US Patent 8682179 Protection switching with transmitter compensation function

A method of protection switching between first and second transceivers where dispersion compensation is effected electrically in the transmitters. The method includes detecting, at the second transceiver, a signal failure of a signal transmitted from the first transceiver and, upon detecting the signal failure, signalling the first transceiver to change its compensation function. The signalling can be done by encoding overhead bits in a signal transmitted from the second to the first transceiver. Another method of protection switching includes both transceivers toggling alternate reception paths upon detecting a signal failure and changing their dispersion compensation function to that of their respective alternate path.