Patent ID: 8861956
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for switching paths in a wavelength-multiplexing network in which a first number of wavelengths each used for a path to transmit an optical signal are multiplexed into an optical fiber, the apparatus comprising: an entire switching unit configured to perform a path-switching process for switching a path, simultaneously on all the first number of wavelengths when failures have occurred for all the first number of wavelengths; a second number of individual switching units each configured to perform the path-switching process individually on one of a third number of wavelengths included in the first number of wavelengths when at least one failure has occurred for the third number of wavelengths, wherein the second and third numbers are each smaller than the first number; and a switch controller that assigns the path-switching process to a switching unit that is selected from among the entire switching unit and the second number of individual switching units based on failure information detected by the apparatus or protection information indicating operational states of nodes in the wavelength-multiplexing network.