Ciena Corporation

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Steven Arvo Surek

Kevin S Meagher

Eddie Fung

Martin C Nuss

Jean-Luc Archambault

Darek Robert Skalecki

Ted Kirk Woodward

Anurag Prakash

Ramesh Nagarajan

Mohit Chhillar

John P Mateosky

Matthew William Connolly

John K Oltman

Jeffrey Scott Moynihan

Jeffery Thomas Nichols

Muhammad A Qureshi

Yang Cao

Alexander Young

Lawrence J Nociolo

William M Buchanan

Jack Mateosky

Michael Scott Brown

Gary Swinkels

Alexander Gurd Young

An Optical Transport Network (OTN) fault localization method, an iterative OTN fault localization method, and an OTN network use OTN tandem connection monitors operating in a 'Monitor' mode to provide fault localization. The methods and network use TCMs for fault localization that can be performed manually or automatically to isolate a fault in a multi-domain OTN network to a particular link, switching fabric, or transport function. Additionally, a roles-based assignment scheme is presented for automatically assigning TCM levels between domains and links in multi-domain OTN networks. The fault localization methods enable fault localization in an automated and non-intrusive manner.

Fault localization using tandem connection monitors in optical transport network

A method for operating an optical network (ON) using a control plane (CP), including: identifying, by the CP, a failure of a client facility connecting a network element of the ON and a client device; and terminating, by the CP and in response to identifying the failure, an optical connection through the ON for the client device.

Optical network connection termination on client facility failure

An Optical channel Data Unit flex (ODUflex) resizing method, node, and network include determining that the ODUflex needs resizing, wherein the ODUflex is configured in the network on a current path between the node and a second node in the network; when the resizing is a decrease, reducing a size of the ODUflex by i) a resize decrease operation using a control plane or ii) a Link Aggregation Group and Make-Before-Break operation; and, when the resizing is an increase, increasing a size of the ODUflex by i) a resize increase operation using a control plane or ii) a Link Aggregation Group and Make-Before-Break operation. The method provides hitless resizing without using ITU Recommendation G.7044/Y.1347 (10/11) and can perform the reducing or the increasing changing bandwidth of the ODUflex by approximately 100 G in less than a second.

ODUflex resizing systems and methods

A network element implemented method includes receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, monitoring a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection, and periodically transmitting pause frames to a device associated with the Ethernet connection, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill. A network element includes a first port receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, a second port transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, and monitor circuitry configured to monitor a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection and cause the first port to periodically transmit pause frames, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill.

Adaptive Ethernet flow control systems and methods

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for geographically-diverse redundant servers and the like interconnected via wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) systems with managed path differential delay of the WDM systems. The present disclosure provides transport systems and methods incorporating absolute time references, such as global positioning system (GPS) time references and/or the like, and selective buildout delays, such as first-in, first-out (FIFO) buildout delays and/or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the transport systems and methods of the present invention are used in conjunction with the International Business Machine Corporation (IBM) Geographically-Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS) integrated, automated application and data availability solution to meet and/or exceed the associated 10 microseconds transmit/receive path differential delay requirement. Other comparable uses are also contemplated herein, as will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Geographically-diverse redundant servers over optical connections with managed path differential delay

Systems and methods for extended reach low differential latency optical networking with optical amplifiers and dispersion compensation modules configured to minimize latency between transmit and receive paths are provided. Additionally, systems and methods are provided for incorporating absolute time references wherein the relative accuracy of clock time between various servers used in various multi-site enterprises is required. The transport systems and methods are used in conjunction with low differential latency systems. The transport systems and methods provide that the differential latency between transmit and receive directions is maintained within about +/&#x2212;5 microseconds of the transmit/receive path differential delay requirement in order to perform within the overall parameters of the low differential latency system architecture.

Telecommunications transport methods and systems for extended reach low differential latency

The present invention provides an Optical Transport Network (OTN) hierarchy that supports full transparency for both Ethernet and Telecom signals. The present invention defines new rates and mapping/multiplexing methods to adapt transparent 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GBE) (255/238 and 255/237) and 10 Gigabit Fibre Chanel (10 GFC) (255/237) to Optical Channel Transport Unit-3 (OTU3) at a higher rate. Additionally, the present invention defines new rates and mapping/multiplexing methods to adapt future transparent 100 GBE into an Optical Channel Transport Unit-4-extended (OTU4e) which is an OTU4 at a higher rate to support full transparency.

Optical transport network hierarchy for full transparent transport of datacom and telecom signals

The present invention provides systems and methods for mapping synchronous input signals, such as synchronous Ethernet, into Generic Framing Protocol (GFP) frames for using GFP directly on Optical Transport Network (OTN) while preserving the synchronous timing of the input signals. The present invention defines a mapping technique for GFP-based encapsulation that preserves timing information of an incoming client signal. The mapping technique makes use of the concept that a timing signal can be fractionally multiplied in frequency using factors that are ratios of integers without creating significant timing impairments.

Systems and methods for synchronous generic framing protocol mapping

The present invention provides telecommunications transport methods and systems for the transparent mapping/demapping of client data signals without the insertion/deletion of idle characters for client data signal rate adaptation. These methods and systems include mapping an incoming client data signal to and demapping an outgoing client data signal from a transport frame comprising: a first segment that is dedicated to client data; a second segment that is dedicated to fixed stuff, wherein the fixed stuff comprises, for example, network management information; a third segment that is dedicated to justification data for supporting a client data signal rate adaptation function; and a fourth segment that is dedicated to justification control information for indicating whether the third segment is used for client data or fixed stuff, wherein the justification control information is redundant for error protection purposes.

Telecommunications transport methods and systems for the transparent mapping/demapping of client data signals

The present invention provides byte-interleaving systems and methods for Optical Transport Unit N (OTUN) (i.e. Optical Transport Unit 4 (OTU4)) and 100 Gb/s (100 G) optical transport enabling multi-level optical transmission. The byte-interleaving systems and methods of the present invention support the multiplexing of sub-rate clients, such as 10 Gb/s (10 G) clients, 40 Gb/s (40 G) clients, etc., into two 50 Gb/s (50 G) logical flows, for example, that can be forward error correction (FEC) encoded and carried on a single wavelength to provide useful, efficient, and cost-effective 100 G optical transport today. Signaling format support allows these two 50 G logical flows to be forward compatible with an evolving OTU4 and 100 G signaling format without waiting for optical and electronic technology advancement. Signaling format support also allows an evolving standard 100 G logical flow (i.e. OTU4, 100 Gb/s Ethernet (100 GbE), etc.) to be carried as 2&#xd7;50 G logical flows, 4&#xd7;25 G logical flows, or other lower rate formats on a single wavelength.

Byte-interleaving systems and methods for 100G optical transport enabling multi-level optical transmission

In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides transport systems and methods incorporating absolute time references, such as global positioning system (GPS) time references and/or the like, and selective buildout delays, such as first-in, first-out (FIFO) buildout delays and/or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the transport systems and methods of the present invention are used in conjunction with the International Business Machine Corporation (IBM) Geographically-Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS) integrated, automated application and data availability solution to meet and/or exceed the associated 10 microseconds transmit/receive path differential delay requirement. Other comparable uses are also contemplated herein, as will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Transport systems and methods incorporating absolute time references and selective buildout delays

An arrangement that allows transmission of client signals with higher clock fidelity is achieved by developing a phase offset measure at an ingress node, communicating it to the egress node, and recovering the client's clock from the received data and from the received phase-offset information. The ability to recover the client's clock with high fidelity is enhanced by adaptive pointer processing in intermediate nodes and the egress node of the network that the client's signal traverses. The adaptive pointer processing filters incoming pointers from upstream nodes and injects new positive and negative pointer justifications in excess of what is minimally necessary to allow them to be filtered by successive nodes and insure proper transmission over a network that employs a protocol involving framing layer frames embedded in communication layer frames. Illustratively, the network protocol is an extended ITU Recommendation G.709 Digital Wrapper protocol, arranged to employ frames of 15240 columns by four rows.

Transparent sub-wavelength network

The present invention provides systems and methods for mapping and multiplexing wider clock tolerance signals in Optical Transport Network (OTN) transponders and multiplexers. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention allows wide tolerance signals, such as a 10 GbE with a &#xb1;100 PPM clock tolerance, to be 100% transparently mapped asynchronously into OTU2-LAN rate transport signals. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention allows wide tolerance signals, such as a 10 GbE with a &#xb1;100 PPM clock tolerance, to be 100% transparently multiplexed asynchronously in to OTU3-LAN rate transport signals. The present invention utilizes extra Negative Justification Opportunities (NJO) in either unused OPUk overhead or in OPUk payload area and Positive Justification Opportunities (PJO) in OPUk payload area. Advantageously, the extra NJO and PJO provide additional bandwidth for client data rate offsets beyond OTN specifications.

Systems and methods for mapping and multiplexing wider clock tolerance signals in optical transport network transponders and multiplexers

A network element for incorporating in nodes of a network that is a transparent, subwavelength networks. The element is configurable and adapted to support an arbitrary protocol, with protocol-specific monitoring features as well as protocol-independent add/drop capability. An arrangement that allows transmission of client signals with higher clock fidelity is achieved by developing a phases offset measure at an ingress node, communicating it to the egress node, and recovering the client's clock from the received data and from the received phase-offset information. The ability to recover the client's clock with high fidelity is enhanced by modified pointer processing in intermediate nodes of the network that the client's signal traverses. The pointer processing is modified to inject positive and negative justifications in excess of what is minimally necessary to insure proper transmission over a network that employs a protocol involving framing layer frames embedded in communication layer frames. Illustratively, the network protocol is an extended G.709 Digital Wrapper protocol, arranged to employ frames of 15240 columns by four rows.

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Leonardo, NJ, United States of America

Steven Arvo Surek