Method and apparatus for dispersion management in optical mesh networks

• US 20060133817A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Xie, Chongjin
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/161
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25137 using pulse shaping at the transmitter, e.g. pre-chirping or dispersion supported transmission [DST]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2210/252 after the transmission line, i.e. post-compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2210/254 before the transmission line, i.e. pre-compensation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dispersion management in hybrid data rate long haul mesh networks are provided. The apparatus comprises a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the mesh network. A de-interleaver is coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals transmitted across the fiber link. A delay device is coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signals to decorrelate the odd and even channels and substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) apparatus for hybrid data rate optical mesh networks comprising:

a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the network;

a de-interleaver coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals transmitted across the fiber link; and

a delay device coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signals to decorrelate the odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator comprises dispersion compensating fiber.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delay device comprises a fiber jumper of a predetermined length for introducing a desired delay.

4. An optical mesh network comprising:

a plurality of reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs), each including;

a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the network;

a de-interleaver coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal; and

a delay device coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signal to decorrelate the odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.

5. A method for dispersion management in a hybrid data rate optical mesh network comprising the steps of:

fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link (RDPL) at at least one node in the network;

de-interleaving odd and even channels of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal; and

introducing a delay between odd and even channels of the WDM signal to decorrelate odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.