Patent · US Expired

Two fiber support with single optical amplifier

US6496305B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
5References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 23, 2001
Grant dateDec 17, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 23, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/06787
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical amplifier for a 4-fiber system having two inputs and outputs is provided that makes use of a single amplifier rather than two separate amplifiers. The optical amplifier node makes use of an interleaver before and after the single amplifier to demultiplex and multiplex even and odd channel signals traveling in opposite directions. The arrangement can also amplify wide channel spaced signals traveling through a plurality of optical fibers. The optical amplifier node can be combined with other like amplifier nodes to provide more complex amplifier solutions at reduced costs due to the need for only half of the typical number of amplifiers. The optical amplifier node can also be combined with, e.g., variable optical attenuators, L/C/S filters, channel add/drop, co- and counter-propagating Raman amplification, and dispersion compensation modules to modify the optical signals as desired.

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