Optical Multiplexer Port Grouping for Router-WDM Association Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical communication systems lack efficient methods to manage and control the many-to-many relationships between routers and optical nodes, leading to inadequate interaction management between these components.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that logically associates the ports of routers with optical nodes by partitioning them into exclusive port groups, allowing better control and management of data communications through virtualization and dynamic or static port group assignments based on router requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a router is directly connected to multiple optical nodes, then the router can access multiple wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks, but the router requires multiple Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) ports and the complexity of manually configuring the router increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical multiplexer as an intermediary device between routers and optical nodes. The multiplexer consolidates multiple SONET ports into a single interface connected to the router, while providing connections to multiple optical nodes. This mediator eliminates the need for the router to have multiple SONET ports and simplifies configuration by centralizing the mapping logic in the multiplexer rather than the router.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network functionality by separating the router from direct connections to optical nodes. Instead of the router directly connecting to multiple nodes, the connection path is segmented through the optical multiplexer, which handles the complex routing and wavelength mapping functions, allowing the router to maintain a simplified single-connection interface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a router is directly connected to multiple optical nodes, then the router can access multiple WDM networks, but the number of Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) ports required on the router increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple SONET port functions into a single interface by using an optical multiplexer. The multiplexer combines the connectivity to multiple optical nodes through wavelength division multiplexing, allowing a single SONET port on the router to effectively access multiple WDM networks that would otherwise require multiple separate ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical multiplexer provides multi-functionality by enabling a single router interface to access multiple WDM networks simultaneously. The multiplexer's ability to perform wavelength conversion and routing allows one SONET port to serve multiple network destinations, making the router interface universal rather than dedicated to a single network.
3Reliability
If wavelength routing and assignment is performed manually, then configuration can be controlled, but the complexity of manually configuring the router increases and time-consuming errors are prone to occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated wavelength routing and assignment functionality within the optical multiplexer. The system can automatically perform wavelength conversion, routing decisions, and configuration updates without requiring manual intervention. This automation maintains configuration control through programmed logic while eliminating the errors and complexity associated with manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that allow the optical multiplexer to monitor and adjust wavelength assignments automatically. The system can detect network conditions, optimize routing paths, and update configurations based on real-time feedback, maintaining reliability while reducing manual operational complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus includes a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to partition a set of ports of an optical multiplexer into a set of port groups including a first port group having a first set of ports and a second port group having a second set of ports mutually exclusive from the first set of ports. The processor is configured to associate the first port group with a first router and associate the second port group with a second router. When the optical multiplexer is operatively coupled to the first router and the second router, the first router is operatively coupled to the optical multiplexer via the first set of ports and not the second set of ports, and the second router is operatively coupled to the optical multiplexer via the second set of ports and not the first set of ports.