The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 12, 2019
Filed:
Jul. 27, 2015
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ), Stockholm, SE;
Roberto Magri, Pisa, IT;
Alberto Deho, Genoa, IT;
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ), Stockholm, SE;
Abstract
According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for providing protection of an optical link. The apparatus comprises a first port for coupling to the optical link and a second port for coupling to a further optical link. The apparatus further comprises a third port configured to receive an upstream optical signal to be transmitted over the optical link, and to output a downstream optical signal received over the optical link. The apparatus further comprises protection switching apparatus operable to selectively couple the third port to the first port or to the second port. The apparatus further comprises modifying apparatus configured to modify the upstream optical signal, received at the third port, before it is output from the first port, such that the switching upstream optical signal has a distinctive physical characteristic. The apparatus further comprises detecting apparatus, coupled between the first port and the third port, configured to receive a portion of an incoming optical signal, received at the first port, and to selectively detect the presence of the upstream optical signal or the downstream optical signal in the portion of the incoming signal based on the distinctive physical characteristic. The apparatus further comprises control circuitry configured to provide a control signal to the protection switching apparatus based on an output from the detecting apparatus.