Method and Apparatus for Colorless Add

• US 20120308179A1
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jiang, Zhiping, Zhong, Jian, Cui, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0208 Interleaved arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0221 Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of corresponding colorless laser transmitters, an odd channel coupler coupled to each of the switches, an even channel coupler coupled to each of the switches, and an interleaver coupled to the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising a coupler coupled to a plurality of colorless laser transmitters, a first interleaver coupled to the coupler, and a second interleaver coupled to the first interleaver. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising an odd channel coupler coupled to a plurality of first laser transmitters, an even channel coupler coupled to a plurality of second laser transmitters, and an interleaver coupled to the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of corresponding colorless laser transmitters;

an odd channel coupler coupled to each of the switches;

an even channel coupler coupled to each of the switches; and

an interleaver coupled to the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first amplifier positioned between the odd channel coupler and the interleaver; and

a second amplifier positioned between the even channel coupler and the interleaver.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first amplifier and the second amplifier are Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) amplifiers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switches, the odd channel coupler, and the even channel coupler are integrated onto a planar-lightwave circuit (PLC).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switches receive an integer N of channels, each of the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler provides N channels, and the interleaver provides 2N channels.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of second switches coupled to a plurality of second colorless laser transmitters;

a second odd channel coupler coupled to each of the second switches;

a second even channel coupler coupled to each of the second switches;

an odd channel combiner coupled to the odd channel coupler and the second odd channel coupler; and

an even channel combiner coupled to the even channel coupler and the second even channel coupler,

wherein the interleaver is coupled to the odd channel coupler and the second odd channel coupler via the odd channel combiner and to the even channel coupler and the second even channel coupler via the even channel combiner.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a first amplifier positioned between the odd channel combiner and the interleaver; and

a second amplifier positioned between the even channel combiner and the interleaver.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the switches, the odd channel coupler, and the even channel coupler are integrated onto a first planar-lightwave circuit (PLC), and wherein the second switches, the second odd channel coupler, and the second even channel coupler are integrated onto a second PLC.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second odd channel coupler coupled to each of the switches;

a second even channel coupler coupled to each of the switches; and

a second interleaver coupled to the second odd channel coupler and the second even channel coupler.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a first amplifier positioned between the odd channel coupler and the interleaver;

a second amplifier positioned between the even channel coupler and the interleaver;

a third amplifier positioned between the second odd channel coupler and the interleaver; and

a fourth amplifier positioned between the second even channel coupler and the interleaver.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the switches, the odd channel coupler, the even channel coupler, the second odd channel coupler, and the second even channel coupler are integrated onto a first planar-lightwave circuit (PLC).

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switches receive an integer N of channels, each of the odd channel coupler, the even channel coupler, the second odd channel coupler, and the second even channel coupler provides N channels, the interleaver provides 2N channels in a first transmission direction, and the second interleaver provides 2N channels in a second transmission direction.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a coupler coupled to a plurality of colorless laser transmitters;

a first interleaver coupled to the coupler; and

a second interleaver coupled to the first interleaver.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coupler receives an integer N of channels, the first interleaver separates the N channels and provides N/2 odd channels and N/2 even channels on separate ports to the second interleaver, and the second interleaver recombines the N/2 odd channels and N/2 even channels and provides a total of N channels.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an odd channel coupler coupled to a plurality of first laser transmitters;

an even channel coupler coupled to a plurality of second laser transmitters; and

an interleaver coupled to the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the odd channel coupler receives an integer N of channels, the even channel coupler receives another set of N channels, and the interleaver combines N odd channels from the odd channel coupler and N even channels from the even channel coupler and provides 2N channels.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of corresponding colorless laser transmitters;

an odd channel coupler coupled to each of the switches;

an even channel coupler coupled to each of the switches; and

a wavelength selective switch (WSS) coupled to the odd channel coupler and the even channel coupler.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

a first amplifier positioned between the odd channel coupler and the WSS; and

a second amplifier positioned between the even channel coupler and the WSS.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the switches, the odd channel coupler, and the even channel coupler are integrated onto a planar-lightwave circuit (PLC).

20. A method implemented using an colorless add apparatus comprising:

receiving an integer N of channels via N corresponding switches;

splitting the N channels into 2N channels at the switches;

forwarding from the switches N channels to an odd channel coupler and N channels to an even channel coupler;

select and combining N odd channels at the odd channel coupler;

selecting and combining N even channels at the even channel coupler;

forwarding the N odd channels from the odd channel coupler to an interleaver;

forwarding the N even channels from the even channel coupler to the interleaver; and

interleave the N odd channels and the N even channels at the interleaver into 2N channels; and

forwarding the 2N channels.