A software-defined network multi-layer controller (SDN-MLC) may communicate with multiple layers of a telecommunication network. The SDN-MLC may have an optimization algorithm that helps manage, in near real-time, the multiple layers of the telecommunication network.

An apparatus includes a finite impulse response (FIR) filter to receive a digital signal and a transmitter, operatively coupled to the FIR filter, to transmit an analog signal, converted from the digital signal, to a communication channel. The FIR filer is configured to change at least one operating parameter based on a bandwidth of the analog signal after transmission in the communication channel. The bandwidth of the analog signal is estimated, using an estimator, based at least in part on raw sampling data generated by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) operatively coupled to the transmitter.

Disclosed herein is a method of transmitting data in an optical network (10, 100) from a first location to a second location, as well as a corresponding receiver unit and transceiver. The method comprises the following steps: modulating a same data signal on first and second carriers having first and second wavelengths, respectively, to generate first and second optical signals carrying the same information, transmitting said first and second optical signals from said first location to said second location through said optical network, coherent receiving of a selected one of said first and second optical signals by means of a coherent receiver (29) located at said second location, wherein said coherent receiving comprises the following steps: receiving a selected one or both of said first and second optical signals on a photodetector (30a, 30b), providing, by means of a local oscillator arrangement (34, 38) optically connected with said photodetector (30a, 30b), a selected one of a first local oscillator signal having a wavelength corresponding to said first wavelength and a second local oscillator signal having a wavelength corresponding to said second wavelength, in case both of said first and second optical signals are received on said photodetector, or both of said first and second local oscillator signals in case a selected one of said first and second optical signals is received on said photodetector; and processing the output signal of said photodetector by means of an electronic receiver circuit (32) connected to said photodetector (30a, 30b).

A system and method for generating, based on optical network topology information, an optical model to represent an optical network; provisioning a new optical connection within the optical network: determining, using the optical model, a first bit error rate (BER) of the new optical connection; determining, using the optical network providing the new optical connection, a second BER of the new optical connection; determining, based on the first and the second BER, a BER excursion parameter of the new optical connection; training a margin allocator based on the BER excursion parameter of the new optical connection, and the first BER of the new optical connection; comparing the first BER of the new connection and a required optical margin to a threshold to determine a reliability of the new optical connection; and allocating, using the margin allocator, the required optical margin for additional optical connections of the optical network.

In an example, a communication module includes an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, and a periodical filter. The optical transmitter is configured to emit an outbound optical signal. The optical receiver is configured to receive an inbound optical signal. A first frequency of the outbound optical signal is offset from a second frequency of the inbound optical signal by an amount less than a channel spacing of a multiplexer/demultiplexer implemented in an optical communication system that includes the communication module. The periodical filter is positioned in optical paths of both the outbound optical signal and the inbound optical signal and has a transmission spectrum with periodic transmission peaks and troughs. The first frequency of the outbound optical signal may be aligned to one of the transmission peaks and the second frequency of the inbound optical signal may be aligned to one of the transmission troughs, or vice versa.

A pluggable electric connector can communicate a communication data signal and a control signal with an optical communication device. An optical signal output unit is configured to be capable of selectively output a wavelength of an optical signal. An optical power adjustment unit can adjust optical power of the optical signal. A pluggable optical receptor can output the optical signal to an optical fiber. A control unit controls a wavelength change operation according to the control signal. The control unit, according to a wavelength change command, commands the optical power adjustment unit to block output of the optical signal, commands the light signal output unit to change the wavelength of the optical signal after the optical signal is blocked, and commands the light signal output unit and the optical power adjustment unit to output the optical signal after the wavelength change operation.

In an optical transceiver, an optical transmitter coupled to a reconfigurable optical channel-add apparatus has first and second add paths, an add micro-ring resonator, and first and second optical attenuators, reconfigurable to selectively block an optical channel from an optical transmitter in one of the first and second add paths. The add micro-ring resonator is reconfigurable selectively to add an optical channel from the first add path to an optical waveguide to travel towards the first add-drop port or to add an optical channel from the second add path to the optical waveguide to travel towards the second add-drop port. An optical receiver is coupled to a reconfigurable optical channel-drop apparatus having a drop micro-ring resonator, and first and second drop paths. The drop micro-ring resonator is reconfigurable selectively to drop an optical channel travelling from the first add-drop port from the optical waveguide to the first drop path or to drop an optical channel travelling from the second add-drop port from the optical waveguide to the second drop path.

Devices, computer-readable media and methods are disclosed for verifying that an optical transmit/receive device is correctly installed. For example, a processing system including at least one processor may activate a first light source of an optical transmit/receive device of a telecommunication network and detect a receiving of a light from the first light source at a port of an optical add/drop multiplexer of the telecommunication network. The processing system may then verify the optical transmit/receive device and the port of the optical add/drop multiplexer match a network provisioning order, when the receiving of the light from the first light source is detected, and may generate an indication that the optical transmit/receive device is correctly installed, when the optical transmit/receive device and the port of the optical add/drop multiplexer match the network provisioning order.

Devices, computer-readable media and methods are disclosed for selecting paths in reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) networks using machine learning. In one example, a method includes defining a feature set for a proposed path through a wavelength division multiplexing network, wherein the proposed path traverses at least one link in the network, and wherein the at least one link connects a pair of reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers, predicting an optical performance of the proposed path, wherein the predicting employs a machine learning model that takes the feature set as an input and outputs a metric that quantifies predicted optical performance, and determining whether to deploy a new wavelength on the proposed path based on the predicted optical performance of the proposed path.

A satellite payload system is disclosed. The satellite payload system includes a plurality of optical processing modules, each including: a module input including an optical splitter, a module output including an optical coupler, a dynamic gain equalizer, an output bank of optical filters, and an input bank of optical filters; where the plurality of optical processing modules include ring-connected optical processing modules and inter-satellite optical processing modules; and at least one optical fiber ring communicatively coupled to each of the ring-connected optical processing modules; where at least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules is configured to provide on-board signal processing of wavelengths; where a plurality of the ring-connected optical processing modules are each communicatively coupled to a respective inter-satellite optical processing module; where each inter-satellite optical processing module is configured to optically communicatively couple to a respective remote satellite via its module input and via its module output.