Patent · US Expired

Shared forward pumping in optical communications network

US6687047B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
22References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 29, 2001
Grant dateFeb 3, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 18, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S2301/04
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A pump assembly for an optical amplifier includes a plurality of pump radiation sources, each pump radiation source producing radiation at a respective one of a first number of pump wavelengths. A coupler is optically coupled to each of the plurality of pump radiation sources, receives each of the first number of pump wavelengths from the plurality of pump radiation sources, and outputs each of the first number of pump wavelengths to each one of a second number of outputs. The pump assembly also includes a plurality of pump signal combiners, each pump signal combiner optically coupled to a respective one of the second number of outputs of the coupler and receiving each of the first number of pump wavelengths output from the coupler. Each pump signal combiner placing each of the first number of pump wavelengths output from the coupler in co-propagation with a respective one of a plurality of data signals propagating on a respective one of a plurality of optical fibers.

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