Dynamic add/drop of channels in a linear-optical-amplifier-based wavelength-division-multiplexed system
US6856768B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 8, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J14/0201
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method is provided for minimizing power fluctuations and crosstalk in a wavelength division multiplexed optical (WDM) network employing dynamic add/drop techniques by utilizing amplifiers operating in a nearly linear region. Conventionally, erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) are operated in saturation for providing signal amplification in a WDM network. Instead of using saturated EDFAs, the present invention includes optical amplifiers operated in a linear or nearly linear regime for providing signal amplification in a dynamic add/drop or bursty data WDM network. By operating optical amplifiers in a linear or nearly linear regime, power fluctuations, transients and crosstalk caused by adding/dropping or switching channels in the WDM network are minimized. Raman amplifiers, EDFAs, or semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) can all be operated in a linear or nearly linear range to provide linear amplification in such a dynamic add/drop or bursty data WDM network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.