US Patent 7894721 Control of parameters in a global optical controller

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.