Control of parameters in a global optical controller

Abstract

An optical network system having a global controller capable of controlling all the elements of the network. The controller receives performance data from each optical network element and calculates a performance value for each channel transmitting through the system. The controller then isolates the channel with the minimum performance value and tests possible changes in network element parameters to find a change which would increase this performance value. Once such a change is found, it is implemented and the system is reoptimized.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An optical transmission system for transmitting a plurality of optical signals, said system comprising: 
 a plurality of transmitter modules each producing at least one optical signal;    a multiplexer module for multiplexing said plurality of optical signals on to a single optical transmitting medium, said multiplexer receiving said plurality of optical signals from said transmitter modules;    a plurality of receiver modules each receiver module receiving at least one optical signal;    a plurality of optical network elements, said elements being positioned between said multiplexer module and at least one of said receiver modules; and    a global controller module for controlling performance characteristics and functions of system elements chosen from the group comprising: 
 said transmitter modules;  
 said multiplexer modules;  
 said receiver modules; and  
 said optical network elements  
 wherein 
 said global controller module receives data from at least one of said system elements; and  
 said global controller continuously optimizes said system by changing said characteristics and functions of said system elements based on said data.  
 
   
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said optical network elements are chosen from a group comprising: 
 optical amplifiers;  
 optical cross-connects;  
 optical filters;  
 dispersion compensation modules;  
 optical add/drop multiplexers;  
 dynamic gain flattening filters; and  
 demultiplexer module.  
 
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said network elements is equipped with a local controller, said local controller controlling at least one performance characteristic based on input from said global controller module.  
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said global controller module optimizes the system by executing the following method: 
 a) gathering performance data from at least two of each of said system elements;  
 b) calculating a performance value for each optical signal based on said performance data;  
 c) determining which optical signal has the minimum performance value;  
 d) determining which performance characteristics affect said minimum performance value;  
 e) determining how a specific change in said performance characteristics affects said minimum performance value;  
 f) in the event a specific change increases said minimum performance value, implementing said specific change in said performance characteristics; and  
 g) repeating steps a)-f) after implementing a change in said performance characteristics.  
 
     
     
         5 . An optical transmission system for transmitting at least one optical signal from a transmitting end to a receiving end, said system comprising: 
 at least one transmitter module at the transmitting end, said at least one transmitter module transmitting said at least one optical signal;    at least one receiver module at the receiving end, said at least one receiver module receiving said at least one optical signal;    a plurality of optical network elements between said at least one transmitter module and said at least one receiver module, at least one of said elements being a receiving element receiving said at least one optical signal from said at least one transmitter module, at least one of said elements being a transmitting element transmitting said at least one optical signal to said at least one receiver module; and    a controller module controlling said plurality of optical network elements wherein said controller receives data from said optical network elements and optimizes the performance of said transmission system by continuously modifying performance characteristics of said network elements based on said data.    
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 5  wherein said network elements are chosen from a group comprising: 
 optical multiplexers;  
 optical demultiplexers;  
 optical amplifiers;  
 optical cross connects;  
 optical filters;  
 dispersion compensation modules; and  
 optical add/drop multiplexers.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method of optimizing the performance of an optical transmission system having a global controller controlling a plurality of optical network elements, said method comprising; 
 a) gathering performance data from at least two said optical network elements;    b) calculating a system performance value based on said performance data of multiple optical signals;    c) momentarily changing multiple parameters of said system;    d) in the event a specific momentary change increases said system performance value, implementing a corresponding specific change in said parameters; and    e) repeating steps a)-d) after implementing a change in said parameters.    
     
     
         8 . A method of optimizing an optical communications system having multiple components and multiple controllable parameters, the method comprising: 
 a) choosing at least one of the multiple parameters to test based on a history of results of previous tests;    b) temporarily changing the chosen at least one parameter by a first predetermined amount;    c) determining an effect of the change of step b) on the performance of the system;    d) determining which action is to be taken relative to the chosen at least one parameter based on the history of results of previous tests, the action being chosen from a group comprising: 
 increasing the chosen at least one parameter;  
 decreasing the chosen at least one parameter; and  
 leaving the chosen at least one parameter at its current setting.  
   
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein step a) comprises: 
 a1) determining a sorting value for each of the multiple controllable parameters;  
 a2) sorting the sorting values in order of their magnitude; and  
 a3) choosing the n parameters from the n sorted values as the chosen at least one parameter.  
 
     
     
         10 . A method of optimizing an optical communications system having multiple components and multiple controllable parameters, said controllable parameters affecting at least one transmission channel in said communications system, the method comprising: 
 a) temporarily increasing a controllable test parameter by a first predetermined amount from a base setting, said test parameter being one of said controllable parameters;    b) determining an effect of the increase of step a) on the performance of the system;    c) temporarily decreasing the controllable test parameter by a second predetermined amount from the base setting;    d) determining an effect of the decrease of step c) on the performance of the system;    e) determining if said test parameter is to be increased or decreased based at least on said effects determined in steps b) and d);    f) implementing an increase or a decrease in said test parameter based on results of step e); and    g) repeating steps a)-f) using the increased or decreased test parameter as a new base.    
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10  further including the step of: 
 h) repeating steps a)-g) for each of said controllable parameters.  
 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11  wherein multiple instances of said method are being executed in parallel.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 10  wherein step e) includes determining if said test parameter is to be increased or decreased based on a history of previous increases and decreases of said test parameter.  
     
     
         14 . An optimization system for optimizing an optical communications system, said communications system having multiple components and multiple controllable parameters, the optimization system comprising: 
 means for temporarily increasing at least one of said controllable parameters from a base setting;    means for temporarily decreasing at least one of said controllable parameters from a base setting;    means for determining if an increase or a decrease in said at least one of said controllable parameters improves a performance measurement of said communications system; and    means for implementing an increase or a decrease in said at least one of said controllable parameters such that said at least one of said controllable parameters is changed to form a new base setting.    
     
     
         15 . An article of manufacture comprising: 
 a computer readable and executable code, said code comprising computer instructions for optimizing an optical communications system having multiple components and multiple controllable parameters, said controllable parameters affecting at least one transmission channel in said communications system, the instructions comprising: 
 a) temporarily increasing a controllable test parameter by a first predetermined amount from a base setting, said test parameter being one of said controllable parameters;  
 b) determining an effect of the increase of step a) on the performance of the system;  
 c) temporarily decreasing the controllable test parameter by a second predetermined amount from the base setting;  
 d) determining an effect of the decrease of step c) on the performance of the system;  
 e) determining if said test parameter is to be increased or decreased based at least on said effects determined in steps b) and d);  
 f) implementing an increase or a decrease in said test parameter based on results of step e); and  
 g) repeating steps a)-f) using the increased or decreased test parameter as a new base.  
   
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 15  wherein said instructions further comprise: 
 repeating steps a)-g) for each of said controllable parameters.  
 
     
     
         17 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 16  wherein said instructions allow for multiple instances of said instructions to be executed in parallel.  
     
     
         18 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 15  wherein said instructions further comprising the step determining if said test parameter is to be increased or decreased based on a history of previous increases and decreases of said test parameter.  
     
     
         19 . A method of activating additional transmission capacity in an optical communications system, said additional capacity comprising at least one incoming optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions in said communications system are conducive to an addition of an incoming optical channel;    b) if operating conditions are conducive to a channel addition, increasing a power level of said incoming channel; and    c) increasing a contribution of said incoming channel to an overall system performance measurement.    
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 19  wherein step c) comprises increasing a coefficient associated with said incoming optical channel in a calculation which determines said overall system performance measurement.  
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 20  wherein said coefficient is increased by a second predetermined amount.  
     
     
         22 . An article of manufacture comprising: 
 computer readable media containing computer readable and executable code comprising instructions for a method of activating additional transmission capacity in a optical communications system, said additional capacity comprising at least one incoming optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions in said communications system are conducive to an addition of an incoming optical channel;  
 b) if operating conditions are conducive to a channel addition, increasing a power level of said incoming channel; and  
 c) a contribution of said incoming channel to an overall system performance measurement.  
   
     
     
         23 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 22  step c) comprises increasing a coefficient associated with said incoming optical channel in a calculation which determines said overall system performance measurement.  
     
     
         24 . A method of deactivating transmission capacity in an optical communications system, said transmission capacity comprising at least one optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel;    b) if conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel, decreasing a contribution of an outgoing channel to an overall system performance measurement; and    c) decreasing a power level of said outgoing channel.    
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 24  wherein step c) is initiated after step b) is initiated.  
     
     
         26 . A method as in  claim 24  wherein in step b) said contribution is decreased by decreasing a coefficient associated with said outgoing channel by a specific amount, said coefficient being used in a calculation which determines said overall system performance measurement.  
     
     
         27 . An article of manufacture comprising: 
 computer readable media containing computer readable and executable code comprising instructions for deactivating transmission capacity in an optical communications system, said transmission capacity comprising at least one optical channel, said instructions comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel;  
 b) if conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel, decreasing a contribution of an outgoing channel to an overall system performance measurement; and  
 c) decreasing a power level of said outgoing channel.  
   
     
     
         28 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 27  wherein in step c) is initiated after step b) is initiated.  
     
     
         29 . An article of manufacture as in  claim 30  wherein in step b) said contribution is decreased by decreasing a coefficient associated with said outgoing channel by a specific amount, said coefficient being used in a calculation which determines said overall system performance measurement.  
     
     
         30 . A method of activating additional transmission capacity in an optical communications system, said additional capacity comprising at least one incoming optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining parameter settings for equipment said communications system for adding one incoming channel;    b) determining if operating conditions in said communications system are conducive to an addition of an incoming optical channel;    c) activating said incoming channel if operating conditions are conducive to a channel addition;    d) increasing a power level of said incoming channel; and    e) optimizing the communications system while said power level is being increased.    
     
     
         31 . A method as in  claim 34  wherein step e) is accomplished by experimenting parameters of said communications system to determine which change in parameters will increase a system performance value, said system performance value being based on performance values of existing channels in said communications system.  
     
     
         32 . A method of optimizing an optical communications system after adding additional transmission capacity, said method comprising: 
 a) increasing a contribution of an incoming channel to a overall system performance measurement;    b) experimenting with parameters of said system to increase said system performance measurement; and    c) repeating steps a)-b) until said incoming channel is a full component of said system performance measurement.    
     
     
         33 . A method as in  claim 32  wherein in step a) said contribution is increased by a predetermined amount.  
     
     
         34 . A method as in  claim 32  wherein said system performance measurement is based on performance values of existing channels in said communications system.  
     
     
         35 . A method of assessing an overall performance of an optical communications system, said system having multiple parameters and multiple channels, the method comprising: 
 a) gathering performance data for said multiple channels;    b) calculating a cost function based on said performance data; and    c) determining if said cost function exceeds a predetermined threshold.    
     
     
         36 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein said cost function is based on the lowest valued performance data.  
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein said multiple parameters are adjusted based on a value of said cost function.  
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein an incoming channel is added to said system and a contribution of performance data from said incoming channels is added to said cost function.  
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 38  wherein said contribution of said performance data from said incoming channel is gradually added to said cost function.  
     
     
         40 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein an outgoing channel is removed from said system and a contribution of performance data from said outgoing channel is removed from said cost function.  
     
     
         41 . A method as in  claim 40  wherein said contribution of said performance data from said outgoing channel is gradually removed from said cost function.  
     
     
         42 . A method of increasing performance of an optical communications network having multiple channels and multiple adjustable parameters, the method comprising: 
 a) gathering performance data measurements for a plurality of said multiple channels;    b) determining an overall performance measurement for said system based on said performance data measurements; and    c) adjusting selected adjustable parameters to improve said overall performance measurement for said system.    
     
     
         43 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein said overall performance measurement is a cost function.  
     
     
         44 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein an improvement of said overall performance is obtained by lowering a performance of at least one of said mulitple channels.  
     
     
         45 . A method of deactivating transmission capacity in an optical communications systems, said transmission capacity comprising at least one outgoing optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel;    b) if conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel, decreasing a power level of said outgoing channel; and    c) optimizing said communication system.    
     
     
         47 . A method of deactivating transmission capacity in an optical communications systems, said transmission capacity comprising at least one outgoing optical channel, said method comprising: 
 a) determining if operating conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel;    b) if conditions are conducive to a deactivation of an optical channel, decreasing a contribution of an outgoing channel to an overall system performance measurement;    c) of optimizing said communication system.    
     
     
         48 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein in step b) said contribution is decreased by decreasing a coefficient associated with said outgoing channel by a specific amount, said coefficient being used in a calculation which determines said overall system performance measurement.