A hierarchical and distributed control architecture for managing an optical communications network. The architecture includes a line card manager level for managing individual line cards in an optical switch, a node manager level for managing multiple line cards in an optical switch/node, and a network...http://www.google.de/patents/US7013084?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7013084 - Multi-tiered control architecture for adaptive optical networks, and methods and apparatus therefor
