Patent ID: 9692503
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: H04B,H04J

Claim:
1. A method comprising: monitoring, by a processor, a first signal carried on a primary light path between a first reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) and a second ROADM, wherein the first ROADM includes a first port and a second port, the second ROADM includes a third port and a fourth port, wherein the primary light path is coupled between the first port and the third port; determining, by the processor, that a characteristic of the first signal does not satisfy a threshold value or a threshold range of values; deactivating, by the processor and in response to determining that the characteristic of the first signal does not satisfy the threshold value or the threshold range of values, the first port and the third port; transmitting, by the processor, a test signal via a protection light path, wherein the protection light path is coupled between the second port and the fourth port; determining, by the processor, whether a transmission criterion is achieved when transmitting the test signal via the protection light path; and activating, by the processor and based on determining that the transmission criterion is achieved, the second port and the fourth port, wherein a second signal is sent on the protection light path based on activating the second port and the fourth port.