Ciena Corporation
Optical switch with path continuity monitoring for optical protection switching

Abstract:

An Optical Protection Switch (OPS) includes a splitter connected to a transmitted input and a path continuity monitor transmitter and configured to output the transmitted input with a path continuity monitor signal to two paths; a switch connected to a receiver output and configured to provide one of two receiver inputs each from one of the two paths based on a setting of the switch; and one or more path continuity monitor receivers connected to the two receiver inputs and configured to detect a corresponding path continuity monitor signal from a complementary OPS, wherein the setting of the switch is set based upon the received path continuity monitor signals. The one or more path continuity monitor receivers each have a narrow optical bandwidth relative to an overall optical bandwidth of the transmitted input.