Client grooming interface

摘要

The invention is directed to apparatus, systems and methods enabling a service provider to establish an optical demarcation point located at or within equipment controlled at least in part by a customer's domain such that the service provider's domain is able to directly control access of an optical signal to their domain based upon at least one optical signal characteristic and at least one of mapping and multiplexing properties pertaining to one or more information flows within said optical signal.

主权项

1. In an optical network connecting a customer's network element in a customer's network with a service provider's network element in a service provider's network, a customer optical interface apparatus comprising:
a first customer interface within said customer's network element for optically conveying one or more optical data plane signals to a provider interface within said service provider's network element; a customer controller within said customer's network element coupled to a provider controller within said service provider's network, wherein said customer controller and said provider controller are managed within said service provider's network, and wherein said customer's network element is managed at least in part, but not entirely, within said customer's network; and a customer demarcation control channel for conveying, between said customer controller and said provider controller, information of at least one of a payload signal mapping property and/or a signal multiplexing property of said one or more optical data plane signals, and wherein said provider controller is configured to enable and to prohibit the transmission of said one or more optical data plane signals in accordance with said information, and wherein said control channel is not demodulated with said one or more optical data plane signals at said provider controller.