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Optical ring networks having node-to-node optical communication channels for carrying data traffic

  • US 8,175,458 B2
  • Filed: 07/17/2008
  • Issued: 05/08/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An optical communication system, comprising:

  • a plurality of optical ring nodes connected to form an optical ring which support (1) broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals carrying communication traffic to the optical ring nodes without regeneration at each optical ring node, and (2) at least one node-to-node optical WDM signal carrying communication traffic from one optical ring node to an adjacent optical ring node by regeneration at each optical ring node, wherein the node-to-node optical WDM signal is at a wavelength different from wavelengths of the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals;

    a plurality of optical amplifiers coupled in the optical ring and operable to amplify light in a gain spectral range covering optical wavelengths of the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals;

    wherein the optical ring includes first and second fibers to connect two adjacent nodes to carry optical traffic in opposite directions, respectively;

    wherein each node comprises;

    an optical add and drop module coupled to the first and second fibers to produce one or more of the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals and to split a fraction of light in the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals for detection while transmitting rest of the light in the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals;

    a first node-to-node optical transmitter to produce the node-to-node optical WDM signal at a first node-to-node WDM wavelength;

    a first optical coupler to receive the node-to-node optical WDM signal from the first node-to-node optical transmitter and to split the node-to-node optical WDM signal into a first part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and a second part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal;

    a second node-to-node optical transmitter to produce a second node-to-node optical WDM signal at a second node-to-node WDM wavelength different from the first node-to-node WDM wavelength;

    a second optical coupler to receive the second node-to-node optical WDM signal from the second node-to-node optical transmitter and to split the second node-to-node optical WDM signal into a first part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal and a second part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal;

    a first optical add module to combine the first part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the first part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal into a first add signal;

    a second optical add module to combine the second part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the second part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal into a second add signal;

    a first optical add coupler coupled to the first fiber to direct the first add signal to the first fiber;

    a second optical add coupler coupled to the second fiber to direct the second add signal to the second fiber;

    a first optical drop coupler coupled to the first fiber upstream from the first optical add coupler to selectively couple light of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the second node-to-node optical WDM signal out of the first fiber while transmitting light of the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals;

    a first optical drop module to separate the light of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the second node-to-node optical WDM signal from the first optical drop coupler into a first drop part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and a first drop part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal;

    a second optical drop coupler coupled to the second fiber upstream from the second optical add coupler to selectively couple light of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the second node-to-node optical WDM signal out of the second fiber while transmitting light of the broadcast-and-select optical WDM signals;

    a second optical drop module to separate the light of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and the second node-to-node optical WDM signal from the second optical drop coupler into a second drop part of the node-to-node optical WDM signal and a second drop part of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal; and

    a first optical receiver to receive the first and second drop parts of the node-to-node optical WDM signal; and

    a second optical receiver to receive the first and second drop parts of the second node-to-node optical WDM signal.

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