Optical communication system having dynamic gain equalization
US7092148B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 13, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J14/02216
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical communication device, and related method, are provided for reducing ripple in WDM systems. In particular, the optical communication device includes a dynamic gain equalization (DGE) circuit is coupled to an optical communication path carrying the WDM optical signals. The DGE circuit adjusts the powers associated with each channel on a channel-by-channel basis so that the WDM optical signal has a desired power spectrum. The DGE is controlled in response to sense signals generated by an optical performance monitoring (OPM) circuit located downstream from the DGE or substantially co-located with the DGE. The OPM monitors the WDM spectrum for optical signal power variations and outputs the sense signal when the variations fall outside a given tolerance. Typically, one DGE is associated with a group of concatenated amplifiers so that multiple DGEs are provided in a system having many groups of such amplifiers. Likewise, multiple OPMs are provided in such systems, each corresponding to a respective DGE, so that ripple can be reduced and desired WDM optical signal powers can be achieved in the WDM system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.