Hardware and software methodologies for dynamic resource allocation in virtualized flexible-grid optical networks
US9621313B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 2015 |
| Grant date | Apr 11, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0086
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for allocating spectrum of a flexible-grid optical network to a plurality of virtual links. Given a set of optical channels of different line rates and channel widths, a user can reserve one of the optical channels as a long-term reservation. The user can later elect to downgrade its optical channel to a smaller optical channel with lower line rate and less spectrum, for example, when the user's traffic demands decrease. The user may return (e.g., sell or de-allocate) an amount of unused spectrum to the carrier, and the carrier creates and manages a resource pool to gather unused spectrum from users. When the user's traffic increases, the user may obtain (e.g., purchase) additional spectrum from the carrier's resource pool and/or upgrade the user's optical channel to an optical channel having a higher line rate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.