EP0769859A1
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EP
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Transparent optical self-healing ring communication network
Assignee: Cisco Systems International BV
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Filing: 1996-10-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-10-11
Abstract
Abstract An optical self-healing-ring communication network is described which comprises: a first optical communication line, forming a closed optical path; at least two add / drop nodes for optical signals, optically connected along the line; a second optical communication line forming a closed optical path and optically connected to said optical-signal add / drop nodes. Defined in the network is a first and a second mutually opposite travel directions of the optical signals, with respect to the position of the optical-signal add / drop nodes. At least one of said nodes further comprises selection means, controlled by the optical signals, for the selective dropping of the optical signals from one of the communication lines. At least one of the optical-signal add / drop nodes further comprises means for the simultaneous input of at least one optical signal in the first direction along the first communication line and in the second direction along the second communication line.
Inventors
- 👤 Fulvio Arecco
- 👤 Fausto Meli
- 👤 Marcos Antonio Brandao Sanches
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:34
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04J; H04J14/00; H04J14/02; H04J14/0278; H04J14/0283; H04J14/0201; H04J14/0202; H04J14/0204; H04J14/0205; H04J14/0206; H04J14/021; H04J14/0212; H04J14/0213; H04J14/0221; H04J14/0227; H04J14/0241; H04J14/0287; H04J14/0293; H04J14/0294; H04J14/0295; H04J14/0215; H04J14/0219
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network comprising: - a first optical communication line forming a first closed optical path; - at least two optical-signal add / drop nodes, optically connected along said optical communication line; - a second optical communication line forming a second closed optical path and optically connected to said optical-signal add / drop nodes; in which at least one of said nodes comprises controlled selection means for selectively dropping said optical signals fron one of said first and second communication lines, characterized in that at least one of said optical-signal add / drop nodes further comprises means for simultaneously inputting at least one optical signal into said first communication line and into said second communication line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that therein defined is a first and a second travel direction of said optical signals relative to the position of said optical-signal add / drop nodes, said first and second directions being opposite to each other, and in that said network comprises means for the simultaneous input of at least one optical signal in said first direction along said first communication line and in said second direction along said second communication line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises one pair of optical-signal add / drop nodes, optically connected with each other, in which the signals transmitted between the nodes of said first pair have a first wavelength, and at least one of said first and second optical paths comprises a second pair of optical-signal add / drop nodes, optically connected with each other, the signals transmitted between the nodes of said second pair having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
194 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said optical-signal add / drop nodes comprises: - a first optical-signal add / drop unit, serially connected by respective line input and output ports to said first optical path, further having respective signal add and drop ports; - a second optical-signal add / drop unit, serially connected by respective line input and output ports to said second optical path, further having respective signal add and drop ports; - a controllable optical switch having a first and a second selectable inputs connected to the signal drop ports of said first and second optical-signal add / drop units respectively, and an output; - a terminal line unit having an optical input connected to said output of said optical switch and having two optical outputs connected to the signal add ports of said first and second optical-signal add / drop units; - means for detecting the optical-signal presence at said drop ports of said first and second optical-signal add / drop units, operativelly connected to said controllable optical switch for selection of a respective one of said first and second inputs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network according to claim 4, characterized in that said first and second optical-signal add / drop units each comprise a demultiplexing unit of said received optical signals at the respective wavelengths and an optical-signal multiplexing unit at the respective wavelengths, and wherein the outputs of said demultiplexing units corresponding to the wavelengths included within said bypass band are selectively connected to corresponding inputs of said multiplexing units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An optical self-healing-ring communication network comprising a first and a second optical self-healing-ring telecommunication network according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one optical node of said first network is optically connected to at least one optical node of said second network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
An optical self-healing-ring telecommunication method in an optical telecommunication network, which comprises feeding at least one optical signal from a first add / drop node in a first closed optical path included within said network, to a second add / drop node serially connected in said first closed optical path, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: - simultaneously feeding said optical signal from said first add / drop node to said first closed optical path and to a second closed optical path included in said network, said second optical path comprising said second add / drop node serially connected therein, and - selectively receiving said at least one optical signal in said second add / drop node from one of said first and second closed optical paths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
An optical telecommunication method according to claim 7, characterized in that said step of feeding an optical signal to said first and second closed optical paths comprises feeding said signal in two opposite directions with respect to said first add / drop node.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
An optical telecommunication method according to claim 7, characterized in that said step of selectively receiving said optical signal in said second add / drop node comprises: - detecting the presence of said signal in said first closed optical path in said second node, and - operatively switching reception from said first closed optical path to said second closed optical path in the absence of signal in said first closed optical path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optical telecommunication method according to claim 7, characterized in that said first and second optical-signal add / drop nodes form a first pair of nodes optically connected with each other, wherein the signals transmitted between the nodes of said first pair have a first wavelength, and at least one of said first and second optical paths comprises a second pair of optical-signal add / drop nodes, optically connected with each other, the signals transmitted between the nodes of said second pair having a second wavelength, different from said first wavelength.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
An optical telecommunication method according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises adding and dropping optical signals having a wavelength included within a communication band in a first and a second add / drop unit, wherein said first and second units comprise drop outputs of optical signals and add inputs of optical signals and said step of adding and dropping optical signals comprises: - receiving optical signals from said first and second closed optical paths, respectively; - sending to said drop outputs, the received optical signals of a wavelength comprised within a predetermined dropping band included in the communication band; - sending to said first and second closed optical paths respectively, the received optical signals of a wavelength comprised within a predetermined bypass band, included within the communication band and having no overlap with said dropping band; - sending to said first and second closed optical paths respectively the optical signals, present at said add inputs, having a wavelength included within said dropping band.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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