Patent ID: 7486677
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: H04J,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for providing inter-nodal communications between network service personnel in a photonics network having a plurality of network nodes each having a unique network address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal and at least one data transport optical signal at a first of the plurality of network nodes, the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal including a destination network address corresponding to a destination network node of the plurality of networks nodes, the destination network address being initially included at an originating network node of the plurality of network nodes for conducting inter-nodal communications from network service personnel physically located at the originating network node to network service personnel physically located at the destination network node; routing the at least one received data transport optical signal, via an optical switch in the first network node, to another of the plurality of network nodes without converting the at least one received data transport optical signal into an electrical format; forwarding the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal from the first network node to a second of the plurality of network nodes if the destination network address does not match the unique network address of the first network node, the forwarding of the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal being determined based upon a corresponding received dedicated inter-nodal communications electrical signal; and processing the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal at the first network node if the destination network address matches the unique network address of the first network node thereby identifying the first network node as the destination network node, the processing of the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal being determined based upon the corresponding received dedicated inter-nodal communications electrical signal, the processing of the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal including extracting any one of audio, video, and data information from the received dedicated inter-nodal communications optical signal for conducting inter-nodal communications from network service personnel physically located at the originating network node to network service personnel physically located at the destination network node.