Patent ID: 9118984
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling optical data flow in a network, comprising: receiving, by a switch controller, a data flow including a plurality of data packets used for network management and control, the switch controller configured to control routing through a network switch, the switch controller in communication with the network switch via a control link, the network switch including at least one wavelength tunable optical data transmission interface to a wavelength division multiplexed optical network; transmitting a control signal indicating which wavelengths are in use and which wavelengths are not in use to the network switch over a control link; receiving a return signal from the network switch, the return signal generated by an optical filter in the switch, the return signal indicative of an available wavelength for transmission of the data flow to the switch; allocating a data traffic flow to the available wavelength, and communicating the allocation decision to the network switch; and transmitting the data flow to the switch via an optical carrier signal having the available wavelength indicated by the return signal.