Optimized directionless optical add/drop module systems and methods

• US 8,457,497 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Zhong, Shan, Archambault, Jean-Luc, Bao, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US12/696,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20100129082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 398/82, 398/83, 398/79, 398/85, 398/158, 398/159, 398/160, 398/45, 398/48, 398/157, 398/84, 398/92, 398/94, 385/24, 385/37, 385/16, 385/17, 385/18
• US Class Current: 398/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0204 Broadcast and select arrangements, e.g. with an optical splitter at the input before adding or dropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0205 Select and combine arrangements, e.g. with an optical combiner at the output after adding or dropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0209 Multi-stage arrangements, e.g. by cascading multiplexers or demultiplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/021 Reconfigurable arrangements, e.g. reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers [ROADM] or tunable optical add/drop multiplexers [TOADM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02122 Colourless, directionless or contentionless [CDC] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02126 Multicast switch arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0213 Groups of channels or wave bands arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0219 Modular or upgradable architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0221 Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/029 Dedicated protection at the optical multiplex section (1+1)
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0291 Shared protection at the optical multiplex section (1:1, n:m)

Abstract

The present disclosure provides optimized configurations for a directionless reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer application. The present invention includes an add module with improved optical signal-to-noise through placing amplifiers prior to a multi-cast optical switch. The present invention includes various drop module configurations utilizing distributed gain, channel selective filters, and bi-directional configurations to reduce power consumption and complexity. Additionally, the present invention includes an integrated broadcast and select architecture.

Claims

1. An add side of a directionless optical add/drop module, comprising:

a multi-cast switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports;

a plurality of optical amplifiers connected to the plurality of input ports of the multi-cast switch, wherein the plurality of optical amplifiers form an optical amplifier array; and

a plurality of tunable filters connected to the plurality of input ports of the multi-cast switch;

wherein the add side utilizes a broadcast and select architecture comprising enabling an amplifier in a path to connect a particular transceiver to a particular degree while also disabling a plurality of amplifiers connecting the transceiver to other degrees.

2. The add side of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tunable filters disposed between the plurality of input ports of the multi-cast switch and the plurality of optical amplifiers.

3. The add side of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical disposed between the plurality of input ports of the multi-cast switch and the amplifiers plurality of tunable filters.

4. The add side of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical amplifiers comprise a plurality of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, and wherein the plurality of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers form an erbium-doped fiber amplifier array.

5. The add side of claim 4, wherein the erbium-doped fiber amplifier array utilizes a shared pump laser.

6. A drop side of a directionless optical add/drop module, comprising:

a multi-cast switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports;

a plurality of optical amplifiers connected to the plurality of input ports of the multi-cast switch, wherein the plurality of optical amplifiers form an optical amplifier array; and

a plurality of tunable filters connected to the plurality of output ports of the multi-cast switch;

wherein the drop side utilizes a broadcast and select architecture comprising enabling an amplifier in a path to connect a particular transceiver to a particular degree while also disabling a plurality of amplifiers connecting the transceiver to other degrees.

7. The drop side of claim 6, wherein the plurality of optical amplifiers comprises a plurality of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, and wherein the plurality of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers forms an erbium-doped fiber amplifier array.

8. The add side of claim 7, wherein the erbium-doped fiber amplifier array utilizes a shared pump laser.

9. The drop side of claim 6, further comprising:

a second plurality of optical amplifiers connected to the plurality of output ports of the multi-cast switch, wherein the second plurality of optical amplifiers form a second optical amplifier array, and wherein the optical amplifier array and the second optical amplifier array are configured to provide distributed gain.

10. The drop side of claim 9, wherein the second optical amplifier array is disposed between the multi-cast switch and the plurality of tunable filters.

11. The drop side of claim 9, wherein the plurality of tunable filters comprise a first plurality of tunable filters and a second plurality of tunable filters, and wherein the second optical amplifier array is disposed between the first plurality of tunable filters and the second plurality of tunable filters.

12. The drop side of claim 11, further comprising:

a first plurality of optical circulators connected between the optical amplifier array and the multi-cast switch; and

a second plurality of optical circulators connected between the first plurality of tunable filters and the second optical amplifier array.

13. The drop side of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of channel selective filters connected to inputs of the optical amplifier array.

14. The drop side of claim 13, further comprising:

a first plurality of optical circulators connected between the optical amplifier array and the multi-cast switch; and

a second plurality of optical circulators connected to outputs of the plurality of tunable filters.

15. An integrated directionless optical add/drop module, comprising:

a drop side comprising a broadcast and select architecture; and

an add side comprising the broadcast and select architecture;

wherein the broadcast and select architecture comprises turning an amplifier on in a path to connect a particular transceiver to a particular degree while also turning a plurality of amplifiers connecting the transceiver to other degrees off.

16. The integrated directionless optical add/drop module of claim 15, wherein the drop side and the add side comprise a plurality of splitters, a plurality of combiners, a plurality of tunable filters, and a plurality of optical amplifiers.

17. The integrated directionless optical add/drop module of claim 16, wherein the drop side comprises the plurality of splitters connected to the plurality of tunable filters, the tunable filters connected to the plurality of optical amplifiers, the plurality of optical amplifiers connected to the plurality of combiners, and a second plurality of tunable filters connected to outputs of the plurality of combiners;

and

wherein the add side comprises the plurality of splitters connected to the plurality of optical amplifiers, the plurality of optical amplifiers connected to the plurality of tunable filters, and the plurality of tunable filters connected to the plurality of combiners.

18. The integrated directionless optical add/drop module of claim 16, wherein the plurality of optical amplifiers comprise an amplifier array of semiconductor optical amplifiers.