Ciena Corporation

Larry Babineau

Trevor John Ibach

Eric Maniloff

Trevor Donald Corkum

Wang-Hsin Peng

Hassan Dayfallah

Joanne Wilde

Eric S Maniloff

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for fast digital signal processor (DSP) optical receiver recovery, namely for optical modems configured on a client side. This approach can be used in optical protection switching (OPS) applications to allow switching between two client links fast, i.e., within 50 ms. A receiver (Rx) digital signal processor (DSP) in an optical receiver includes circuitry configured to detect traffic is interrupted on a current link, enter a holdoff period, and one of i) receive good traffic during the holdoff period and ii) have the holdoff period expire that causes a notification to a host device and retrain to acquire an optical signal.

Fast optical receiver recovery on client side using optical interconnects with DSPs

Systems and methods for Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) control for the physical layer on Optical Transport Unit (OTU) ports provide the ability of the TCM status to directly control client laser state (on/off) so that protection engines and coordination between modules is not required. The systems and methods include receiving a specific defect such as a Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) defect or a Server Signal Fail (SSF) defect from interface circuitry; propagating the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry to an interface associated with a modem including a physical port connected to a network; and selectively disabling a laser in the modem based on the specific defect, e.g., the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry.

TCM control for physical layer on OTU ports

A network element configured to operate in an Optical Transport Network (OTN) network includes one or more modules including a first regenerator port and a second regenerator port, wherein the one or more modules are configured to provide a Low Order (LO) regenerator function; and circuitry configured to detect the one or more modules are part of the LO regenerator function, and, responsive to detection of a fault on the first regenerator port, cause forward traffic conditioning at a High Order (HO) path to the second regenerator port. The forward traffic conditioning can include an Alarm Indication Signal (AIS) on the HO path.

Low order regenerator with high order traffic conditioning in optical transport network

A network element includes a client port configured to receive a signal for transmission; a line port configured to transmit the signal to a far end via Optical Transport Network (OTN); circuitry configured to communicate one or more of a fault and a status associated with the signal to the far end via OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the fault and utilizes one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers in the OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the status and utilizes one or more of Optical Data Unit (ODU) Performance Monitoring (PM) and one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers.

Generic non-client specific protection via TCM status and enhanced OTN network propagation of client faults

Optical protection devices are provided for protecting client equipment in an optical communication system. According to one implementation, a protection device includes a passive optical coupler configured to combine optical signals from a plurality of input paths, where the passive optical coupler is further configured to provide the output signals along an optical output path. The exemplary protection device further includes one or more interrupters configured to allow at most one input from a plurality of optical inputs via the plurality of input paths to be provided to the passive optical coupler at one time.

Optical protection devices having passive splitter/couplers and built-in interrupters

Systems and methods for generic non-client specific 1+1 protection are described supporting a uni-directional protection scheme for client interfaces on Optical Transport Network (OTN) networking equipment, regardless of the client protocol and without hardware which can participate in those client protocols. This generic non-client specific 1+1 protection can be implemented in an OTN node, an OTN switching device, or via an OTN method. Faults on client signals are escalated to, and processed at, the ODU path layer instead of the client protocol layer, providing a normalized mechanism for client signal protection.

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Larry Babineau