Patent ID: 7577356

Claim:
An optical communication system, comprising: a first optical device comprising a transmission optical switch and a controller coupled to the transmission optical switch; and a second optical device coupled to the first optical device via each of a first fiber and a second fiber, wherein the transmission optical switch is configured to connect the first and second optical devices via the first fiber and is configured to connect the first and second optical devices via the second fiber based on control signals generated by the controller, wherein the controller is configured: (a) to transmit a first control signal to the transmission optical switch that prompts the transmission optical switch to connect the first and second optical devices via the first fiber; (b) to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied with respect to the first fiber; (c) if the predetermined condition is satisfied with respect to the first fiber in step (b), to return to step (b); and (d) if the predetermined condition is not satisfied with respect to the first fiber in step (b), to transmit a second control signal to the transmission optical switch that causes the optical switch to connect the first and second optical devices via the second fiber.