Patent ID: 9088354
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: H04B,H04J,H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for communicating optically between nodes of an optical network, comprising: forming, between a first node and a second node of the network, a set of lightpaths; transferring communication traffic between the first and second nodes via the set of lightpaths; determining, for the set of lightpaths, that a communication traffic level associated therewith is less than a predetermined threshold; in response to the determination, removing a lightpath from the set of lightpaths to form a reduced set of lightpaths; transferring the communication traffic between the first and second nodes via the reduced set of lightpaths, while reducing a level of power consumption in the removed lightpath; forming a further determination for the reduced set of lightpaths that the communication traffic level associated therewith is less than a further predetermined threshold; in response to the further determination, removing an additional lightpath from the reduced set of lightpaths to form a further reduced set of lightpaths; and transferring the communication traffic between the first and second nodes via the further reduced set of lightpaths, while reducing a level of power consumption in the further removed lightpath.