Systems and methods for optical dark section conditioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016072575-A1
Application number	US-201514940308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2013
Publication date	Mar 10, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for optical dark section conditioning includes determining a section in an optical network is a dark section that includes connected fiber spans that are functional with no traffic carrying channels present thereon; and causing generation of at least one of broadband noise and a signal at a head end of the dark section. An apparatus configured to perform optical dark section conditioning includes logic configured to determine a section in an optical network is a dark section that includes connected fiber spans that are functional with no traffic carrying channels present thereon; and logic configured to cause generation of at least one of broadband noise and a signal at a head end of the dark section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for optical dark section conditioning, the method comprising:
determining a section in an optical network is a dark section that comprises connected fiber spans that are functional with no traffic carrying channels present thereon; and causing generation of at least one of broadband noise and a signal at a head end of the dark section.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a power target for each amplifier in the dark section based on the at least one of broadband noise and the signal.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the power target for each amplifier is set such that a first set of channels added in the dark section require minimal adjustments for each amplifier.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing a first amplifier in the dark section to disable an automatic shutoff mode; setting a power target for the first amplifier such that a second amplifier is also not in the automatic shutoff mode; and setting a power target for each subsequent amplifier in the dark section.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting perturbations over the dark section without the traffic carrying channels present thereon and enrolling traffic based thereon.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the perturbations comprise any of fiber faults, changes in span loss, amplifier shut-off, loss of signals or light, and high reflection.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the enrolling traffic is through a control plane.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
utilizing the at least one of broadband noise and the signal to bring up Raman amplifiers in the dark section.

9 . An apparatus configured to perform optical dark section conditioning, the apparatus comprising:
logic configured to determine a section in an optical network is a dark section that comprises connected fiber spans that are functional with no traffic carrying channels present thereon; and logic configured to cause generation of at least one of broadband noise and a signal at a head end of the dark section.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to set a power target for each amplifier in the dark section based on the at least one of broadband noise and the signal.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the power target for each amplifier is set such that a first set of channels added in the dark section require minimal adjustments for each amplifier.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to cause a first amplifier in the dark section to disable an automatic shutoff mode; logic configured to set a power target for the first amplifier such that a second amplifier is also not in the automatic shutoff mode; and logic configured to set a power target for each subsequent amplifier in the dark section.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to detect perturbations over the dark section without the traffic carrying channels present thereon and enroll traffic based thereon.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the perturbations comprise any of fiber faults, changes in span loss, amplifier shut-off, loss of signals or light, and high reflection.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the traffic is enrolled through a control plane.

16 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to utilize the at least one of broadband noise and the signal to bring up Raman amplifiers in the dark section.

17 . A module configured to perform optical dark section conditioning, the module comprising:
optical components configured to generate at least one of broadband noise and a signal at a head end responsive to a determination that a section associated with the module is a dark section that comprises connected fiber spans that are functional with no traffic carrying channels present thereon.

18 . The module of claim 18 , wherein a controller is configured to set a power target for each amplifier in the dark section based on the at least one of broadband noise and the signal.

19 . The module of claim 18 , wherein a controller is configured to detect perturbations over the dark section without the traffic carrying channels present thereon and enroll traffic based thereon.

20 . The module of claim 18 , wherein a controller is configured to utilize the at least one of broadband noise and the signal to bring up Raman amplifiers in the dark section.

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Al Sayeed Choudhury A
• Miedema David
• Berg Loren S
• Bownass Dave C

Classifications

• H04B10/032 Primary

  using working and protection systems {(H04J14/0287 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04J14/02216

  by gain equalization · CPC title

• H04B10/0777 Primary

  Monitoring line amplifier or line repeater equipment · CPC title

• H04B10/2935

  with a cascade of amplifiers · CPC title

• H04J14/0202

  Arrangements therefor · CPC title