A space-division multiplexed optical fiber includes a relatively high refractive index optical core region surrounded by alternating regions of relatively low and relative high refractive index material, forming concentric high index rings around the core. The optical core region supports propagation of light along at least a first radial mode associated with the optical core region and a high index ring region supports propagation of light along at least a second radial mode associated with the high index ring region. The second radial mode is different from the first radial mode.

A communication system includes three or more nodes and a multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores and being used in at least a partial segment of the connection between the nodes. One node of the nodes is connected to the multi-core fiber and includes a connector configured to add and drop a signal to and from an allocated core exclusively allocated for communication between the one node and another node of the nodes and/or configured to relay a signal transmitted through another core allocated to communication between the other nodes in multi-core fibers connected to the one node.

There is provided an apparatus configured to estimate optical transmission performance in a transmission path of an optical signal, the apparatus including a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to acquire a first index related to a first transmission performance of an optical signal transmitted through a span group between a first node and an n-th node and a second index related to a second transmission performance of an optical signal transmitted through a span or a span group between the first node and an m-th node, wherein n is an integer of 3 or more, and m is the integer satisfying m<n, and estimate a third index related to a third transmission performance of an optical signal to be transmitted through a span between the m-th node and the n-th node, based on the first index and the second index.

A communication system which includes: three or more nodes; a multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores, the multi-core fiber being used in at least a partial segment of a connection between the nodes; a detection signal output unit configured to output a fault detection signal transmitted by the core provided in the multi-core fiber configured to connect together the nodes; and a fault detection unit configured to determine whether a fault has occurred between the nodes on the basis of a detection result of the fault detection signal.

A communication system includes three or more nodes, and a multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores, the multi-core fiber being used in at least a partial segment of a connection between the nodes, wherein each of nodes includes: a fault information transmitting device configured to transmit fault information indicating that a fault has occurred in a communication path between one node and another node of the nodes when it is detected that it is not possible to perform communication between the one node and the another node; and a fault location specifying device configured to specify a section between nodes in which a fault has occurred on the basis of the fault information received from the fault information transmitting device provided in each of the nodes

A transmission quality estimation system includes, three or more nodes and a transmission quality estimation device configured to estimate, transmission quality. A multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores, the multi-core fiber being used in at least a partial segment of a connection between the nodes. A node of the nodes includes a core connection unit configured to drop, add or relay light transmitted from, to or to each of to the plurality of cores of the multi-core fiber. The transmission quality estimation device includes an estimation unit configured to estimate transmission quality between the nodes on the basis of a transmission quality measurement light dropped by the core connection unit.

In one or more embodiments, one or more systems of a physical optical network that may implement and/or manage a virtual optical network (VON) that interconnects multiple data centers. Virtual nodes based the multiple data centers to be interconnected may be determined, and each of the virtual nodes may be mapped to at least two physical nodes of the physical optical network. Virtual links for pairs of the virtual nodes may be determined, and each virtual link may be mapped to at least one optical network connection of the physical optical network. At least one of a physical node impairment and an optical network connection impairment that is associated with a first physical node implementing a first virtual node may be detected, and the first virtual node may be implemented via a second physical node.

An optical communications apparatus includes a branching unit and a switching module. The branching unit is configured to be connected to first, second, and third optical cables each including an optical fiber. The branching unit includes a branch optical path configured to route a fixed pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit from the optical fiber of the first cable to the optical fiber of the third cable. The switching module includes at least one optical switch having a bypass configuration and a branch connecting configuration. In the bypass configuration, a connection via the branch optical path to a distal portion of the third cable is bypassed. In the branch connecting configuration, the branch optical path is enabled so that the pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit are routed to the optical fiber of the distal portion of the third cable.

An optical system is provided comprising a first node and a channel drop add device. The first node is configured to transmit data onto an optical fiber in a first line direction. The channel drop add device (501) is adapted to receive and add channels onto the optical fiber thereby transmitting the data into the first and a second line direction. The network further comprises a second node configured to form a transmitter/receiver function. The second node is configured to receive data on said optical fiber from said first and second line directions. Further, the second node is adapted to synchronize received data from said first and second line directions by delaying the data signals seeing the shortest delay, by a delay device.

The invention relates to an optoelectronic transceiver device comprising a first optical connector (OC1) capable of connection to a first bidirectional optical fiber (OF1), and a second optical connector (OC2) capable of connection to a second bidirectional optical fiber (OF2), the device further comprising: an insertion-extraction module (ADM) capable of: extracting a wavelength (?.sub.Rx) from a plurality of wavelengths constituting a first optical signal received by the first optical connector (OC1) and transmitting the first optical signal without the extracted wavelength to the second optical connector (OC2); inserting a wavelength (?.sub.Tx) into a second optical signal received by the second optical connector (OC2) and transmitting the second optical signal with the inserted wavelength to the first optical connector (OC1); an electric-optical conversion module (EC1) capable of providing the insertion-extraction module with the wavelength (?.sub.Tx) inserted into the second optical signal from an incoming electric signal (Data Tx); and an optical-electric conversion module (EC2) capable of converting the wavelength (?.sub.Rx) extracted from the first optical signal by the insertion-extraction module into an outgoing electric signal (Data Rx).