Patent · US Expired

Method and system for operating a plurality of electronic variable optical attenuators (eVOAs)

US6996323B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 15, 2003
Grant dateFeb 7, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 5, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/077
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for operating a plurality of eVOAs in an optical network is provided. The system comprises a number of eVOAs, each eVOA coupled to one or more optical taps and connected to a microcontroller. The microcontroller comprises a monitor signal processing controller for measuring the power of the optical signal at the eVOAs; a scheduler for continuously cycling and checking the eVOAs operating attenuations; a microprocessing controller for determining, setting, adjusting and updating the eVOA operating attenuation and a means for communications between the microprocessor and the other controller within the system. The microcontroller cycles through the plurality of eVOAs and controls one eVOA at a time according to a predetermined method of the eVOA operation. Individual eVOAs may be controlled according to the same or different methods of controlling operations thereof as required.

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