Provisionable keep-alive signal for physical-layer protection of an optical network

Abstract

A dual-output Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM2) and configurations of optical transmitters based on the MZM2 which obviate the optical splitter that is typically used to provide keep-alive functionality in redundantly-connected, protected optical networks, SONET add-drop multiplexers, and optical IP routers. The configurations provide equivalent keep-alive utility at a reduced system cost relative to the prior art. The configurations also support enhanced Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) functionality at little to no additional cost relative to the prior art. Instead of being a direct copy of the service signal, the keep-alive of this configuration is an inverted version of the service signal. This inverted version of the service signal is supported at a client by utilization of means for detecting and righting the inverted signal. The inverted state of the signal on the protection path can be used as an inband indicator to notify the client in the event of a failure on the service path. This inband indicator requires little or no additional circuitry to accommodate. Another aspect of this invention allows the provisionable substitution of the inverted signal with a preemptive signal to support low-priority traffic when there is no fault on the service path S.