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:
Oct. 23, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2001
Gary Duerksen, College Park, MD (US);
John Lynn Shanton, III, Middletown, MD (US);
Seneca Networks, Rockville, MD (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a system for protection switching in a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication network including optical transponders within optical nodes. A work optical transponder receives a first work optical channel dropped by an optical add-drop multiplexer from an optical waveguide while a second work optical transponder adds a work optical channel to the optical add-drop multiplexer. Similarly, a first protect optical transponder is positioned to receive a protect optical channel dropped by the optical add-drop multiplexer while a second protect optical transponder is positioned to add a protect optical channel to the optical add-drop multiplexer. A detection element detects the strength of the optical channel received by the first work optical transponder; control means responsive to the means for detecting the strength of the optical channel received by the first optical transponder, the control means activating the second protect transponder and inactivating the second work transponder when the strength of the optical channel received by the first optical transponder falls below a preset level.