METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HARDWARE CONFIGURED NETWORK
An optical network element for a hardware configured optical network includes a first optical port that receives an input optical signal comprising receive control information from the hardware configured optical network. A demodulator optically coupled to the first optical port decodes the receive control information for configuring the optical network element. A modulator having an electrical modulation input that receives transmit control information imparts a modulation onto an optical carrier thereby generating a transmit optical control signal representing the transmit control information. A second optical port transmits the transmit optical control signal representing the transmit control information to the hardware configured optical network.
1 .- 51 . (canceled)
52 . A method of transmitting control information to an intended network element in an optical network having a plurality of wavelength paths, the method comprising:
identifying, from among the wavelength paths of the optical network, a wavelength path that includes the intended network element;
identifying an optical carrier having a carrier modulation frequency that is transmitted by the optical network along the identified wavelength path; and
imparting the control information onto the identified optical carrier by imparting a modulation onto the optical carrier at a modulation frequency that is less than the carrier modulation frequency.
53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein identifying the optical carrier comprises receiving the optical carrier via an input port.
54 . The method of claim 53 , wherein identifying the optical carrier further comprises selecting the identified optical carrier from among a plurality of optical carriers received via one or more input ports.
55 . The method of claim 52 , wherein identifying the optical carrier comprises generating an optical carrier having a carrier modulation frequency that is transmitted by the optical network along the identified wavelength path.
56 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the optical carrier comprises at least one of client data traffic, dummy traffic, a continuous wave optical signal, or amplified spontaneous emission.
57 . The method of claim 52 , wherein imparting the modulation onto the optical carrier comprises amplitude modulating, phase modulating, or frequency modulating the optical carrier.
58 . The method of claim 52 , wherein:
the control information is imparted onto the identified optical carrier by a transmitter, a transceiver, an amplifier, an optical channel monitor, an optical switch, a wavelength selective switch, a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength division demultiplexer, an add-drop multiplexer, a cross connect, or a programmable filter; or
the intended network element is a transmitter, a transceiver, an amplifier, an optical channel monitor, an optical switch, a wavelength selective switch, a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength division demultiplexer, an add-drop multiplexer, a cross connect, a programmable filter, or a digital diagnostic monitoring interface device.
59 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the control information includes digital diagnostic monitoring information.
60 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the intended network element is configured based on the transmitted control information.
61 . The method of claim 52 , further comprising:
generating the control information;
receiving the control information from a remote source via an electrical signal; or
receiving an optical signal encoded with the control information and decoding the control information by demodulating the received optical signal.
62 . A network element that transmits control information to an intended network element in an optical network having a plurality of wavelength paths, the network element comprising:
one or more optical output ports that output optical signals for transmittal via the optical network;
a control processor that identifies, from among the wavelength paths of the optical network, a wavelength path that includes the intended network element and an optical carrier having a carrier modulation frequency that is transmitted by the optical network along the identified wavelength path; and
a modulator that imparts the control information onto the identified optical carrier by imparting a modulation onto the optical carrier at a modulation frequency that is less than the carrier modulation frequency.
63 . The network element of claim 62 , further comprising:
an optical input port that receives the optical carrier.
64 . The network element of claim 62 , further comprising:
one or more optical input ports that receive a plurality of optical carriers,
wherein the control processor identifies the optical carrier from among the plurality of optical carriers.
65 . The network element of claim 62 , further comprising:
an optical signal generator that generates the identified optical carrier.
66 . The network element of claim 62 , wherein the optical carrier comprises at least one of client data traffic, dummy traffic, a continuous wave optical signal, or amplified spontaneous emission.
67 . The network element of claim 62 , wherein the modulator imparts the control information by amplitude modulating, phase modulating, or frequency modulating the identified optical carrier.
68 . The network element of claim 62 , wherein the network element is a transmitter, a transceiver, an amplifier, an optical channel monitor, an optical switch, a wavelength selective switch, a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength division demultiplexer, an add-drop multiplexer, a cross connect, or a programmable filter.
69 . The network element of claim 62 , wherein the control processor generates that control information.
70 . The network element of claim 62 , further comprising:
an electronic control port that receives an electrical signal that includes the control information.
71 . The network element of claim 62 , further comprising:
an optical input port that receives an optical signal encoded with the control information; and
a demodulator that decodes the control information.