Bidirectional WDM optical communication systems with bidirectional optical amplifiers
US5742416A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/06787
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides a bidirectional WDM optical communication system with bidirectional optical amplifiers for optically amplifying two counter-propagating WDM optical signals. The bidirectional WDM optical communication system includes a first set of optical transmitters for creating a set of east-west optical channels and a second set of transmitters for creating a set of west-east optical channels. The respective channel sets are multiplexed by optical combiners and output to an optical transmission path. A bidirectional optical amplifier optically communicates with the optical transmission path for amplifying the east-west and west-east WDM signals. In an exemplary embodiment, the bidirectional optical amplifier comprises a first and second four-port optical circulators and a section of doped optical fiber with optical pumps interconnecting the two circulators. Bragg gratings configured to reflect either the west-east or the east-west channel band are positioned in two optical paths which optically communicate with both optical circulators. The amplifier is thus configured to optically amplify both counter-propagating WDM signals. The bidirectional WDM optical system…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.