Optical Channel Layer

The Optical Channel Layer is the highest level layer and interacts directly with the clients system interface. It also provides the mechanism for transporting the client's digital signal through into the OTH compliant network. The optical channel trail from source to sink composes of two distinct logical signals:  

1.The optical client payload 

2.The  optical channel overhead ( the information added by OTH) 

To provide for end-to-end networking the following capabilities are included:  

•Optical Channel connection rearrangement 

•Processes for ensuring the integrity of the information added by the optical channel – This involves the introduction by OTH standards of bit-error rate evaluation and FEC (forward error correction) 

•Supervisory features for allowing network level management and control – this function involves the introduction of OTH standards for provisioning of connections, quality of service parameter exchange, and link protection schemes for network survivability  

The process required to create an optical channel from client data signal is:  

1.To create the optical channel from the client’s signal through interfacing with a transponder/transceiver in order to generate a continuous data stream that can be modulated onto a carrier wavelength 

2.The generation of management/maintenance signals for the OS overhead