Patent Application
20250008246
The present invention relates to a method for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal, wherein a telecommunications network comprises a plurality of optical network nodes and wherein the optical transmission path traverses at least two consecutive optical network nodes of a transmission segment, the at least two consecutive optical network nodes comprising at least a segment source optical node and at least a segment destination optical node.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to an optical network node for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal, the optical network nodes being part of a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of optical network nodes and corresponding, along the transmission path of the optical signal, to a segment destination optical node receiving the optical signal from a segment source optical node.
Additionally, the present invention relates to a backbone network, aggregation network or telecommunications network for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal, the backbone network, aggregation network or telecommunications network comprising a plurality of optical network nodes.
Additionally, the present invention relates to a system for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal comprising a plurality of optical network nodes.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a program and to a computer-readable medium for operating an optical network node.
The exchange of information in broadband communication systems or telecommunications networks, both in fixed-line as in wireless communication systems (or fixed-line communication networks and mobile communication networks) has already grown dramatically and probably will also grow in the future due to the rapid spread of different data services in such communication networks.
In conventionally known or current telecommunications networks, often optical data transmission, or data transport, is used. Typically in such networks, a certain number of optical network nodes are connected to each other such as to be able to provide, potentially, different transmission paths or routes—between two considered points or network nodes—through the telecommunications network (or through a part of the telecommunications network, such as, e.g., a backbone network and/or an aggregation network). Typically in such known telecommunications networks, optical switching elements are used that typically provide one or a plurality of input ports and at least two (but, typically, more than two) output ports, and wherein such optical switching elements are controlled or are able to be configured such as to be able to forward (i.e. to switch) an optical input signal (being received at the input port or at one (i.e. a specific one) of the input ports) either to one or to another (i.e. a specific one) of the output ports. Via different such optical switching elements and a corresponding configuration of these optical switching elements, a path (or a route) of an optical signal (that is to be transported or transmitted by the telecommunications network) is able to be defined or switched.
However, typically, the configuration of or controlling the different optical switching elements is performed via using a control plane or a plurality of control connections, typically carrying electrical control signals, via which the configuration of each of the optical switching elements is able to be defined. This typically involves and requires—in conventionally known telecommunications networks and in addition to the optical infrastructure for user plane data transport—a centrally controlled or centrally coordinated control infrastructure as part of the telecommunications network, via which the required configuration of each one of the optical switching elements is conducted.
In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a method for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal. A telecommunications network comprises a plurality of optical network nodes. The optical transmission path traverses at least two consecutive optical network nodes of a transmission segment. The at least two consecutive optical network nodes include at least a segment source optical node and at least a segment destination optical node. Regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted by the segment source optical node and received by the segment destination optical node. The segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted together with the optical signal. The segment destination optical node comprises a probe optical branch and at least a first output port and at least a second output port. The method includes the following steps: in a first step, the segment optical switching identifier information is detected and determined by the segment destination optical node; and in a second step, the segment destination optical node is controlled such that—depending on determined content of the segment optical switching identifier information—either the first output port or the second output port is selected regarding establishing or switching the optical transmission path.
Subject matter of the present disclosure will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations. The features and advantages of various embodiments will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate the following:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a technically simple, effective and cost effective solution for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal, wherein a telecommunications network comprises a plurality of optical network nodes and wherein the optical transmission path traverses at least two consecutive optical network nodes of a transmission segment, wherein, regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, a segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted by the segment source optical node and received by the segment destination optical node, wherein the segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted together with the optical signal. Further exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a corresponding optical network node, a corresponding backbone network, aggregation network and/or telecommunications network, and a corresponding system.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal,
wherein a telecommunications network comprises a plurality of optical network nodes and wherein the optical transmission path traverses at least two consecutive optical network nodes of a transmission segment, the at least two consecutive optical network nodes comprising at least a segment source optical node and at least a segment destination optical node,
wherein, regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, a segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted by the segment source optical node and received by the segment destination optical node, wherein the segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted together with the optical signal,
wherein the segment destination optical node comprises a probe optical branch and at least a first output port and at least a second output port.
wherein, in order to establish or to switch the optical transmission path through the optical network nodes of the telecommunications network, the method comprises the following steps:
It is thereby advantageously possible according to the present invention to provide for a transmission of the segment optical switching identifier information together with the (user plane) optical signal, i.e. in a physically linked manner. Especially, it is thereby advantageously possible that the user plane optical signal and the control signal (i.e. the segment optical switching identifier information) are almost necessarily transmitted and/or transported together or as a bundle. Thereby, it is physically almost impossible that both these signals are transported or transmitted using a different optical path (or route) through the optical network. There are different possibilities how an actually implemented (or configured) transmission path (or optical route), through the optical network, is defined and/or communicated among different optical network nodes (i.e. subsequent optical network nodes along the optical path). However, according to the present invention, it is advantageously possible that a transmission path between two optical network nodes (hereinafter also called global source optical node and global destination optical node) is defined via self-switching (or also called self-routing) through the network. Thereby, ‘switching itself or source-switching’ or ‘self-steering’ means that the path (or route) is started at one (i.e. the global source optical node) of the two optical nodes, via different optical segments of the path towards the global destination optical node. Hence, the global source optical node might define the whole path through the network.
This is realized, according to the present invention, via, among each pair of consecutive optical network nodes (also called an optical transmission (or transport) segment along the transmission path of the optical signal, comprising a segment source optical node (as the optical node where the optical signal arrives first) and a segment destination optical node (as the optical node where the optical signal arrives second)), the segment destination optical node comprises a probe optical branch via which the segment optical switching identifier information is able to be detected and/or determined such as to be able to choose either a first output port or at least a second output port (of the segment destination optical node). Hence, regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, the segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted by the segment source optical node and received by the segment destination optical node, the segment optical switching identifier information being transmitted together with the optical signal, and, in order to establish or to switch the optical transmission path through the optical network nodes of the telecommunications network, in a first step, the segment optical switching identifier information is detected and/or determined by the segment destination optical node and, in a second step, the segment destination optical node is controlled such that-depending on the determined content of the segment optical switching identifier information-either the first output port or the second output port is selected regarding establishing or switching the optical transmission path. Of course, according to the present invention, a typical optical network node comprises more than two output ports, typically at least three, four, or five, or more, potentially up to 10 or 15 output ports. Likewise, a typical optical network node might comprise a plurality of input ports, such as two, or three, or four, or five, or more, potentially up to 10 or 15 input ports.
The telecommunications network according to the present invention might be a fixed-line telecommunications network or a mobile communication network but could also have both aspects, i.e. parts of a fixed-line telecommunications network (or being a fixed-line telecommunications network in such parts) and parts of a mobile communication network (or being a mobile communication network in such parts); such networks are also known under the term fixed-mobile-convergence networks (FMC networks).
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that a spectral transmission width is associated or assigned to the (user plane) optical signal and wherein the segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted together with the optical signal
Thereby, it is advantageously possible to physically link the optical signal, i.e. the user plane optical signal, with the control signal, i.e. the signal carrying or transporting the segment optical switching identifier information. The spectral transmission width is able to be understood as the spectral width of an optical transmission window to be potentially used by the user plane optical signal. In case that the segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted (i.e. the control signal carrying the segment optical switching identifier information) as a modulation of the user plane optical signal, both signals are combined via modulation (either an amplitude modulation or a phase modulation or a combination of both). However, via the commonly used or assigned or associated spectral transmission width, even if the control signal transmitting (or carrying) the segment optical switching identifier information is not (entirely) modulated onto the optical signal (and spectrally separated from the optical signal), the control signal is nevertheless physically linked to the optical signal via the shared spectral transmission width, i.e. the (optical) control signal neighbors the (user plane) optical signal such that an optical sideband, especially spectrally neighboring the (user plane) optical signal, carries the segment optical switching identifier information.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the segment destination optical node comprises an optical switching element and, as part of the probe optical branch, a processing and/or control element, wherein the optical switching element comprises an (optical) input port as well as the first (optical) output port and the second (optical) output port,
wherein the optical switching element is able to be controlled, especially via using a control input port and a control command, to transmit or to forward an optical signal that is fed to or incoming at the (optical) input port either towards the first (optical) output port or towards the second (optical) output port,
wherein selecting either the first output port or the second output port is caused by the processing and/or control element controlling the optical switching element.
It is thereby advantageously possible according to the present invention that the processing and/or control element controls the behavior of and/or is able to modify the configuration of the optical switching element in order to influence and/or to modify which optical signal (of potentially a plurality of input optical signals) is forwarded to which output port (of the at least two output ports but preferably more than two output ports) of the optical switching element (and thereby also of the segment destination optical node.
Especially, the processing and/or control element is linked or connected to the control input port of the optical switching element, and especially generates a signal or the control command, especially an electrical signal or command, for controlling the optical switching element and/or for modifying the configuration of the optical switching element.
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that the segment destination optical node comprises, as part of the probe optical branch, a splitter element, wherein, via the splitter element, a control signal is separated or branched off from the optical signal, and transmitted to the processing and/or control element, wherein the control signal is processed by the processing and/or control element such as to detect or to determine the segment optical switching identifier information, wherein especially a control command is transmitted, by the processing and/or control element, to the optical switching element in order to configure the optical switching element, wherein especially the branched-off (optical) control signal is converted, by the splitter element, into an electrical signal and provided or sent to the processing and/or control element, or wherein the branched-off (optical) control signal is provided to the processing and/or control element and converted there into an electrical signal.
Via the splitter element, the (optical) control signal is separated or branched off from the (user plane) optical signal, and transmitted to the processing and/or control element. The processing and/or control element processes and/or analyses the (optical) control signal such as to detect or to determine the segment optical switching identifier information, and, subsequently, generate the (typically electrical) control command to be transmitted to the optical switching element.
The segment optical switching identifier information especially corresponds to an information indicating an optical route or path through the network of optical nodes, i.e. the segment optical switching identifier information does not necessarily comprise the switching or configuration indication or control command to be transmitted to the optical switching element: according to a preferred variant of the present invention, the processing and/or control element comprises information, such as, e.g., a table or a database wherein a specific control command (to be transmitted to the optical switching element, and corresponding to a specific configuration of the optical switching element or its behavior) is able to be derived from a given piece of segment optical switching identifier information detected or determined by the processing and/or control element.
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that the segment destination optical node comprises, as part of the probe optical branch, a coupler element,
wherein the processing and/or control element generates a further control signal,
wherein via the coupler element the further control signal is added to the optical signal in a manner such that the further control signal is added to the optical signal at its respective output port of the optical switching element
wherein especially the further control signal comprises a further segment optical switching identifier information, especially being identical or being different from the segment optical switching identifier information,
wherein the further control signal comprises information for the next segment destination optical node as a switching instruction for this next node,
wherein especially the further control signal is or corresponds to an electrical signal and
wherein the coupler element is or corresponds to a modulator being controlled by the further control signal.
It is thereby advantageously possible, according to the present invention to optionally also modify the control signal received by the next segment destination optical node (and thereby also to modify (or amend) the segment optical switching identifier information received, detected and/or determined by the next segment destination optical node). This is the case as, typically, the (user plane) optical signal travels (or is transmitted) through a succession of a multitude of optical nodes, wherein the further control signal is added (by the coupler element of a given optical node) to the (user plane) optical signal, and received as the control signal (branched-off from the (user plane) optical signal) by the subsequent optical node.
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that the control signal and/or the further control signal correspond to a signal that is modulated on or to the (user plane) optical signal, especially by amplitude modulation or phase modulation,
wherein especially the control signal and/or the further control signals correspond to—compared to the frequency of the (user plane) optical signal—a low frequency signal, especially having frequencies in the range of frequencies of or superior to a lower limit and frequencies of or inferior to an upper limit, wherein the lower limit corresponds to one out of the following: 10 Hz, 30 Hz, 100 Hz, 300 Hz or 1000 Hz, and wherein the upper limit corresponds to one out of the following: 10 kHz, 30 kHz, 100 kHz, 300 kHz, 1 MHz, 3 MHz, 10 MHz, 30 MHz, 100 MHz, 300 MHz.
It is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively implement a method according to embodiments of the present invention.
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that the optical transmission path of the optical signal comprises a plurality of transmission segments between a respective segment source optical node and a respective segment destination optical node, wherein, regarding consecutive transmission segments along the optical transmission path of the optical signal, the segment destination optical node of the preceding transmission segment corresponds to the segment source optical node of the subsequent transmission segment. wherein especially the optical transmission path of the optical signal starts at a global source optical node and ends at a global destination optical node, wherein a plurality of transmission segments exist between the global source optical node and the global destination optical node.
It is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively provide for an establishment and/or or switching of the optical transmission path in order to transmit the (user plane) optical signal through the telecommunications network (or, at least, the part of the telecommunications network being made up by optical network nodes.
Furthermore, it is advantageously possible and preferred according to the present invention that the segment optical switching identifier information is transported by or together with the optical signal and wherein at least one out of the following holds for the segment optical switching identifier information:
It is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively implement a method according to embodiments of the present invention.
It is furthermore especially preferred according to the present invention that the telecommunications network comprises a path computation entity or functionality as part of or connected to or associated with a network orchestrator entity or functionality, wherein the path computation entity or functionality especially calculates the user plane optical route, especially taking into account shared risk groups, lambda blocking constraints and/or the topology of the telecommunications network, and wherein, in the segment optical switching identifier information, these constraints are taken into consideration, either on a global level (i.e. between the global source and destination optical nodes) or on a local level (i.e. between the segment source and destination optical nodes). Hence, it is advantageously possible, according to the present invention, to provide for an establishment or realization of the network-internal transmission functionality or transmission path among the plurality of optical network nodes via using centrally defined pieces of transmission path information (reflected or referred to via the segment optical switching identifier information) in combination with source-initiated optical routing or switching via using optical segment switching.
The segment optical switching identifier information—especially provided as a modulation of the (user plane) optical signal—that is received at a considered optical network node, especially comprises a switching information or switching indication or a reference or indication related to or referring to the transmission path such that the respective (or considered) optical network node is able to apply (via a communication between the processing and/or control element and the optical switching element) the corresponding switching decision (e.g. select the first consecutive optical network node instead of a second consecutive optical network node). Thereby, it is advantageously possible according to the present invention that the user plane optical route is established or defined, at least partly, via communication between consecutive optical nodes of the telecommunications network. especially of the backbone network and/or the aggregation network of the telecommunications network.
According to the present invention, the (user plane) optical signal especially corresponds to a signal that is essentially unchanged between the global source optical node and the global destination optical node, hence, the telecommunications network and its infrastructure is able to be used to transmit the (user plane) optical signal more or less transparently and essentially without being modified between the global source network node and the global destination network node: in addition, the telecommunications network is preferably also able to be used to provide end-user communication services and/or IP connectivity to end-users, especially via connecting such end-users via central office points of delivery to the optical network nodes.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to an optical network node for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal. the optical network nodes being part of a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of optical network nodes and corresponding, along the transmission path of the optical signal. to a segment destination optical node receiving the optical signal from a segment source optical node,
wherein, regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, a segment optical switching identifier information is received by the segment destination optical node,
wherein the segment optical switching identifier information is received together with the optical signal using its spectral transmission width,
wherein the segment destination optical node comprises a probe optical branch and at least a first output port and a second output port,
wherein, in order to establish or to switch the optical transmission path through the optical network nodes of the telecommunications network, the optical network node is configured such that:
Furthermore, it is preferred, especially with respect to the optical network node, that the segment destination optical node comprises an optical switching element and, as part of the probe optical branch, a processing and/or control element, wherein the optical switching element comprises an input port as well as the first output port and the second output port,
wherein the optical switching element is configured to be controlled to transmit or to forward an optical signal that is fed to or incoming at the input port either towards the first output port or towards the second output port,
wherein the segment destination optical node is configured such that the selection of either the first output port or the second output port is caused by the processing and/or control element controlling the optical switching element.
Furthermore, it is preferred, especially with respect to the optical network node, that the segment destination optical node comprises, as part of the probe optical branch, a splitter element,
wherein the segment destination optical node is configured such that, via the splitter element, a control signal is separated or branched off from the optical signal, and transmitted to the processing and/or control element, wherein the segment destination optical node is furthermore configured such that the control signal is processed by the processing and/or control element such as to detect or to determine the segment optical switching identifier information,
wherein especially the segment destination optical node is furthermore configured such that a control command is transmitted, by the processing and/or control element, to the optical switching element in order to configure the optical switching element,
wherein especially the segment destination optical node comprises, as part of the probe optical branch, a coupler element,
wherein the segment destination optical node is configured such that the processing and/or control element generates a further control signal,
wherein the segment destination optical node is furthermore configured such that, via the coupler element, the further control signal is added to the optical signal in a manner such that the further control signal is added to the optical signal at its respective output port of the optical switching element
wherein especially the segment destination optical node is furthermore configured such that the further control signal comprises a further segment optical switching identifier information, especially being identical or being different from the segment optical switching identifier information.
Additionally, the present invention relates to a backbone network, aggregation network or telecommunications network for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal, the backbone network, aggregation network or telecommunications network comprising a plurality of optical network nodes according to the present invention.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a system for establishing or switching an optical transmission path in order to transmit an optical signal comprising a plurality of optical network nodes according to the present invention.
Still additionally, the present invention relates to a program comprising a computer readable program code which, when executed on a computer and/or on a network node of a telecommunications network, causes the computer and/or the network node of the telecommunications network to perform a method according to embodiments of the present invention.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed on a computer and/or on a network node of a telecommunications network, causes the computer and/or the network node of the telecommunications network to perform a method according to embodiments of the present invention.
These and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, principles of the invention. The description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.
The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes.
Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun, e.g. “a”, “an”, “the”, this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated.
Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order: this is especially the case for the terms “first step”, “second step”, etc. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.
In
Furthermore according to the present invention, the broadband access network 120 comprises an optical safety and policy entity or functionality 210 connecting the first location 51 and/or the first optical data transmission fiber 51′ to the telecommunications network 100, especially to its aggregation network 121 and/or its backbone network 122, wherein the optical safety and policy entity or functionality 210 especially provides for protection of the optical transmission functionality (especially with regard to the backbone network 122 and/or the aggregation network 121), for a policy decision functionality, and for a policy enforcement functionality regarding the user-defined optical signal 201. Likewise, typically, the broadband access network 120 comprises a further optical safety and policy entity or functionality 210′ connecting the second location 52 and/or the second optical data transmission fiber 52′ to the telecommunications network 100, especially to its aggregation network 121 and/or its backbone network 122, wherein the further optical safety and policy entity or functionality 210′ provides for protection of the optical transmission functionality (especially with regard to the backbone network 122 and/or the aggregation network 121), for a policy decision functionality, and for a policy enforcement functionality regarding the further user-defined optical signal 202.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
Furthermore as part of the central office point of delivery 110, a switching fabric 115 (or, rather two instances of a switching fabric) is schematically shown in
According to the present invention, an optical transmission path is established or switched, through the optical network nodes 123 of the telecommunications network 100 in order to transmit an optical signal 201. The optical signal 201 is a user plane optical signal to be transmitted, or transported, from a global source optical node to a global destination optical node. In the exemplary embodiment or implementation shown in
According to the present invention, the optical transmission path traverses at least two consecutive optical network nodes 123, 123′ of a transmission segment shown in
Furthermore according to the present invention, regarding the establishment or switching of the optical transmission path, a segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted, by the segment source optical node 123, and received by the segment destination optical node 123′. The segment optical switching identifier information is transmitted together with the optical signal 201. Each one (or, at least, most) of the optical network nodes 123, and, hence, also the segment destination optical node 123′ comprises a probe optical branch. Regarding the segment destination optical node 123′, the probe optical branch is schematically indicated via reference signs 124′, 125′, 126′; furthermore the first output port B′ and the at least second output port C′ are also shown regarding the segment destination optical node 123′.
According to the present invention, in order to establish or to switch the optical transmission path through the optical network nodes 123, 123′ of the telecommunications network 100, in a first step, the segment optical switching identifier information is detected and determined by the segment destination optical node 123′ and, in a second step, the segment destination optical node 123′ is controlled such that—depending on the determined content of the segment optical switching identifier information—either the first output port B′ or the second output port C′ is selected regarding establishing or switching the optical transmission path. Of course it is possible (and in most cases also realized) that an optical node 123, 123′ comprises more than one input port and more than two output ports. However, for the sake of simplicity, only one input port and two output ports are schematically shown in
The segment source optical node 123 comprises an optical switching element 127. and the segment destination optical node 123′ comprises a further optical switching element 127′. The optical switching element 127 and the further optical switching element 127′ is/are or correspond(s) to a conventionally known optical switching element that is able to switch (or to transmit or to forward) an incoming optical signal either to a first output port or to at least second output port.
Regarding the optical switching element 127, the optical signal is input at a point A (input port of the optical switching element 127) as schematically shown in
Likewise regarding the further optical switching element 127′, the optical signal is input at a point A′ (input port of the further optical switching element 127′) as schematically shown in
As already mentioned, in the optical segment provided by the first optical network node 123 and the second optical network node 123′, the first optical network node 123 corresponds to the segment source optical node 123, whereas the second optical network node 123′ corresponds to the segment destination optical node 123′. In order to describe the present invention, in the following the segment destination optical node 123′ is explained in more detail: Regarding the segment destination optical network node 123′, via the further splitter element 124′, a control signal is separated from (or branched off) the user plane (and user-defined) optical signal 201 transmitted towards the segment destination optical (network) node 123′ (i.e. at an input port A* of the segment destination optical (network) node 123′) the user plane optical signal 201 is received with the control signal; the control signal is split off at the further splitter element 124′, and at point A′ or input port A′ of the further optical switching element 127′, the user plane optical signal 201 is fed to the further optical switching element 127′ either with the control signal or without the control signal. Regarding the segment destination optical (network) node 123′, the branched-off control signal (split off the user plane optical signal 201 at the further splitter element 124′) is processed via the further processing and/or control element 125′; the further processing and/or control element 125′ is connected to the further optical switching element 127′ which is schematically illustrated via an downward facing arrow. This connection between the further processing and/or control element 125′ and the further optical switching element 127′ especially corresponds to a control connection via which a modification of the configuration of the further optical switching element 127′ is possible (i.e. especially regarding towards which output port (B′ or C′) the incoming optical signal is to be forwarded or switched); further configuration parameters might include the applicable optical amplification and/or the kind of regeneration of the optical signal potentially performed at or by the further optical switching element 127′).
According to a first variant of the probe optical branch of the segment destination optical node 123′, the probe optical branch only comprises the further splitter element 124′, the further processing and/or control element 125′ and the control link or control connection of the further processing and/or control element 125′ towards the further optical switching element 127.
According to a second variant of this probe optical branch, the probe optical branch additionally comprises—besides the further splitter element 124′, the further processing and/or control element 125′ and the further control link or control connection of the further processing and/or control element 125′ towards the further optical switching element 127′—the further coupler element 126′, via which it is possible to add, to the optical user plane signal 201 being output (by the further optical switching element 127) either at its first output port B′ or at its second output port C′, a further control signal that is transmitted. together with (or as part of) the user plane optical signal 201 to the segment destination node of the next transmission segment (which is not shown in
In
Especially according to the present invention, the segment optical switching identifier information is provided as a modulation of the user plane optical signal 201. Via the respective probe optical branch (and especially the corresponding splitter elements 124, 124′, the corresponding processing and/or control elements 125, 125′, and, if applicable, the corresponding coupler elements 126, 126′), each one of the optical network nodes 123, 123′, 123″ that is receiving a user plane optical signal (i.e. each segment destination optical node) is able to receive and process the modulation signal (i.e. the corresponding control signal) and to read or detect the respective segment optical switching identifier information. The specific (or respective) segment optical switching identifier information, received at a respective (or considered) optical network node, especially comprises a switching information or switching indication or a reference or indication related to or referring to a transmission path such that the respective (or considered) optical network node 123, 123′, 123″ is able to apply a switching decision (e.g. select a first consecutive optical network node (corresponding, in the scenario shown in
According to the present invention, the respective control signals (branched off, e.g., at the splitter elements 124, 124′) and/or (if applicable) the respective further control signals (coupled or added to, e.g., at the coupler elements 126, 126′) especially correspond to—compared to the frequency of the optical signals—low frequency signals (having frequencies, e.g., in the range between a couple of 10 Hz to a couple of 10 kHz or 10 MHz or up to a couple of 100 kHz or 100 MHz).
According to the present invention, it is advantageously possible to provide and end-to-end production between the global source optical node and the global destination optical node via using software defined network-based traffic steering being conducted by self steering or optical source switching (full peer-to-peer POD source steering & core node self “routing”), using a path computation element, PCE, and a database (especially as part of the orchestrator or software defined network control 190), wherein the information exchange to or from the path computation element may be in-band or independent intra/zero-trust internet routing. This is explained in the following, however the term “POD” refers to the respective central office point of delivery 110 or to the respective optical safety and policy entity or functionality 210:
In a first processing step, the customer connects itself via own lambda beam with or without signal (free irradiation, not limited or controlled by the network operator).
In a second processing step, the policy decision function (PDF, part of local POD gatekeeper) of Source POD checks first sign of life and decodes the service request (by dialogue with overall platform management, i.e. OSS/BSS: this can be done via an umbrella orchestrator or any other systems that manage network and services).
In a third processing step, a network safety enforcement function (NSEF, part of local POD gatekeeper) of source POD blocks lambda without service approval or dangerous spectral or power-related properties: physical safety for network and network operation (service operation) by fast optical transmission shut-down is ensured by the NSEF. In case of no safety constraints, the PEF (policy enforcement function) takes over at the seventh processing step.
In a fourth processing step, the destination POD is identified via source-POD data-base request.
In a fifth processing step, the route request (working path or more than one resilient paths 1 or N) is triggered by the source POD, requesting it from the PCE entity (coupled with data base that contains information on network topology/infrastructure, node-link-SRG, lambda depletion situation):
While subject matter of the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Any statement made herein characterizing the invention is also to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive as the invention is defined by the claims. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made, by those of ordinary skill in the art, within the scope of the following claims, which may include any combination of features from different embodiments described above.
The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B.” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21206268.1 | Nov 2021 | EP | regional |
This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2022/080348, filed on Oct. 31, 2022, and claims benefit to European Patent Application No. EP 21206268.1, filed on Nov. 3, 2021. The International Application was published in English on May 11, 2023 as WO 2023/078830 A1 under PCT Article 21 (2).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/080348 | 10/31/2022 | WO |
