Systems and methods are provided for reducing interference when optical signals are added. One embodiment includes a method for adding an optical channel for communicating data and having a bandwidth within an optical spectrum for transmission along an optical link of an optical network. The method includes creating a lower frequency holding zone having a lower frequency bandwidth adjacent to the bandwidth of the added optical channel and including at least one lower frequency sub-slice having a power spectral density that varies throughout the lower frequency sub-slice. Also, the method includes creating a higher frequency holding zone having a higher frequency bandwidth adjacent to the bandwidth of the added optical channel and including at least one higher frequency sub-slice having a power spectral density that varies throughout the higher frequency sub-slice. The lower frequency holding zone and the higher frequency holding zone are dynamically configured with respect to fiber and channel requirements.

A satellite payload system is presented. The system includes plurality of optical processing modules, including a plurality of ring-connected optical processing modules and at least one inter-satellite optical processing module, and at least one optical fiber ring communicatively coupled to each of the ring-connected optical processing modules. At least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules is configured to provide on-board signal processing of signals conveyed on the at least one optical fiber ring. At least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules is communicatively coupled to a respective inter-satellite optical processing module. Each inter-satellite optical processing module is configured to optically communicatively couple to a respective remote satellite.

A satellite payload system is presented. The system includes plurality of optical processing modules, including a plurality of ring-connected optical processing modules and at least one inter-satellite optical processing module, and at least one optical fiber ring communicatively coupled to each of the ring-connected optical processing modules. At least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules is configured to provide on-board signal processing of signals conveyed on the at least one optical fiber ring. At least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules is communicatively coupled to a respective inter-satellite optical processing module. Each inter-satellite optical processing module is configured to optically communicatively couple to a respective remote satellite.

An all-solid state optical transmit/receive terminal includes binary optical switches to steer an optical beam, without mechanical components, phased array of emitters/collectors or large number of phase shifters. A lens optically couples a surface array of emitters/collectors to free space, giving each emitter/collector a respective direction in free space. The emitters/collectors are also coupled, via an H-tree or other branched optical waveguide network, to a common input/output port, and from there to a receiver and/or transmitter. The binary optical switches are disposed at optical junctions of the optical waveguide network. ON switches pass an optical signal through the optical waveguide network, between the common input/output port and one or more selected emitter/collectors, thereby selecting a free space direction(s). Only a relatively small subset of the binary optical switches needs to be ON, therefore powered, simultaneously at any given time.

Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to improved circuit and system architectures for identifying and managing operating statuses and faults in a system having multiple processing circuit chips. Each of the multiple processing circuit chips includes multiple signal rings, one to provide internal communications among circuitry within the circuit chip, and another with inter-chip communications circuitry to provide communications with neighboring circuit chips. One of the multiple processing circuit chips further includes external communications circuitry to provide communications with an external host.

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.

A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (ON) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (OFF) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N1 optical switch network is ON.

A transport network is configured to connect one or more optical rings of optical add and drop devices with one or more digital units in a radio access network. The transport network comprises a first electronic cross-connect and a second electronic cross-connect. A switch is provided for connecting the first electronic cross-connect and/or the second electronic cross-connect to the one or more digital units. The first and second electronic cross-connects are each coupled to at least one of the one or more optical rings of optical add and drop devices.

An intelligence-defined optical tunnel network system includes a first pod and a controller. The first pod includes multiple Optical Add-Drop Sub-systems (OADS) configured to transmit data between corresponding servers through ToR switches. First transmission modules of the OADSs are connected to each other in ring to form the first transmission ring. Second transmission modules of the OADSs are connected to each other in ring to form the second transmission ring. The controller is configured to set the ToR switches in order to build the optical tunnel from a first OADS to a second OADS on the second transmission ring by the second transmission modules if a disconnection occurs to the optical tunnel from the first OADS to the second OADS on the first transmission ring.

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.