The present invention provides a protection method and system in flexible bandwidth optical networks with multi-core fiber. The method includes steps of: selecting an appropriate working path for a connection request, and selecting a working core as a transmission channel on the working path; allocating, on the selected working path and working core, a spectrum resource that satisfies spectral continuity, spectral consistency, and a crosstalk threshold constraint; selecting, for the connection request, a dedicated protection path that does not intersect a link of the working path, and selecting a protection core as a transmission channel on the protection path; and finally, allocating, on the selected protection path and protection core, the spectrum resource that satisfies the spectral continuity, the spectral consistency, and the crosstalk threshold constraint.

An optical network having a first terminal node, a second terminal node, and a network service system is described. The first terminal node has a plurality of ports and a signal restoration component to create a restored path. The second terminal node has a plurality of ports and a failure monitor to issue a path failure notice. A working path, a protection path, and the restored path are each fiber optic lines optically coupling the first terminal node to the second terminal node to enable a service, each path requiring a quantity of exclusive licenses. The network service system receives a path failure notice indicating a working path failure, calculates the quantity of licenses required by the restored path, releases the quantity of licenses required by the working path and applies at least a portion of the quantity of licenses to the quantity of licenses required by the restored path.

An optical network having a first terminal node, a second terminal node, and a network service system is described. The first terminal node has a plurality of ports and a signal restoration component to create a restored path. The second terminal node has a plurality of ports and a failure monitor to issue a path failure notice. A working path, a protection path, and the restored path are each fiber optic lines optically coupling the first terminal node to the second terminal node to enable a service, each path requiring a quantity of exclusive licenses. The network service system receives a path failure notice indicating a working path failure, calculates the quantity of licenses required by the restored path, releases the quantity of licenses required by the working path and applies at least a portion of the quantity of licenses to the quantity of licenses required by the restored path.

This disclosure describes devices and methods related to multiplexing optical data signals. A method may be disclosed for multiplexing one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise receiving, by a dense wave division multiplexer (DWDM), one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise combining, by the DWDM, the one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise outputting, by the DWDM, the combined one or more optical data signals to one or more wave division multiplexer (WDM). The method may comprise combining, by the one or more WDM, the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals, and outputting an egress optical data signal comprising the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals.

An optical wavelength multiplex transmission system includes a redundant configuration composed of an active system and a standby system between a first terminal station apparatus and a second terminal station apparatus. The first terminal station apparatus includes a light source configured to output dummy light, a coupler configured to insert the dummy light into the standby system, and a control unit configured to vary the dummy light. The second terminal station apparatus includes a coupler configured to extract the dummy light from the standby system and a detector configured to detect the extracted dummy light. The optical wavelength multiplex transmission system can identify a route of the standby system between the first terminal station apparatus and the second terminal station apparatus according to a result of the detection by the detector and check whether the standby system is normal.

An optical wavelength multiplex transmission system includes a redundant configuration composed of an active system and a standby system between a first terminal station apparatus and a second terminal station apparatus. The first terminal station apparatus includes a light source configured to output dummy light, a coupler configured to insert the dummy light into the standby system, and a control unit configured to vary the dummy light. The second terminal station apparatus includes a coupler configured to extract the dummy light from the standby system and a detector configured to detect the extracted dummy light. The optical wavelength multiplex transmission system can identify a route of the standby system between the first terminal station apparatus and the second terminal station apparatus according to a result of the detection by the detector and check whether the standby system is normal.

Disclosed herein are switch devices in terminal ends of a network and methods of using same. One embodiment relates to a terminal end of a network including a terminal end transceiver configured to communicate with one or more end user devices, and a switch device configured to automatically route communication at the terminal end transceiver between a primary communication path with a central office and an auxiliary communication path with the central office. Another embodiment relates to a method of switching between primary and auxiliary communication paths at a terminal end. Automatic switching is particularly applicable in a looped communication architecture with redundant communication paths for preventing interruption and increasing reliability for an improved user experience. Another embodiment relates to indexing with splices to reduce connections in a communication path and increase signal quality.

This disclosure describes devices and methods related to multiplexing optical data signals. A method may be disclosed for multiplexing one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise receiving, by a dense wave division multiplexer (DWDM), one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise combining, by the DWDM, the one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise outputting, by the DWDM, the combined one or more optical data signals to one or more wave division multiplexer (WDM). The method may comprise combining, by the one or more WDM, the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals, and outputting an egress optical data signal comprising the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals.

An optical network having a first terminal node, a second terminal node, and a network service system is described. The first terminal node has a plurality of ports and a signal restoration component to create a restored path. The second terminal node has a plurality of ports and a failure monitor to issue a path failure notice. A working path, a protection path, and the restored path are each fiber optic lines optically coupling the first terminal node to the second terminal node to enable a service, each path requiring a quantity of exclusive licenses. The network service system receives a path failure notice indicating a working path failure, calculates the quantity of licenses required by the restored path, releases the quantity of licenses required by the working path and applies at least a portion of the quantity of licenses to the quantity of licenses required by the restored path.

This disclosure describes devices and methods related to multiplexing optical data signals. A method may be disclosed for multiplexing one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise receiving, by a dense wave division multiplexer (DWDM), one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise combining, by the DWDM, the one or more optical data signals. The method may comprise outputting, by the DWDM, the combined one or more optical data signals to one or more wave division multiplexer (WDM). The method may comprise combining, by the one or more WDM, the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals, and outputting an egress optical data signal comprising the combined one or more optical data signals and one or more second optical data signals.