Automated provisioning and control of shared optical spectrum in submarine optical networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9853762-B2
Application number	US-201414560758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods of sharing optical spectrum between a plurality of users of a submarine optical system includes receiving one or more optical signals from the plurality of users of the submarine optical system, wherein each of the plurality of users are assigned a slice of optical spectrum on the submarine optical system; monitoring each of the one or more optical signals to determine compliance with one or more constraints; and adding the one or more optical signals to the submarine optical system if compliant with the one or more constraints.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, implemented in a spectrum partitioning device, of sharing optical spectrum between a plurality of users of a submarine optical system, the method comprising:
receiving one or more optical signals from respective Submarine Line Terminating Equipment (SLTE) associated with each of the plurality of users of the submarine optical system, wherein each of the plurality of users are assigned a slice of optical spectrum on the submarine optical system, wherein each respective SLTE is separate from and operates independent from the spectrum partitioning device and is not under the control of an operator of the spectrum partitioning device; and
for each of the received optical signals,
continuously monitoring the optical signal to determine compliance with respective one or more constraints in the assigned slice,
selectively switching the optical signal to a common port connected to the submarine optical system in the assigned slice if compliant with the respective one or more constraints, and
selectively switching a power management signal in the assigned slice to the common port for addition to the submarine optical system if not compliant with the respective one or more constraints.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more constraints relate to spectrum width and total output power of each of the optical signals.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adding a power management signal in unallocated spectrum on the submarine optical system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the slices of the optical spectrum is defined with a total output power and a power spectral density mask that is monitored for compliance thereto.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more constraints comprise a total output power and/or a power spectral density mask for a specific slice of the optical spectrum.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if the one or more optical signals for a specific slice are above a defined threshold, inducing a tilt on the one or more optical signals to maintain total output power for the specific slice.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
preventing access by each of the plurality of users to other portions of the optical spectrum besides their assigned slice.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical signals are added to a cable interfacing a wet plant of the submarine optical system, the wet plant comprising repeaters that operate in a total output power mode, and wherein the associated SLTE forming the one or more optical signals is demarcated and operated separately from the wet plant.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step, the monitoring step, and the adding step are performed by a spectrum partitioning device independent from the associated SLTE.

10. A spectrum partitioning device for sharing optical spectrum between a plurality of users of a submarine optical system, the spectrum partitioning device comprising:
N input ports each configured to receive one or more optical signals from respective Submarine Line Terminating Equipment (SLTE) associated with each of the plurality of users of the submarine optical system, wherein each of the plurality of users are assigned a slice of optical spectrum on the submarine optical system, wherein each respective SLTE is separate from and operates independent from the spectrum partitioning device and is not under the control of an operator of the spectrum partitioning device;
a common port coupled to a wet plant of the submarine optical system; and
a wavelength switching component configured to selectively switch one of the N input ports to the common port,
wherein, for each of the received optical signals, the spectrum partitioning device is configured to
continuously monitor the optical signal to determine compliance with respective one or more constraints in the assigned slice,
add the optical signal to the submarine optical system in the assigned slice if compliant with the respective one or more constraints, and
add a power management signal in the assigned slice for addition to the submarine optical system if not compliant with the respective one or more constraints.

11. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more constraints relate to spectrum width and total output power of each of the optical signals.

12. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein the wavelength switching components are configured to add a power management signal in unallocated spectrum on the submarine optical system.

13. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein each of the slices of the optical spectrum is defined with a total output power and a power spectral density mask that is monitored for compliance thereto.

14. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more constraints comprise a total output power and/or a power spectral density mask for a specific slice of the optical spectrum.

15. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein, if the one or more optical signals for a specific slice are above a defined threshold, the wavelength switching components are configured to induce a tilt on the one or more optical signals to maintain total output power for the specific slice.

16. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein the wavelength switching components are configured to prevent access by each of the plurality of users to other portions of the optical spectrum besides the assigned slice.

17. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein associated SLTE forming the one or more optical signals is demarcated and operated separately from the wet plant with repeaters in the wet plant operating in a total output power mode.

18. The spectrum partitioning device of claim 10 , wherein the wavelength switching components are a Wavelength Selective Switch.

19. A submarine optical system, with users each responsible for theft own associated head end equipment, the submarine optical system comprising:
a wet plant; and
a spectrum partitioning device between the wet plant and respective Submarine Line Terminating Equipment (SLTE) associated with each of the users, wherein each of the users are assigned a slice of optical spectrum on the submarine optical system, wherein each respective SLTE is separate from and operates independent from the spectrum partitioning device and is not under the control of an operator of the spectrum partitioning device, wherein a wavelength switching component configured to selectively switch received optical signals from respective SLTE to a common port; and
wherein, for each of the received optical signals, the spectrum partitioning device is configured to
continuously monitor the optical signal to determine compliance with respective one or more constraints in the assigned slice,
add the optical signal to the submarine optical system in the assigned slice if compliant with the respective one or more constraints, and
add a power management signal in the assigned slice for addition to the submarine optical system if not compliant with the respective one or more constraints.

20. The submarine optical system of claim 19 , wherein at least two of the users of the SLTE comprise independent operators from one another.

Assignees

• Evans Darwin Bruce
• Hadaway Robert
• Berg Loren
• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Evans Darwin Bruce
• Hadaway Robert
• Berg Loren

Classifications

• H04B10/564

  Power control · CPC title

• H04J14/0278

  WDM optical network architectures · CPC title

• H04B10/506

  Multiwavelength transmitters · CPC title

• H04J14/0221 Primary

  Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant · CPC title

• H04B10/572

  Wavelength control · CPC title