Optical Switching Patents (Class 398/45)
  • Patent number: 9106484
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus is provided for optimizing network data communications. At an extender device, a data signal is received at a host link port across a data cable that is interfaced with the host link port. The host link port is configured to receive the data signal. The data cable is configured to carry management communications and data communications between a switch host device and the extender unit device. The data signal is split into data signal components. Each of the data signal components comprises a ten gigabit per second portion of the data signal. The data signal components are sent to one or more network devices via one or more corresponding data transmission ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Ping Peng, Norman Tang, David Lai, Anthony Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9100138
    Abstract: A method for automatic topology discovery implemented in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) network is disclosed. The WDM network contains a number of wavelength switching devices, and the method starts with selecting an unassigned wavelength between a pair of wavelength switching devices. For a first port of a first wavelength switching device, a pass through state is configured between the first port and a coupling port of the first wavelength switching device, and a first probing signal is sent at the unassigned wavelength to the first wavelength switching device. The method continues with detecting iteratively the first probing signal at the unassigned wavelength through each of a set of ports of a second wavelength switching device during a time period, and recording a connection between the first port of the first wavelength switching device and a port of the second wavelength switching devices when the first probing signal is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Ming Xia, Björn Skubic, Stefan Dahlfort
  • Patent number: 9071394
    Abstract: A system, method, and optical switch for communicating timing. A determination is made whether one of a number of data streams are available. Packets are received at a remote node in response to determining one of the number of data streams is available. A timing characteristic of the at least one of the packets is associated with a tick of a reference clock. The tick of the reference clock is extracted utilizing the timing characteristic of the at least one of the packets. A secondary clock is disciplined with the reference clock by adjusting the secondary clock based on a difference between times measured by the reference clock and the secondary clock to generate a clock signal. The clock signal is communicated to one or more interfaces for distributing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Gregory A. Wolfe, Michael Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 9054999
    Abstract: A method and system for static routing in a TRILL network is disclosed. Routing bridges in the TRILL network use LLDP discovery to identify their next hop routing bridges. A data packet, with an inner header specifying a MAC address of a destination host, is sent by a source host and received by an ingress routing bridge. The ingress routing bridge encapsulates the data packet with a TRILL header and an outer header and sends the data packet to a next hop routing bridge on path to the destination host. The next hop routing bridge determines it is not the egress routing bridge for the data packet and sends the data packet onward to the egress routing bridge. The egress routing bridge decapsulates the data packet and forwards the data packet to the destination host specified in the inner header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chandramouli Radhakrishnan, Daljeet Singh
  • Patent number: 9048974
    Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) transport network comprising a plurality of optical fan-out devices and a first plurality and a second plurality of demultiplexers for locally dropping selected wavelengths; and first plurality and a second plurality of multiplexers for locally adding selected wavelengths, the first and second plurality disposed in a cascaded relationship to enable selective coupling between network degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Philip Wisseman
  • Publication number: 20150147060
    Abstract: A hybrid electro-optical data center system includes multiple tiers. A bottom tier has one or more bottom tier instances, with each bottom tier instance including one or more racks, an electro-optical switch corresponding to each rack, and a first bottom tier optical loop providing optical connectivity between the electro-optical switches of the respective bottom tier instance. At least one server within each rack is electrically connected to the respective electro-optical switch and at least one super-server within each rack is electrically and optically connected to the respective electro-optical switch. A top tier includes electro-optical switches, each electrically connected to an electro-optical switch in a respective bottom tier instance, a first top tier optical loop providing optical connectivity between the electro-optical switches of the top tier, and one or more optical add/drop modules providing optical connectivity between the first bottom tier optical loop and the first top tier optical loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Ankitkumar N. Patel, PHILIP NAN JI, YAWEI YIN
  • Publication number: 20150147057
    Abstract: Techniques for placing a first fibre channel (FC) switch into maintenance mode in a virtualized computing environment in which each data store is connected to at least one host computing system via at least two FC switches are described. In one embodiment, a first active input/output (I/O) path from a data store to a host computing system via the first FC switch is identified. Further, a path change is initiated from the data store to the host computing system via any other FC switch coupled to the data store and the host computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: VMWARE, INC.
    Inventors: JINTO ANTONY, Sudhish Panamthanath Thankappan
  • Publication number: 20150131990
    Abstract: An optical switch includes: a first birefringent element; a first Faraday rotator; a first half-wave plate; a second birefringent element; a second half-wave plate; a second Faraday rotator; and a third birefringent element, which are arranged in a forward direction from the front, wherein the first birefringent element splits light in the forward direction from a first optical port into ordinary and extraordinary lights emitted onto first and second optical paths, respectively, the first and second half-wave plates are arranged on the first and second optical paths, respectively, and in the first and second Faraday rotators, a permanent magnetic field in a left-right direction and an external magnetic field in a front-back direction in an on state are applied to a Faraday element, a bidirectional optical path is formed between the first and second optical ports in an off state, and the optical path is interrupted in the on state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ono
  • Publication number: 20150131989
    Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed including a node having a switch for communicating traffic from input interface to output interface; and a control module, located proximate to the input interface, output interface and switch, comprising a communication interface configured to connect to a third communication link external to the node and having a processor accessing network node configuration information and being configured to compute a path to a destination node through the output interface with the network node configuration information and also configured to be switched from a first state in which the processor provides first instructions to the switch to configure the switch to communicate the traffic from the input interface to the output interface, to a second state in which the processor provides second instructions, received via the communication interface, to the switch to configure the switch to communicate traffic from the input interface to the output interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Sharfuddin Syed, Ping Pan, Abhinava Shivakumar Sadasivarao, Chris Liou
  • Patent number: 9031407
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses data vortex architecture with bidirectional links in which the packets are routed both in forward as well as in reverse directions through a single node. The disclosed arrangement avoids any packet congestion in the network and improves the BER characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
    Inventors: Vinod Chandra, Devi Chadha, R. G. Sangeetha
  • Patent number: 9025956
    Abstract: A system for routing signals in a Distributed Antenna System includes a plurality of local Digital Access Units (DAUs) located at a Local location. Each of the plurality of local DAUs is coupled to each other and operable to route signals between the plurality of local DAUs. Each of the plurality of local DAUs includes one or more Base Transceiver Station (BTS) RF connections. Each of the plurality of BTS RF connections is operable to be coupled to one of one or more sectors of a BTS. The system also includes a plurality of remote DAUs located at a Remote location. The plurality of remote DAUs are coupled to each other and operable to transport signals between the plurality of remote DAUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Dali Systems Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Shawn Patrick Stapleton, Sasa Trajkovic
  • Patent number: 9025616
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer having a set of input ports and a set of output ports, the optical multiplexer/demultiplexer configured to demultiplex a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal to one port of the set of input ports, and to output a plurality of demultiplexed wavelength channels to one of a plurality of subsets of output ports within the set of output ports. The apparatus comprises an optical switch configured to route the wavelength division multiplexed signal to a selected one of the input ports, thereby causing the plurality of demultiplexed wavelength channels to be output by the optical multiplexer/demultiplexer to selected ones of the plurality of subsets of output ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Long Chen
  • Patent number: 9025623
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for implementing self-adaption of cross granularity in an Optical Transport Network (OTN). The method includes: acquiring an optical interface side OTN service signal which has been processed by a frame-forming chip, and performing determination on the frame header of an Optical channel Data Unit (ODU) frame of the current level in the OTN service signal; when frame-alignment is determined to be successful, performing level-by-level de-multiplexing processing on the ODU frame of the current level to obtain cross granularities of different levels, selecting output channels for the cross granularities of different levels, performing mapping processing on the output cross granularities of different levels to form fixed rate service signals, and outputting the fixed rate service signals to back board ports, where the signals are transmitted to a cross board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Ruimin Ma, Hongbing Zou, Haiping Hao
  • Patent number: 9020346
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using PAM format(s) over optical communication networks. In certain embodiments, the communication interface is used by various devices within a spine-leaf network architecture, which allows large amount of data to be shared among servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Inphi Corporation
    Inventor: Sudeep Bhoja
  • Patent number: 9020344
    Abstract: A unified network and elements thereof, including a switch fabric, is provided. The switch fabric may include a plurality of transport elements and a first signal-communication media. The transport elements may be adapted to communicatively couple and to communicate, via the first signal-communication media, transport signals adapted for communication among any of the plurality of transport elements. At least one transport element may be further adapted to communicate, via a second signal-communication media, signals and/or sets of signal originating from and/or terminating to one or more network nodes. Each of the electrical signals may be formatted in accordance with a protocol for electrical signals. And one or more of the transport signals may include the electrical signals in adapted form. Additionally and/or alternatively, one or more of the transport signals may be formed from, or as a function of, the electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Zephyr Photonics
    Inventor: Jason Blain Stark
  • Patent number: 9020347
    Abstract: A network is described in which a base optical point-to-point (P2P) network can be reconfigured to a target network topology. This reconfigurable architecture customizes the network topology for different classes of applications to maximize throughput. In particular, the network can function efficiently at high-radix and low-radix traffic patterns. This capability is obtained using configurable electrical circuit switches at each node in the network. These configurable electrical circuit switches can be set so that incoming packets are directly routed to a specified output (either a local destination or an outgoing optical link) without: delay, contention, or buffers. In this way, predefined network topologies can be configured with improved node-to-node bandwidths when compared to the original P2P network by leveraging unused optical links. Furthermore, because the electrical circuit switches can be reconfigured, the network topology can be dynamically reconfigured to suit applications or application phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Pranay Koka, Herbert D. Schwetman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9020345
    Abstract: A method for establishing an end-to-end service is provided in the present invention, which includes: acquiring link information in a network and multi-stage multiplexing capability constraint information supported by gateway network elements; when an end-to-end path computation request is received, according to the link information and the multi-stage multiplexing capability constraint information, performing an end-to-end routing computation to acquire an end-to-end routing, and selecting a multi-stage multiplexing capability used on a gateway network element passed by the end-to-end routing; and configuring the end-to-end service, and configuring the selected multi-stage multiplexing capability on the gateway network element passed by the end-to-end routing. A system for establishing the end-to-end service, an optical transport network and a signal transmission method thereof are also provided in the present invention, which can all implement the interconnection between new networks and old networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Xihua Fu, Xinling Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150110488
    Abstract: A configurable Clos network includes leafs and spines and a switch fabric that connects the leafs and the spines. The switch fabric couples each leaf port of each leaf to at least one spine port of each spine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Schlansker, Jose Renato G. Santos, Michael Renne Ty Tan, Guodong Zhang, Shih-Yuan Wang, Jean Tourrilhes
  • Publication number: 20150110487
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for distributing a fabric name to switching elements of a distributed switch configured to forward Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frames. A distributed switch membership distributed (DMFD) message is transmitted that includes names of all switching elements in the distributed switch, and further includes a fabric descriptor that contains the fabric name.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joachim FENKES, Roger G. HATHORN, Sriharsha JAYANARAYANA, Henry J. MAY, Daniel SENTLER, Sudheer R. YELANDURU
  • Patent number: 9014562
    Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system includes a plurality of optical line terminals which may be part of separate in service networks, each having a line interface and an all-optical pass-through interface including a plurality of pass-through optical ports, and each also including a plurality of local optical ports which are connectable to client equipment and an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer for multiplexing/demultiplexing optical wavelengths. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer may include one or more stages for inputting/outputting individual wavelengths or bands of a predetermined number of wavelengths, or a combination of bands and individual wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Coriant Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ornan A. Gerstel, Rajiv Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 9014151
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-rate traffic signal transmission on Optical Transport Networks (OTN). The method includes: defining a frame format of the low-rate traffic optical channel data unit (ODU) signal for bearing the low-rate traffic signal; mapping the low-rate traffic signal to the low-rate traffic optical channel payload unit (OPU) of the low-rate traffic ODU signal, generating overhead bytes and filling the bytes in an overhead section of the low-rate traffic ODU to obtain the low-rate traffic ODU signal; multiplexing low-rate traffic ODU signals to an ODUk signal of which the rate matches the transmission rate rank of the OTN where the signal is transmitted, and transmitting the signal via the OTN. Based on this method, the invention provides an apparatus for the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN as well. With this invention, the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN can be implemented conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shimin Zou
  • Patent number: 9014557
    Abstract: An optical intensity control system for use with an optical switch providing individual signal paths between input and output ports. The system has optical splitters connectable to output multiplexers of the switch and has variable optical intensity controllers (VOICs) for insertion into the individual signal paths to individually control the intensity of optical signals present in the signal paths via intensity control signals. An equalizer is connected to the splitters and to the VOICs produces an estimate of the optical power of each individual switched optical signal and generates the intensity control signals. The equalizer is adapted to controllably isolate individual switched optical signals. In this way, individual and independent control of the power on each optical channel is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC
    Inventors: Alan Frank Graves, John G. Gruber, Andrew John Bryant
  • Publication number: 20150104169
    Abstract: Bandwidth translation may be provided. First, data may be transceived at a first data port. Next, the data may be transceived at a plurality of second data ports. The bandwidth of a path for the data between the first port and the plurality of second ports may be translated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman Tang, Liang Ping Peng, David Lai, Anthony Nguyen, D. Brice Achkir, Marco Mazzini
  • Patent number: 9008500
    Abstract: The invention discloses a system, a method and an apparatus for optical network protection. The system includes: an output control apparatus for obtaining protection mode information configured by a system and controlling an input signal to be output from a set line corresponding to said protection mode information; and a detection control apparatus for detecting powers of signals transmitted on an active line and on a standby line, if it is determined that the active line is abnormal and the standby line is normal according to detection results, then controlling the input signal to be output from a protection line corresponding to the protection mode information; if it is determined that the active line is normal, or that the active line and the standby line are abnormal according to the detection result, then controlling the input signal to be output from a set line corresponding to the protection mode information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Hongbing Zou
  • Patent number: 9008514
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention relate to An optical node comprising of at least two optical degrees; a plurality of directionless add/drop ports; and at least one wavelength equalizing array, wherein the at least one wavelength equalizing array is used to both select wavelengths for each degree, and to perform directionless steering for the add/drop ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventors: Mark E. Boduch, Kimon Papakos
  • Patent number: 9008510
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a methodology for designing a large-scale non-blocking OCS using a multi-stage folded CLOS switch architecture for use in datacenter networks and fiber-rich backbone network POPs. One aspect employs a folded CLOS architecture because of its ease of implementation, enabling the topology to scale arbitrarily with increasing number of stages. The fraction of ports allocated for internal switch wiring (overhead) also increases with the number of stages. Design decisions are made to carefully optimize the insertion loss per module, number of ports per module, number of stages and the total scale required. Other embodiments include folded CLOS switch architectures having at least two stages. In one example, power monitoring may be included only on the leaf switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoxue Zhao, Amin Vahdat, Hong Liu
  • Publication number: 20150098698
    Abstract: An automated, robotic patch-panel system in a highly compact form factor implementing Knots and Braids switching algorithms is disclosed. This system incorporates stacked layers of connector ports, each row of connector ports defining an arc with a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature is substantially larger than the total height of the stacked layers. A synchronized gripper pair on a three axis actuation system is used to disconnect, weave and connect fibers arbitrarily across an array of dense connector ports on a curvilinear surface. Each row of connector ports is independently translatable by slight rotation to generate the proper relationship between surrounding fibers and the individual fiber undergoing the multi-step reconfiguration process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: TELESCENT INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Stephen Kewitsch
  • Patent number: 9002202
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the resource utilization of the switching fabric in a SONET/SDH multiplexer by switching data on a TU level instead of byte or column level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Tejas Networks Limited
    Inventors: Prashant Prabhakar Dabholkar, Devendra Kumar Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 9002194
    Abstract: A multi-path provisioning scheme is provided to ensure full protection while reducing or minimizing resource overbuild. A signal to be provisioned is divided at a source node into a plurality of sub-signals that are independently routed from the source node to a destination node. Bandwidth for back-up traffic B is allocated in addition to bandwidth for primary traffic T. In some embodiments, the initial bandwidth B of the backup traffic equals the bandwidth of the primary traffic. The T+B traffic is initially distributed so that no link carries more than B traffic. The traffic distribution pattern is then iteratively revised to reduce the bandwidth requirements for the backup traffic while still meeting requirements for protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Ming Xia, Stefan Dahlfort
  • Publication number: 20150093109
    Abstract: A transparent clock converter is interposed between a non-precision time protocol (non-PTP) enabled network node and other portions of the network. The transparent clock converter effectively converts the non-PTP node into a transparent clock node. In some embodiments the transparent clock converter includes physical layer devices, but not media access controllers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Joergensen
  • Patent number: 8995832
    Abstract: The present principles are directed to a transponder aggregator-based optical loopback in a multi-degree colorless, directionless, contention-less, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer. The multiplexer includes a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer section for performing connect operations for wavelength division multiplexing signals among all degrees. The section has a plurality of subsections. Each of the subsections corresponds to a respective one of the degrees and has an optical separator at an input side and an optical combiner at an output side. The multiplexer further includes a transponder aggregator section having a split-and-select switch-based transponder aggregator. The multiplexer also includes an optical line loopback having a connection path between the optical separator at the input side and the optical combiner at the output side of at least one of the subsections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: NEC Laboratories America, Inc., NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Philip N. Ji, Yoshiaki Aono, Ting Wang
  • Publication number: 20150078746
    Abstract: A system and method for connectivity configuration of a network node permits an optical signal to be passed through the node and shifted from a first connector position to a second connector position that is offset from the first connector position. The shifted optical signal permits a number of distant nodes in the network to be reached with a direct optical connection, which can be configured to be bidirectional. The disclosed connectivity configuration reduces the cabling requirements for the network and simplifies the interconnections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Derek E. Spock, Ruoding Li
  • Publication number: 20150078747
    Abstract: An optical line terminal (OLT) device and an implementation method thereof, relate to the field of a passive optical network (PON). The OLT device includes an interface unit for receiving data in an Ethernet format sent by a service processing apparatus, performing protocol processing on the received data in the Ethernet format, converting the data after the protocol processing into a transmission signal corresponding to a sending interface, and then transmitting the transmission signal to an external device, as well as receiving message data sent by the external device, converting the message data for protocol processing corresponding to the service processing apparatus, converting the signal after the protocol processing into data in the Ethernet format, and transmitting the data to the service processing apparatus; the service processing apparatus performing service processing on the data transmitted by the interface unit, and transmitting the processed data to the interface unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Yan, Rongqin Yan, Zhenli Yang, Mingshi Sun, Wei Huang, Yongfeng Zhou
  • Publication number: 20150078745
    Abstract: A system and method for designing and constructing optical networks is provided. The system comprises: a server, and interactive software program residing on the server, an interactive input device—capable of accessing the interactive software program residing on the server, and a communication network—used to connect the interactive input device to the server. The method comprises: entering network topology information and service demands for a plurality of nodes into the interactive software program residing on the server, having the interactive software program determine the required optical equipment for the nodes, and ordering the required optical equipment for the nodes using the interactive software program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Kimon Papakos, Mark E. Boduch
  • Patent number: 8983292
    Abstract: A packet switch 40 comprises wavelength tunable optical transmitters 12, an optical switch fabric 42, optical detectors 30 and a controller 32. The transmitters 12 are arranged to receive at least one electrical signal packet to be switched and convert it into a corresponding optical signal packet at an input wavelength. The optical switch fabric 42 comprises an ingress stage 44 comprising wavelength selective routers 46 and an egress stage 50 comprising wavelength selective routers 54 and tunable wavelength converters 26 arranged to receive an optical signal at the input wavelength and to output an optical signal at an output wavelength. The controller 32 is arranged to set the input wavelength of a transmitter 12 and the output wavelength of a wavelength converter to configure a path across the switch fabric 42 connecting the transmitter 12 to a detector 30. A communications network router 90 comprises an input module 92, a packet switch 40, an output module 96 and a scheduler 94.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Francesco Testa, Antonio D'Errico
  • Patent number: 8983291
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to data communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using PAM format(s) over optical communication networks. In various embodiments, amplitude and phase of the optical wave are modulated. There are other embodiments as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Inphi Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Peter Edward Broekaert, Hari Shankar
  • Publication number: 20150071632
    Abstract: A network is described in which a base optical point-to-point (P2P) network can be reconfigured to a target network topology. This reconfigurable architecture customizes the network topology for different classes of applications to maximize throughput. In particular, the network can function efficiently at high-radix and low-radix traffic patterns. This capability is obtained using configurable electrical circuit switches at each node in the network. These configurable electrical circuit switches can be set so that incoming packets are directly routed to a specified output (either a local destination or an outgoing optical link) without: delay, contention, or buffers. In this way, predefined network topologies can be configured with improved node-to-node bandwidths when compared to the original P2P network by leveraging unused optical links. Furthermore, because the electrical circuit switches can be reconfigured, the network topology can be dynamically reconfigured to suit applications or application phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Pranay Koka, Herbert D. Schwetman, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150071636
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Junqiang Hu, Konstantinos Kanonakis, Ting Wang, Philip Ji
  • Patent number: 8977124
    Abstract: A system and method for optical switching of networks in a multi-node computing system with programmable magneto-optical switches that enable optical signal routing on optical pathways. The system includes a network of optical links interconnecting nodes with switching elements that are controlled by electrical control signals. Data transmission is along the optical links and an optical pathway is determined by the electrical control signals which are launched ahead of optical signal. If links are available, an optical pathway is reserved, and the electrical signal sets the necessary optical switches for the particular optical pathway. There is thereby eliminated the need for optical-electrical-optical conversion at each node in order to route data packets through the network. If a link or optical pathway is not available the system tries to find an alternative path. If no alternative path is available, the system reserves buffering. After transmission, all reservations are released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice McGlashan-Powell, Valentine Salapura
  • Patent number: 8977129
    Abstract: Various architectures of a multi-degree reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer with reduced contention are provided. These architectures allow the degree of contention reduction to be managed in a flexible and modular way. The degree of the node and the amount of add/drop at the node can also be managed in a flexible and modular way. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Trenton Gary Coroy
  • Publication number: 20150063799
    Abstract: A network device includes a plurality of optical input/output (I/O) units to exchange one or more optical signals with the optical network. The network device further includes a switch fabric to process one or more optical signals exchanged with an optical network. The network device also includes a connector configured to receive a connector to couple the network device to another device. The network device also includes a base layer connecting to the plurality of optical I/O units and the switch fabric. The base layer is included in a connection that does not include a back plane and that enables communications between the plurality of I/O units, the switch fabric, and the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Wellbrock, Tiejun J. Xia
  • Patent number: 8971711
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for assigning and processing a label in an optical network. The method includes: learning that a label switched path is required to be established in an optical network; generating a label, in which the label is used for indicating that a first optical channel data unit is multiplexed to a second optical channel data unit; the label includes a tributary slot type indication field that is used for indicating a tributary slot type of the second optical channel data unit, and the label further includes a tributary slot assignment indication field that is used for indicating a tributary slot occupied in the second optical channel data unit into which the first optical channel data unit is multiplexed; and sending the label to a node on the label switched path by a signaling message of GMPLS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Lin, Xiaobing Zi
  • Patent number: 8971320
    Abstract: The invention provides a control layer for an Optical Burst Switch (OBS) system, said system comprising at least one stage configured with a closed optical burst switch addressing scheme and one or more ports for sending or receiving data packets. The control layer comprises a control addressing scheme independent of the closed optical addressing scheme and means to provide interconnectivity for each port with every other port. In one embodiment there is provided a closed optical burst switch ring network. The control layer encapsulates or maps the optical data at a port into an independent packet format and passes the independent packet format into a queuing system for transmission by the optical burst switch ring network to a destination port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Intune Networks Limited
    Inventors: James Alexander Shields, John Dunne
  • Patent number: 8971723
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting the skew between parallel light signals generated from a serial data stream. The method can be used with polarization multiplexed signal, as well as with wavelength division multiplexed signals, spatial division multiplexed signals, phase modulated signals, or intensity modulated signals. The method can be used with direct detection schemes as well as with coherent detection schemes. The method is provided with: imprinting dips between a fixed number of transmitted symbols of the parallel signals; detecting an electrical signal related to the dips for each parallel signal; and comparing the electrical signals in delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Emmanuel Le Taillandier De Gabory, Kiyoshi Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 8971333
    Abstract: The disclosure claims a bandwidth adjustment method and system for Optical channel Data Unit flexible (ODUflex) based on a Generic Framing Procedure (GFP), wherein, the method includes that: (501) a source end sends a bandwidth adjustment control frame which contains bandwidth adjustment parameters; (503) a plurality of intermediate nodes forward the bandwidth adjustment control frame to a sink end via an ODUflex link, during the forwarding process, the plurality of intermediate nodes determine that resource thereof can satisfy the bandwidth adjustment parameters, and then reserve the bandwidth adjustment resource; (505) after receiving the bandwidth adjustment control frame, the sink end feeds back an adjustment acknowledgment frame which contains adjustment acknowledgment information to the source end via the plurality of intermediate nodes; (507) the plurality of intermediate nodes use the reserved bandwidth adjustment resource to implement adjustment for the bandwidth of the ODUflex link according to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Bin Luo, Xiao Pemg
  • Publication number: 20150055950
    Abstract: A system and method for interconnecting physical channels is provided. The system includes a port containing an optical receiver, a port control module, a route determination module, and a connectivity module. The port control module is operably connected to a first physical channel to receive a Fibre Channel frame comprising data and a data header. The route determination module selects a route between the port control module and the second physical channel according to the data header. The connectivity module is operably connected to the port control module and to the route determination module. The connectivity apparatus may switch frames between the port control module and the second physical channel under control of the route determination module in order to transfer Fibre Channel frames to the second physical channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Stuart B. Berman
  • Publication number: 20150055951
    Abstract: Recursive optimization algorithms can be used to determine which idle photonic switching elements to configure in N×N switching fabrics to achieve crosstalk suppression. Different algorithms are used to achieve different levels of optimization. Embodiment full optimization techniques may configure all inactive cells to reduce crosstalk, and consequently may provide the best noise performance and highest power usage. Partial optimizations may configure fewer than all inactive cells to reduce crosstalk, and may provide sub-optimal noise performance at lower power usages. Differential partial optimization algorithms configure inactive cells in different stages of a photonic switching fabric. Fewer than all cells in a given stage may be configured by some algorithms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hamid Mehrvar, Yi Qian, Patrick Dumais, Dominic John Goodwill, Eric Bernier
  • Patent number: 8965197
    Abstract: A node device in an optical transport ring network including plural node devices connected in a ring form using plural optical transmission paths so that optical transport frames of a working line and a protection line are transmitted using the plural optical transmission paths, includes a control information transmitter, when a failure occurs in the optical transmission paths, transmitting the optical transport frame to an opposing node device as a transmission destination node in the optical transmission paths, the optical transport frame including switching control information; and a switcher receiving the optical transport frame including switching control information, the optical transport frame being transmitted to the node device as the transmission destination node, forming a loop back to fold a transmission path between the plural optical transmission paths, and switching the optical transmission path from the work line to the protection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Shirai, Koji Takeguchi, Takashi Honda, Masahiro Shioda
  • Patent number: 8965203
    Abstract: The disclosure describes implementations of an apparatus including a plurality of racks, wherein each rack houses a plurality of networking devices and each networking device includes a communication port. An optical circuit switch can be coupled to each of the plurality of communication ports in one or more of the plurality of racks, and a plurality of top-of-rack (TOR) switches can be coupled to the optical circuit switch. Other implementations are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Amin Vahdat, Hong Liu, Ryohei Urata, Xiaoxue Zhao, Chris L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20150050015
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an array of electro-optical transducers, control circuitry, and a connector housing. The electro-optical transducers are configured to convert between electrical signals and respective optical signals conveyed over respective optical fibers. The control circuitry is configured, in response to a failure of a first electro-optical transducer in the array that is associated with a given optical fiber, to switch one or more of the electrical signals and the optical signals so as to replace the first electro-optical transducer with a second electro-optical transducer in the array in conveying an optical signal over the given optical fiber. The connector housing contains the array of the electro-optical transducers and the control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shmuel Levy, Elad Mentovich, Eyal Waldman, Shai Cohen, Evelyn Landman, Sylvie Rockman