Method and apparatus for hitless routing of optical signals in an optical transport network
US7907844B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 2007 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 20, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J3/1652
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method is provided for routing optical signals in an optical transport network. The method includes: separating an incoming optical multiplexed signal having a plurality of wavelength-channels embodied therein into two or more channel groups, where each channel group has a subset of the wavelength-channels and channels to be routed hitlessly in a given channel group are adjacent to a channel free region; providing a wavelength selective element for each wavelength-channel to be routed hitlessly; and routing a given wavelength-channel by tuning the corresponding wavelength selective element to either the given wavelength-channel or a channel free region adjacent to the given wavelength-channel. Providing a channel free region next to each channel to be routed allows the use of inexpensive tunable elements, which typically cause hits as they tune, to effect hitless routing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.