FLEXIBLE-CLIENT, FLEXIBLE-LINE INTERFACE TRANSPONDER

摘要

Methods and systems for flexible-client, flexible-link optical transponders include electrical-to-optical transponders, which accept client data from a flow distributor, and a first multiplexing switch that connects modulated optical carriers from the transponders to line interfaces. The electrical-to-optical transponders each include a flexible optical transport unit (OTU) framer module that compresses multiple optical data units (ODUs) into a single ODU having a higher order than any of the input ODUs to form an optical transport network (OTN) frame. An electrical-to-optical modulator modulates OTN frames onto a carrier. The transponder includes a second multiplexing switch that accepts optical carriers from line interfaces and optical-to-electrical transponders that accept modulated optical carriers from the second multiplexing switch. Each optical-to-electrical transponder includes a photodetector to convert the modulated optical carriers to the electrical domain and a flexible OTU framer module that decompresses received ODUs in OTN frames into multiple ODUs to form a bit stream.