IP Library Granted Patent US 9,831,977
Granted Patent B2
US 9,831,977 · App. 15/336,079 · Granted Nov 28, 2017

Photonic routing systems and methods computing loop-free topologies

Inventors: David Weldon Boertjes (Nepean, CA); Stephen Daniel Shew (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: Ciena Corporation
H04J14/0227H04B10/27H04J14/0204H04J14/0212H04J14/0238H04J14/0267H04J14/0268H04L41/12H04L45/12H04L45/18H04L45/62H04L45/64H04Q11/0005H04Q11/0062H04J14/022H04J14/0206H04J14/0213H04J14/0275H04J14/0286H04J14/0297H04L45/28H04Q2011/009H04Q2011/0015H04Q2011/0016H04Q2011/0018
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,831,977
App. No.
15/336,079
Granted
Nov 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for routing wavelengths in an optical network include responsive to a path request for a wavelength or group of wavelengths, determining a path through the optical network; determining a location on the path where wavelength blocking should occur to form a loop-free path in the optical network; and setting the wavelength blocking at the location. The optical network can utilize a broadcast and select architecture and the wavelength blocking is configured to prevent the wavelength or group of wavelengths from looping back on a port where the wavelength or group of wavelengths has already been received on. The optical network can utilize an all-broadcast architecture and the wavelength blocking is configured to prevent multiple paths for the wavelength or group of wavelengths by constraining the wavelength or group of wavelengths to a single path through the optical network.

Claims (31)

1. An optical node, comprising:

optical routing components communicatively coupled to one or more degrees connected to an optical network, wherein the optical routing components broadcast one or more channels between all the one or more degrees; and

one or more blocking elements associated with the one or more degrees, wherein the one or more blocking elements are enabled based on a loop-free path in the optical network for the one or more channels.

2. The optical node of claim 1 , wherein the optical routing components utilize a broadcast and select architecture and the one or more blocking elements are configured to prevent a wavelength or group of wavelengths associated with the one or more channels from looping back on a port where the wavelength or group of wavelengths has already been received on.

3. The optical node of claim 1 , wherein the optical routing components utilize an all-broadcast architecture and the one or more blocking elements are configured to prevent multiple paths for a wavelength or group of wavelengths associated with the one or more channels by constraining the wavelength or group of wavelengths to a single path through the optical network.

4. The optical node of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more blocking elements and configured to determine the loop-free path.

5. The optical node of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on a spanning tree in the optical network from any node in the optical network to a root node, and wherein wavelength blocking by the one or more blocking elements is based on the spanning tree.

6. The optical node of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on a shortest path tree in the optical network from any node in the optical network to a root node, and wherein wavelength blocking by the one or more blocking elements is based on the shortest path tree.

7. The optical node of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on Ethernet Ring Protection Switching as a control protocol, applied to the optical network.

8. The optical node of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on an optical routing protocol associated with the optical network.

9. The optical node of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on link state protocols and associated link state messages to determine wavelength blocking by the blocking elements in the optical network.

10. An optical network, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected nodes which broadcast one or more channels between one another; and

one or more blocking elements associated with the plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the one or more blocking elements are enabled based on a loop-free path in the optical network for the one or more channels.

11. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes utilize a broadcast and select architecture and the one or more blocking elements are configured to prevent a wavelength or group of wavelengths associated with the one or more channels from looping back on a port where the wavelength or group of wavelengths has already been received on.

12. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes utilize an all-broadcast architecture and the one or more blocking elements are configured to prevent multiple paths for a wavelength or group of wavelengths associated with the one or more channels by constraining the wavelength or group of wavelengths to a single path through the optical network.

13. The optical network of claim 10 , further comprising:

a path computation processor communicatively coupled to the one or more blocking elements and configured to determine the loop-free path.

14. The optical network of claim 13 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on a spanning tree in the optical network from any node in the optical network to a root node, and wherein wavelength blocking by the blocking elements is based on the spanning tree.

15. The optical network of claim 13 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on a shortest path tree in the optical network from any node in the optical network to a root node, and wherein wavelength blocking by the blocking elements is based on the shortest path tree.

16. The optical network of claim 13 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on Ethernet Ring Protection Switching as a control protocol, applied to the optical network.

17. The optical network of claim 13 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on an optical routing protocol associated with the optical network.

18. The optical network of claim 13 , wherein the loop-free path is determined based on link state protocols and associated link state messages to determine wavelength blocking by the blocking elements in the optical network.

19. A path computation apparatus, comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to one or more blocking elements in an all-broadcast optical network; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

responsive to a path request for a channel in the optical network, determine a path through the optical network for one or more wavelengths associated with the channel,

determine a location on the path to form a loop-free path in the optical network, and

cause the wavelength blocking at the location through the one or more blocking elements.

20. The path computation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the path computation apparatus comprises a path computation element (PCE) which enables outside clients path computation without presenting a full topology of the optical network thereto.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2016
From: BOERTJES, DAVID WELDON; SHEW, STEPHEN DANIEL
To: CIENA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040152/0534 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14796089 · Jul 10, 2015
Continuation 13945310 · Jul 18, 2013
Continuation In Part 13452322 · Apr 20, 2012
Continuation In Part 13371920 · Feb 13, 2012
Related Publication 20170048017A1 · Feb 16, 2017