| CIENA CORPORATION Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120106950 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTICAL NETWORK SMART TIMER MANAGEMENT VIA DELAY MEASUREMENT BETWEEN SPANS - A method and system for determining timers in an High Level Data Link Control (HDLC) Traffic Manager (HTM) state machine are disclosed. According to one aspect, the invention provides for determining a transit delay between two nodes by sending a first packet having a delay measurement byte to a second node that is on a link between the first node and the second node. The method also includes receiving a second packet with the delay measurement byte from the second node. The delay measurement byte sent by the second node is adjusted by the second node to indicate its receipt by the second node. A measured delay value is determined. The measured delay value is the delay between a time of sending the first packet to the second node and receiving the second packet from the second node. The measured delay value is determined by the hardware of the first node. Upon determining the measured delay value, timer values of the HTM state machine are set based on the measured delay value. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120099858 | HIGHLY SCALABLE OSPF ROUTING IN SUPPORT OF FULL MESH OPTICAL NETWORKS - A method for enabling Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing in a transport network. The method comprises defining a network segment template; instantiating a respective network segment template for each node+link segment of the transport network; and connecting the link area of a first template instance to the node area of a second template instance using a remote ABR. The network segment template comprises a node area for enabling OSPF routing between addresses within a node of the transport network; a link area for enabling OSPF routing between the node and an adjacent neighbour node in the transport network; and a host Area Boarder Router (ABR) connected to the node area and the link area. The host ABR is configured to generate summary Link State Advertisement (LSA) messages containing a summary of addresses in the node area, and forward the summary LSA messages through the link area. The remote ABR is configured to generate summary LSA messages containing a summary of addresses reachable in the node area of the second template instance, and forward the summary LSAs through the link area of the first template instance. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120076507 | SINGLE PIN COHERENT RECEIVER - In a coherent optical receiver of an optical communications system, methods and systems for receiving a data signal x(t) modulated on an optical signal. A linearly polarized LO light is generated, which has a frequency of f | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076014 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING IN SHORTEST PATH BRIDGED NETWORKS - A method and apparatus for diverting traffic in a communications network are disclosed. According to one aspect, the invention provides a communications network with a first node and a second node. Connecting these two nodes is a first set of intermediate nodes on a first path (the true shortest path) and a second set of intermediate nodes on a second alternate path. At a first node, a first processor determines whether a packet arriving at the first node must transit the second node. If so, the base virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (VID) of the packet is replaced by a first VID, and the packet is transmitted along the second path through the second set of intermediate nodes to the second node. At the second node, a second processor determines whether a packet arriving at the second node must transit the first node. If so, the base VID of the packet is replaced by a second VID different from the first VID and different from the base VID, and the packet is transmitted along the second path through the second set of intermediate nodes to the first node. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120063786 | CLOCK RECOVERY WITH CHANNEL COEFFICIENTS - In a coherent optical receiver of an optical communications network, a method of recovering a clock signal from a high speed optical signal received through an optical link. A set of compensation vectors are adaptively computed for compensating Inter-symbol Interference (ISI) due to at least polarization impairments of the optical signal. A channel delay is estimated based on the computed compensation vectors. The estimated channel delay is subtracted from the computed compensation vectors to generate corresponding modified compensation vectors. Finally, the modified compensation vectors are used to derive a recovered clock signal. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120044849 | POWER ALLOCATION IN CLOSED-LOOP DOWNLINK COOPERATIVE MULTIPLE POINT (COMP) TRANSMISSION - Techniques for power allocation among a plurality of network nodes in a communication network for cooperative downlink transmission to a mobile terminal are provided. Cooperative transmission to a mobile terminal is done in a selected one of a plurality of frequency bands allocated for cooperative downlink transmission, wherein each network node has a respective predetermined frequency band transmission power level for each of the plurality of frequency bands allocated for cooperative downlink transmission. Selection of the frequency band on which the mobile terminal will be cooperatively transmitted to is based on channel state information indicative of the channel between the mobile terminal and each of the network nodes and, for each of the frequency bands, the respective plurality of predetermined frequency band transmission power levels corresponding to the plurality of network nodes. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120039606 | LOW POWER OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER USING ORTHOGONAL POLARIZATION DETECTION TECHNIQUE - A method and apparatus for simultaneous processing of signals impressed on a horizontal polarization of a light wave and on a vertical polarization of the light wave is provided. In one embodiment, a horizontal polarization pilot tone is impressed on a data signal carried by the horizontal polarization and a vertical polarization pilot tone is impressed on a data signal carried by the vertical polarization. A receiver processes the dual-polarized light wave and converts it to an X channel signal and a Y channel signal. The X and Y channel signals are processed in separate channels to recover a phase and frequency offset between them and a local oscillator. The phase and frequency recovered and frequency de-multiplexed signals are further processed to polarization de-multiplex the data signal carried by the horizontal polarization and the data signal carried by the vertical polarization. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120033666 | E-SPRING SUPPORT OF ETHERNET PROTECTION - A method of routing traffic through a packet network having a mesh physical topography. At least two types of network primitive are defined, each type of network primitive providing a respective model of traffic forwarding through at least two neighbour nodes of the network. A network model encompassing at least a portion of the network is constructed using a set of two or more interconnected network primitives. The network model has nodes and links corresponding to respective nodes and lines of the network. Respective forwarding information is computed for each node of the network model. For each node of the network model, the respective computed forwarding information is installed in a forwarding database of the corresponding node of the network, such that traffic is forwarded by each node of the network in accordance with the respective computed forwarding information. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120027403 | COMMUNICATION CLOCK TRANSPORT METHOD AND DEVICE - A method and apparatus for timing an output signal based on timing of an input signal is provided. A method includes determining a first clock rate derived from the input signal during a first time interval measured by a reference clock. The method also includes signal processing logic to determine a second clock rate during a second time interval based on an error signal that is calculated as a difference between the first clock rate multiplied by the second time interval and a previous value of the second clock rate multiplied by the first time interval. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20110268442 | COHERENT AUGMENTED OPTICAL ADD-DROP MULTIPLEXER - In an Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer, a drop section comprises a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) having at least one drop-port, the WSS being operative to couple a respective set of w (where w> | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110243573 | SIGNAL EQUALIZER IN A COHERENT RECEIVER - A signal equalizer for compensating impairments of an optical signal received through a link of a high speed optical communications network. At least one set of compensation vectors are computed for compensating at least two distinct types of impairments. A frequency domain processor is coupled to receive respective raw multi-bit in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) sample streams of each received polarization of the optical signal. The frequency domain processor operates to digitally process the multi-bit sample streams, using the compensation vectors, to generate multi-bit estimates of symbols modulated onto each transmitted polarization of the optical signal. The frequency domain processor exhibits respective different responses to each one of the at least two distinct types of impairments. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110222862 | MAKE BEFORE BREAK OPTICAL MESH NETWORK ELEMENT - A network element includes an electronic switch for routing traffic between a plurality of client access ports and a plurality of EO ports, a respective EO interface coupled to each one of the plurality of EO ports; a wavelength selective switch for optically switching optical signals between the EO interfaces and a set of optical transmission fibers; and a control system. The plurality of EO interfaces includes at least one Make Before Break (MBB) OE interface. The control system is operative to reconfigure the network element by identifying an EO interface to be reconfigured. A new optical path is set up through the wavelength selective switch and terminated on the MBB EO interface. The electronic switch is then controlled to re-route a traffic flow traversing the identified EO interface to the MBB EO interface. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222854 | COHERENT OPTICAL HUBBING - An optical communications system includes a hub modem and a set of two or more remote modems. Each remote modem includes a transmitter stage for transmitting a respective uplink data stream within a selected one of a set of two or more sub-channels. The hub modem optically communicates with the set of remote modems. The hub modem includes a receiver stage having an optical front-end for receiving an uplink optical channel signal within a spectral range that encompasses the set of two or more spectral sub-bands; a photodetector for detecting modulation components of the received uplink optical channel signal and for generating a corresponding high bandwidth analog signal; and a digital signal processor for processing the high bandwidth analog signal to recover the respective uplink data stream transmitted by each remote modem. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222846 | SHARED PHOTONIC MESH - A network element of an optical communications network. The network element comprises an electronic router for forwarding traffic between a set of client access ports and a plurality of I/O ports. A respective EO interface is coupled to each one of the plurality of I/O ports. Each EO interface terminates a respective optical channel. A directionally independent access (DIA) node is configured to selectively route each optical channel between its respective EO interface and a selected one of at least two optical fiber links of the optical communications network. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222394 | FABRIC EXTRA TRAFFIC - A method of forwarding traffic through a network node including an ingress IO card, an egress IO card, and a pair of parallel switch fabric cards. One of the switch fabric cards is designated as a working switch fabric card, and the other one of the switch fabric cards is designated as a protection switch fabric card. In the ingress IO card, the traffic flow is divided into a committed information rate (CIR) component and an extra information rate (EIR) signal. Under a normal operating condition of the node, the ingress IO card forwards the CIR traffic component through the working switch fabric card, and forwards the EIR traffic component through the protection switch fabric card. Upon detection of a failure impacting the working switch fabric card, the ingress IO card drops the EIR traffic component and forwards the CIR traffic component through the protection switch fabric card. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110200324 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTICAL CONNECTION VALIDATION - An optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) having an Add path for adding optical channel signals input through a plurality of Add ports to an outbound dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) signal, and a Drop path for switching selected channels from an inbound DWDM signal to one or more of a plurality of Drop ports. The OADM has a loopback connection between the Add path and the Drop path. The loopback connection couples a selected loopback channel wavelength from the Add path to the Drop path. The physical connection between a transceiver and the OADM can be verified by connecting the transmitter to an Add port of the OADM and the receiver to a Drop port of the OADM. The OADM is controlled to switch the selected loopback channel wavelength in the Drop path to at least one intended drop port to which the receiver should be connected, and the transmitter is controlled to transmit a predetermined test signal using the loopback channel wavelength. Detecting the test signal by the receiver verifies that the receiver is connected to the at least one intended drop port. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110075554 | E-SPRING (G.8032) INTERWORKING TO PROVIDE ACCESS PROTECTION - A method of enabling a resilient interface between a first node and a G.8032 Ethernet ring. A Link Aggregation Group (LAG) comprising respective links is provided between the first node and at least two ring nodes of the Ethernet ring. An aggregation function is instantiated at the first node, for distributing subscriber traffic to the links of the LAG in a conventional manner. A first one of the ring nodes is designated as Active, and each of the other ones of the ring nodes are designated as Inactive. At each Inactive ring node, a logical block is imposed on its respective link of the LAG, such that subscriber traffic between the first node and the Ethernet ring is routed by the aggregation function only through the respective link between the first node and the Active ring node. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110019545 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTO DETECTION OF AAL5 TYPE FRAMES FOR VCC AND VPC SWITCHES - In Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications networks, certain congestion control features, such as Partial Packet Discard (PPD) and Early Packet Discard (EPD), operate on ATM cells that have been segmented from ATM Adaptation Layer #5 (AAL5) frames (packets). AAL5 frames are automatically detected by observing transitions of an indicator in the ATM cell header unique to AAL5 traffic. Automatic detection of AAL5 traffic allows enablement of packet-aware cell discarding techniques such as PPD and EPD on a Virtual Channel Connection (VCC) basis, whether in a switch for a VCC or for a Virtual Path Connection (VPC) to which the VCC belongs. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20100278540 | SYSTEM, DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING CUT-THROUGH PATHS IN AN OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A system, device, and method for supporting cut-through pats in an optical communication system involves obtaining hop count and quality of service information by an initiating device and using the hop count and quality of service information by the initiating device to make decisions relating to a cut-through path. The hop count and quality of service information is provided in a reply message that is sent by a terminating device and modified by intermediate devices between the initiating device and the terminating device. The terminating device sends the reply with a hop count equal to one and quality of service information for a first link (hop) toward the initiating device. Each intermediate device increments the hop count in the reply and adds quality of service information for a next link (hop) into the reply. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100272446 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A POLAR OPTICAL TRANSMITTER - A method of controlling a polar optical transmitter comprising a dual-branch Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator driven by a pair of independent electrical drive signals. A cost function is provided which defines a relationship between a control parameter of the optical transmitter and a power level of an output optical signal generated by the MZ modulator. A selected component of the electrical drive signals is dithered using a predetermined dither signal. A modulation depth of the output optical signal power level corresponding to the dither signal is detected, and the control parameter adjusted based on the cost function and the detection result. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100054731 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE HIERARCHICAL MESH RESTORATION OF CONNECTIONS IN AN AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHED OPTICAL NETWORK - The present disclosure describes methods and systems for the hierarchical mesh restoration of connections in an ASON or the like. These methods and systems provide a mesh restorable OTN server layer that carries an aggregate of mesh restorable SONET/SDH SNCs, without designating SONET/SDH/OTN hand-off ports or work/protect lines. Server layer SNCs are terminated on Virtual Trail Termination Points (VTTPs) on the NEs. These VTTPs maintain all of the attributes of physical Trail Termination Points (TTPs). The server routing protocol creates physical TTP interfaces at the server layer, and the server layer advertises bandwidth to the client layer routing protocol. A failure in the server layer results in the mesh restoration of an aggregate line, holding off the release of the individual client SNCs. Only when the server layer cannot restore are these individual client SNCs released. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100027536 | Processing, Forming, Modifying, and Comparing Packet Data Structures - Packet data structure formation methods include receiving a request to create a data structure for representing a packet. The request may refer to two or more fields to be included in the packet. The methods further include determining bit values and packet positions associated with the fields and, based on the determining, creating a set of bits comprising the packet. The set of bits include the bit values in the packet positions. The method further includes storing the set of bits using the data structure. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100027429 | Packet Switch Modeling and Using a Packet Switch Model to Test a Packet Switch - Packet switch test methods include receiving a first packet from a packet switch, receiving a second packet from processing circuitry configured to model expected behavior of the packet switch, comparing the first packet to the second packet, and, based on the comparing, determining whether the packet switch is operating according to the expected behavior. Packet switch modeling methods include identifying functionality of a packet switch to be modeled, creating, in a packet switch model, a plurality of nodes representing physical and/or logical elements of the packet switch, the nodes being configured to process packet data structures and to respectively model different portions of the functionality of the packet switch relative to one another, and, in the packet switch model, connecting the nodes with pathways by which the packet data structures may be forwarded between the nodes. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20090304381 | System and method for configuration discovery in an optical network - A system and method for discovering configuration errors in an optical network is disclosed. The neighbors of each node are discovered. An information model of the optical network is formed, which may be used to determine configuration errors. In one embodiment, each node exchanges node identification messages with neighboring nodes to discover its neighbors, publishes the node neighbor information to the optical network, and forms its own information model from the node neighbor information published by the nodes. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090265310 | Data Retrieval from a Plurality of Distinct Storage Devices Using an Index Value - A first processor receives a request for records from a requester. The records include an index field and the records are stored in a plurality of storage devices associated respectively with a plurality of second processors. Individual storage devices of the plurality of storage devices are physically distinct from one another. Subsequent to the receiving of the request, the first processor retrieves the records from the plurality of storage devices using the plurality of second processors. The first processor then arranges the retrieved records in an order based at least on the index field and provides the retrieved records to the requestor in the order. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090022497 | HIGH-SPEED OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER FOR INFINIBAND AND ETHERNET - The present invention provides a high-speed 100G optical transceiver for InfiniBand and Ethernet with associated mapping to frame InfiniBand and Ethernet into GFP-T. The optical transceiver utilizes an architecture which relies on standards-compliant (i.e., multi-sourced) physical client interfaces. These client interfaces are back-ended with flexible, programmable Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) modules to accomplish either InfiniBand or Ethernet protocol control, processing, re-framing, and the like. Next, signals are encoded with Forward Error Correction (FEC) and can include additional Optical Transport Unit (OTU) compliant framing structures. The resulting data is processed appropriately for the subsequent optical re-transmission, such as, for example, with differential encoding, Gray encoding, I/Q Quadrature encoding, and the like. The data is sent to an optical transmitter block and modulated onto an optical carrier. Also, the same process proceeds in reverse on the receive side. | 01-22-2009 |
