Patent ID: 8873964

Claim:
A method for identifying a first optical module that provides an optical signal to a second optical module, the optical signal comprising a plurality of channel signals, each of which having a corresponding one of a first plurality of wavelengths, each of the first plurality of wavelengths having a corresponding one of a first plurality of wavelength values, which conform to a first wavelength grid, comprising the steps of: connecting a first optical module to the second optical module with a waveguide; supplying an optical signal from the first optical module, the optical signal comprising a plurality of channel signals from the first optical module to the second optical module, each of which having a corresponding one of a first plurality of wavelengths, the first plurality of wavelengths conforming to a first wavelength grid; shifting spectrally each of the plurality of channel signals, such that each of the plurality of channel signals has a corresponding one of a second plurality of wavelengths, the second plurality of wavelengths conforming to a second wavelength grid; modulating at least one of the plurality of channel signals of the optical signal with information identifying the first optical module to provide a modulated optical signal; ascertaining at the second optical module from the modulated optical signal whether the first module is expected module to supply the optical signal; and sending an acceptance signal from the second optical module to the first optical module if the first optical module is the expected module; and shifting spectrally each of the plurality of channel signals, such that each of the plurality of channel signals has the corresponding one of the first plurality of wavelengths, after receipt of the acceptance signal by the first optical module.