Patent · US Expired

Circuit having two optical amplifiers, in particular for a repeater in an undersea telecommunications system

US5801878A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 1997
Grant dateSep 1, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/06787
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A circuit having two optical amplifiers each of which comprises a pump source, an active medium such as an optical fiber, and means for recovering pump energy that is unused in its active medium so that said energy can be reinjected into the other amplifier. The recovery means is such that in each amplifier, reinjection is performed in the direction opposite to the direction in which the main pump energy is injected. By way of example, each amplifier includes a recovery terminal constituting both an outlet for the unused pump energy and an inlet for reinjection the pump energy as recovered from the other amplifier. A single conductor provides an optical link between the recovery terminals of the two amplifiers. The circuit can be used in a repeater for long distance transmission of optical signals, in particular for undersea transmission.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.