apparatus to communicate with each other with minimal delay and minimal power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fusion-IO, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter E Kirkpatrick, Jean-Marc Verdiell, Marc Epitaux
  • Publication number: 20120224845
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for administrative boundaries in a single domain optical network such as emulation of an External network-network interface (ENNI) using an Internal-Network to Network Interface (INNI). For example, in a single monolithic domain, a network and associated network elements may discover network elements, build topology, compute paths, establish new calls, etc. A user may identify/mark specific links as emulated “ENNI” links with the specific links actually being INNI links. As a call traverses this emulated link, a new call is initiated (much in the same way a new call segment would be created for a call). Signaling proceeds as normal. When the call set-up is fully complete, instead of a single call segment, many call segments exists. Advantageously, this allows use of INNI control plane features while allowing a network operator to future-proof their network by installing call segments at future boundary points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Gerard L. SWINKELS, Darek Skalecki, Manuel Damas
  • Publication number: 20120224851
    Abstract: A bandwidth variable communication method is provided that enables effective use of frequency bandwidths in which the bit rate is constant in every optical path. The bandwidth variable communication method includes, when a network management apparatus sets or changes an optical path that passes through plural communication apparatuses, measuring or obtaining an optical signal quality deterioration amount in a route of the optical path; selecting a modulation format in which a spectrum bandwidth is the narrowest from among modulation formats by which transmission is available on conditions of the optical signal quality deterioration amount and a desired bit rate B (bit/s); and exchanging control information between the network management apparatus and a control unit of each communication apparatus on the optical path route. A bandwidth variable communication apparatus receives the control information, and changes a passband based on the received control information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidehiko Takara, Masahiko Jinno, Atsushi Watanabe, Kozicki Bartlomiej, Yoshiaki Sone, Akira Hirano, Takafumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8260133
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that provide a distributed restoration signaling protocol for shared mesh restoration with standbys for transparent optical networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Guangzhi Li, Angela Lan Chiu, Robert Duncan Doverspike, John L. Strand
  • Patent number: 8259377
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for delayed optical logic gates based on slow light and enhanced nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes, where a single or multiple delayed optical routers are utilized for dark resonance interactions in which two-color lasers interact with a three-level nonlinear optical medium comprised of two ground states and one excited state through the nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes. The delayed optical logic mechanism is based on combination of single or multiple dark resonance-induced two-photon coherence conversion via slow light phenomenon. The two-photon coherence induced on the ground states is optically detected via nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes. The nondegenerate four-wave mixing generation is enhanced owing to dark resonance or electromagnetically induced transparency. The delayed optical logic gates have potential to keep up ultra-high-bandwidth optical information processing using relatively slow electronic processing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Inha-Industry Partnership Institute
    Inventor: Byoung-Seung Ham
  • Publication number: 20120219292
    Abstract: Systems and methods for switching optical signals are disclosed. A switch may include a plurality of inputs, at least one coupling element operably connected to two or more of the plurality of inputs and a splitting element operably connected to the at least one coupling element. Each of the plurality of inputs may receive one of a plurality of input signals. The at least one coupling element may be configured to combine at least two of the input signals into a combined output signal. The splitting element may be configured to demultiplex the combined output signal to produce a plurality of demultiplexed output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: ACCIPITER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: David Jeffrey Graham, David Markham Drury, Eric John Helmsen
  • Publication number: 20120213515
    Abstract: Methods and systems for aggregating service groups are provided. A chain of fiber nodes in a DOCSIS system is formed to aggregate the service groups served by the fiber nodes to form a super-service group. Multiple channels of a multiplexed data stream are used to transmit the signals from the super-service group. By creating a chain of fiber nodes and using multiple channels to transmit the signals from the super-service group, a DOCSIS system can be more efficiently reconfigured to segment a super-service group once the system has become exhausted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Zoran Maricevic, Marcel F. Schemmann, Zhijian Sun, Dean Painchaud, Jeffrey L. Sauter, William P. Dawson
  • Publication number: 20120213516
    Abstract: An optimal resource utilization method and system is disclosed. The method includes monitoring an optical network comprising optical cross connect (OXC) nodes comprising regenerators and connected by links. Communication paths each comprising a group of OXC nodes connected by links of said links are selected. Routing demands, working communication paths, and protection communication paths are selected. A computer processor assigns successive links a wave length and allocates regenerators to multiple successive links. The computer processor positions a first group of the regenerators along the working communication paths and positioning a second group of regenerators along the protection communication paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Amitava Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 8249449
    Abstract: A buffer device includes at least one internal switching unit and at least one basic buffer unit. The internal switching unit includes at least two inputs and at least two outputs. The internal switching unit and the basic buffer unit form a closed connection by alternating with each other via one input of the two inputs and one output of the two outputs. Another one of the at least two inputs of the internal switching unit receives a light wave. The internal switching unit outputs the light wave according to a first control signal. The basic buffer unit buffers the lightwave from the internal switching unit. At the same time, a network node and a scheduling method are also provided. A network node with the buffer device has a small scale and is easy to realize, while the data packet loss rate is decreased and the head of line blocking is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Zhang, Yongkang Pan, Qingbo Su, Sheng Wang, Du Xu
  • Patent number: 8249451
    Abstract: A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising creating a port restriction matrix comprising a plurality of port restrictions, and compressing the port restriction matrix. Included is a method comprising establishing a port wavelength restriction data for an optical component, establishing a port connectivity data for the optical component, and transmitting the port wavelength restriction data and the port connectivity data to a path computation element. Also included is an apparatus comprising a path computation client configured to communicate data to a path computation element, wherein the data comprises a port restriction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Young Lee, Greg Bernstein
  • Patent number: 8249454
    Abstract: There is provided an abnormal light cut-off system in which even when a high power light is inputted from an optical fiber connected to a user side apparatus by a malicious user or an accident, a trouble rate is low, the abnormal light is cut off at high sensitivity, and security is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiki Sugawara, Yusuke Yajima, Tohru Kazawa
  • Patent number: 8244133
    Abstract: A simple optical waveband multiplexer/demultiplexer operable to separate a wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM consisting of a plurality of wavebands WB each including a plurality of optical channels, into a predetermined plurality of wavebands WB, and output the separated plurality of wavebands WB from a plurality of output ports, wherein the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM is transmitted through two array waveguides each capable of performing a demultiplexing function with a resolution corresponding to wavelengths of the optical channels, and a characteristic of sequentially shifting the output ports by one position with shifting of input ports by one position, whereby the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM is separated into a plurality of wavebands WB each including the mutually different optical channels selected from the optical channels included in the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM, and the separated wavebands WB are outputted from the plurality of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: National University Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Ken-ichi Sato, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Shoji Kakehashi, Osamu Moriwaki, Shin Kamei, Kenya Suzuki, Yoshihisa Sakai, Kouichi Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20120201535
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a plurality of signals at a plurality of ports, each of the signals having a protocol type; mapping each of the signals to one or more time slots of one of a plurality of Low Order Optical Transport Network (OTN) containers; mapping the Low Order OTN containers to a High Order OTN container; mapping the High Order OTN container to a High Order OTN envelope for communication over an OTN; and, in connection with the mapping of the High Order OTN container to the High Order OTN envelope, for each of the signals, inserting into the High Order OTN envelope information identifying the port that the signal was received at, the protocol type of the signal, the Low Order OTN container that the signal was mapped to, and one or more of the time slots that the signal was mapped to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Gilberto Loprieno, Davide Codella, Federico Scandroglio
  • Patent number: 8238743
    Abstract: A router comprising an interface module (IM), having an optical path and an electrical path and a speed sensor coupled between an input of the router and an input of the IM. The speed sensor is adapted to receive a packet and detect a speed of the IM connection and in response to the speed of the IM connection being above a threshold value, the speed sensor provides the packet to the optical path of the IM and in response to the relative speed being below the threshold value, the speed sensor provides the packet to the electrical path of the IM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P
    Inventor: Elizabeth Suet H. Tse-Au
  • Patent number: 8238365
    Abstract: A method and device for supporting optical transmission network service dispatch in an optical synchronization network, said device comprises service cards (401, 407), backplane interface (404) and a plurality of dispatch units (405, 406), wherein, the service cards (401, 407) process the service signals and distribute them to the backplane structure frame according to the bandwith of the service signals, and connect with the corresponding dispatch units (405, 406) through the backplane structure frame, and then the dispatch units (405, 406) execute the service dispatch. Said dispatch units (405, 406) can work independently from each other, and the dispatch units can be added linearly according to the bandwidth of the signal. The present invention can compatibly implement the uniform dispatch of the ODU and SDH service on the basis of the existing optical synchronization device without changing the backplane frame structure or increasing the backplane speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Yi Zhao, Chu Ke
  • Publication number: 20120195591
    Abstract: A computing system includes: a plurality of tightly coupled processing nodes; a plurality of circuit switched networks using a circuit switching mode, interconnecting the processing nodes, and handling data transfers that meet one or more criteria; and a plurality of electronic packet switched networks, also interconnecting the processing nodes, handling data transfers that do meet the at least one criteria. The circuit switched networks and the electronic packet switched networks operate simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Benner, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Eugen Schenfeld, Craig Brian Stunkel, Peter A. Walker
  • Patent number: 8233795
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for medium access control (MAC) in an optical packet-switched network. The MAC apparatus may comprise a bandwidth allocation module and an MAC processor. The bandwidth allocation module determines a data transmission limit based on a probabilistic quota plus credit mechanism for each node of the network, dynamically informs all downstream nodes of unused quota and allows the downstream nodes to use remaining bandwidths of the upstream node. Through a control message carried by a control channel, the MAC processor determines uploading, downloading and data erasing for a plurality of data channels, and updates the corresponding contents in the control message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shi-Wei Lee, Yu-Min Lin, Maria C. Yuang, I-Fen Chao, Bird C. Lo
  • Patent number: 8233794
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch (WSS) based on an array of MEMS mirrors tiltable in 1-dimension about only one axis exhibits “hitting” or unwanted port connections during switching. Two WSS's can be cascaded to create M×N switching functionality in a hitless manner by the inclusion of block ports at specified positions in one or both of the WSS's. Greater use efficiency of ports can be achieved if quasi-hitless performance is acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Colbourne, Sheldon McLaughlin, Stephen Robert de Hennin, Pierre D. Wall
  • Publication number: 20120189305
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for routes separation in ASON services, wherein the method comprises: calculating a route between each of different calls or each of different services of a same call in an automatic switched optical network (ASON); wherein if there are enough network resources, then sett the routes of the respective services to be independent from each other; and if there are not enough resources, then set the routes of the respective services to be partially overlapped or completely overlapped. According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the problem in relevant art that the routes carrying each of the services cannot be sufficiently separated or the network resources cannot be sufficiently used is solved, thus not only multiple services using the same path can be avoided but also the situation that routes cannot be found while there are enough resources can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hui Yang, Baojian Qiu
  • Patent number: 8229300
    Abstract: An optical switch controller controls an optical interconnection network that variably connects at least one input data channel to a plurality of outputs channels via at least one switching element. An address reader module has at least one semiconductor optical amplifier optically processes an optical signal. The address reader module obtains information by reading a data tag from the input data channel, and outputs an address control signal based on the information. The address control signal can be used to control switching elements in the optical interconnection network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ericsson AB
    Inventors: Antonella Bogoni, Luca Poti, Nicola Andriolli, Mirco Scaffardi, Gianluca Berettini, Piero Castoldi
  • Publication number: 20120183291
    Abstract: An HO ODU signal input to an optical transmission apparatus is disassembled into LO ODUs. LO ODUs specified to form an aggregated ODU are disassembled not into individual LO ODUs but into a unit of an LO ODU group that forms an aggregated ODU. Clock extraction and an alarm process are performed not for the individual LO ODUs but for each aggregated ODU. This eliminates the need for a hardware configuration for performing the clock extraction and the alarm process in units of LO ODUs, leading to saving of hardware resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuji TOCHIO
  • Patent number: 8223773
    Abstract: Disclosed are an optical line terminal in a gigabit passive optical network and a method for transmitting a broadcast frame using the same. The optical line terminal allocates second port identifiers to optical network units such that a broadcast frame is prevented from being retransmitted to an optical network unit which has transmitted the broadcast frame to the optical line terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kyeong-hwan Doo, Bin-yeong Yoon, Dong-soo Lee
  • Patent number: 8218575
    Abstract: A method for shortening the length of time gaps between data units in a data switching network; the method comprising: arranging a group of K data units received consecutively at an input of a first device in K time units, where K is a positive integer; sending the arranged K data units to the inputs of M devices, where M is a positive integer; transferring a group of Hj data units of the arranged K data units by a device j of the M devices from its inputs to its outputs within a time unit Tx in the K unit time period, where Hj is a positive integer and the sum of Hj for j=1, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Versitech Limited
    Inventors: Chun-Yin Li, Alexander Ping-Kong Wai, Victor On-Kwok Li