Communication network with skew path monitoring and adjustment

US7751713B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infinera Corp. · US

Inventors

• Drew D. Perkins · Saratoga, US
• David F. Welch · Atherton, US
• Ting-Kuang Chiang · Saratoga, US
• Charles H. Joyner · Sunnyvale, US
• Edward E. Sprague · Woodside, US
• Parthiban Kandappan · San Jose, US
• Stephen G. Grubb · Atherton, US
• Biao Lu · Cupertino, US
• Prasad Paranjape · Fremont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2007
• Grant date: Jul 6, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04J14/02
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention route a WDM signal across multiple communication paths using skew characteristics of at least some of the communication paths. The network is an optical transport network, using either circuit or packet based switching, and wavelength division multiplexed wavelengths and/or optical carrier groups (“OCGs”) over a fiber link to another node in the network. The plurality of communication paths involves different signal and path attributes such as a plurality of carrier wavelengths, optical carrier groups, physical communication paths (different nodes, different fibers along a same path, or any combination of the foregoing), or any other differentiating factors between two paths.