Optical Transceiver Spectrum Coordination for Fast Protection Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In optical line protection schemes, the requirement for the working and protect lines to use the same optical spectrum leads to inefficiencies, particularly in spectrum retuning, which can take tens of seconds to minutes, hindering fast protection switching and traffic restoration due to the inability to find available spectrum on either line during faults.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a spectrum coordination system using a control plane, management system, and/or Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller to manage network resources, allowing the optical transceiver to switch to a different frequency if the initial frequency is not available on the new route, thereby minimizing retuning and enabling faster protection switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If spectrum coordination is implemented to allow frequency changes on inactive paths, then protection switching speed is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for control plane, management system, and SDN controller coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control plane, management system, and SDN controller as intermediary components that coordinate spectrum allocation between active and inactive paths. These intermediaries manage the frequency coordination process, allowing the optical transceiver to switch frequencies on inactive paths without direct intervention during protection switching, thereby improving switching speed while distributing system complexity across multiple coordination layers
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary spectrum coordination by pre-configuring frequency availability on inactive paths before faults occur. The control plane and management system proactively manage spectrum resources, ensuring that when a protection switch is needed, the inactive path is already prepared with appropriate frequency allocation, eliminating retuning delays during actual switching events
2Adaptability or versatility
If the optical transceiver retunes to a different frequency when the initial frequency is unavailable, then spectrum utilization is improved, but switching time increases due to the retuning process taking tens of seconds to minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the control plane and management system pre-coordinate spectrum availability on inactive paths before faults occur. This ensures that when a protection switch is needed, the frequency is already allocated and ready on the inactive path, eliminating the need for time-consuming retuning operations during actual switching events
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic spectrum coordination where frequency allocation on inactive paths can change based on network conditions and fault scenarios. The control plane and SDN controller dynamically manage spectrum resources, allowing the inactive path to be configured with appropriate frequencies in advance, enabling fast switching without retuning delays while maintaining high spectrum utilization
3Quantity of substance
If a single optical transceiver is used on both working and protect lines, then cost is reduced, but the requirement for same optical spectrum on both lines causes retuning issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control plane, management system, and SDN controller as intermediary components that coordinate spectrum allocation between the working and protect lines. These intermediaries manage the frequency coordination process, allowing the single optical transceiver to switch frequencies on the inactive path without direct intervention during protection switching, thereby reducing equipment cost while distributing coordination complexity across multiple system layers
Solution Approach 2:
The single optical transceiver is designed to perform multiple functions by operating on different frequencies on the working and protect lines. The transceiver can be tuned to appropriate frequencies based on which path is active, allowing one device to replace what would traditionally require two separate transceivers, thereby reducing cost while maintaining operational flexibility through frequency coordination
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include, responsive to a fault affecting an optical service on an active path in an optical network operating at a frequency μ1 via an optical transceiver and having optical line protection via an optical protection switch, switching to an inactive path that now becomes the active path and finding a new route in the optical network for the inactive path that has the fault; responsive to being unable to find a route at the frequency μ1, switching the inactive path to a new route at a different frequency μ2; and implementing spectrum coordination relative to the inactive path to either determine the frequency μ1 is available on the new route or to find another new route for the inactive path where the frequency μ1 is available.