Method and apparatus for construction of compact optical nodes using wavelength equalizing arrays

• US 9,374,186 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2016
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimon Papakos, Mark E. Boduch
• Original Assignee: Kimon Papakos, Mark E. Boduch
• Inventors: Boduch, Mark E., Papakos, Kimon
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US15/004,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 151 Days
• Field of Search: 398/83, 398/79, 398/34, 398/38, 398/33, 398/45, 398/48, 398/49, 398/50, 398/82, 398/84, 398/85, 398/87, 398/158, 398/159, 398/160, 398/59, 385/24, 385/37, 385/16, 385/17, 385/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07955 Monitoring or measuring power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07957 Monitoring or measuring wavelength
• 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 14/0215 Architecture aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0221 Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03528 Other transform domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03006 Arrangements for removing intersymbol interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing

Abstract

Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an optical node comprising of at least two optical degrees; a plurality of directionless add/drop ports; and at least one wavelength equalizing array, wherein the at least one wavelength equalizing array is used to both select wavelengths for each degree, and to perform directionless steering for the add/drop ports.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer with directionless add/drop port support comprising:

a first line interface;

a second line interface;

a common port;

a first wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first line interface to the common port;

a second wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second line interface to the first line interface;

a third wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the common port to the first line interface;

a fourth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second line interface to the common port;

a fifth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first line interface to the second line interface; and

a sixth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the common port to the second line interface.

2. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, further comprising a

seventh wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to select a wavelength for a transponder.

3. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 2, further comprising a wavelength equalizing array, wherein the wavelength equalizing array comprises, the first wavelength equalizer, the second wavelength equalizer, the third wavelength equalizer, the fourth wavelength equalizer, the fifth wavelength equalizer, the sixth wavelength equalizer, and the seventh wavelength equalizer.

4. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 2, wherein an optical coupler is used to combine a wavelength from the transponder with wavelengths from the common port.

5. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, further comprising a wavelength equalizing array, wherein the wavelength equalizing array comprises, the first wavelength equalizer, the second wavelength equalizer, the third wavelength equalizer, the fourth wavelength equalizer, the fifth wavelength equalizer, and the sixth wavelength equalizer.

6. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, wherein a plurality of add/drop ports are connectable through the common port.

7. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, further comprising a seventh wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to select wavelengths for an optical channel monitor function.

8. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 7, further comprising a photo diode attached to the optical output of the seventh wavelength equalizer, wherein the photo diode is used to measure optical power of wavelengths selected by the seventh wavelength equalizer.

9. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the first line interface to the first wavelength equalizer and to the fifth wavelength equalizer;

a second optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the second wavelength equalizer and from the third wavelength equalizer for the first line interface;

a third optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the second line interface to the second wavelength equalizer and to the fourth wavelength equalizer;

a fourth optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the fifth wavelength equalizer and from the sixth wavelength equalizer for the second line interface;

a fifth optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the first wavelength equalizer and from the fourth wavelength equalizer for the common port; and

a sixth optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the common port to the third wavelength equalizer and to the sixth wavelength equalizer.

10. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 9, further comprising:

a seventh wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to select wavelengths for an optical channel monitor function;

an optical amplifier, attached to an output of the second optical coupler; and

a seventh optical coupler, attached to an output of the optical amplifier, and used to broadcast wavelengths from the optical amplifier to the first line interface and to the seventh wavelength equalizer.

11. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, wherein electrical variable optical attenuators are used to partially and fully attenuate individual wavelengths passing through each wavelength equalizer.

12. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, wherein an optical power level associated with each individual wavelength passing through each wavelength equalizer is attenuated by a programmable amount by sending a command through a user interface.

13. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack comprising;

the first line interface, the second line interface, the common port, the first wavelength equalizer, the second wavelength equalizer, the third wavelength equalizer, the fourth wavelength equalizer, the fifth wavelength equalizer, the sixth wavelength equalizer, a seventh wavelength equalizer, and an eighth wavelength equalizer; and

a second reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack,

wherein, the seventh wavelength equalizer is used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack to the first line interface, and wherein the eighth wavelength equalizer is used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack to the second line interface.

14. A method of forwarding wavelengths in a multi-degree optical node with support for directionless add/drop ports comprising:

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from a first line interface to a common port with a first wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output;

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from a second line interface to the first line interface with a second wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output;

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from the common port to the first line interface with a third wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output;

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from the second line interface to the common port with a fourth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output;

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from the first line interface to the second line interface with a fifth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output; and

passing and blocking individual wavelengths from the common port to the second line interface with a sixth wavelength equalizer with only one optical input and only one optical output.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting individual wavelengths for an optical channel monitor function with a seventh wavelength equalizer.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting individual wavelengths for an optical transponder with a seventh wavelength equalizer.

17. An optical node comprising:

a first line interface;

a second line interface;

a common port;

a first express port;

a second express port;

a first wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first line interface to the common port;

a second wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second line interface to the first line interface;

a third wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first express port to the first line interface;

a fourth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second express port to the first line interface;

a fifth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the common port to the first line interface;

a sixth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second line interface to the common port;

a seventh wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first line interface to the second line interface;

an eighth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the first express port to the second line interface;

a ninth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the second express port to the second line interface; and

a tenth wavelength equalizer with one optical input and one optical output, used to pass and block individual wavelengths from the common port to the second line interface.

18. The optical node of claim 17, further comprising:

a first optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the first line interface to the first wavelength equalizer and to the seventh wavelength equalizer and to the first express port;

a second optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the second wavelength equalizer and from the third wavelength equalizer and from the fourth wavelength equalizer and from the fifth wavelength equalizer for the first line interface;

a third optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the second line interface to the sixth wavelength equalizer and to the second wavelength equalizer and to the second express port;

a fourth optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the seventh wavelength equalizer and from the eighth wavelength equalizer and from the ninth wavelength equalizer and from the tenth wavelength equalizer for the second line interface;

a fifth optical coupler, used to combine wavelengths from the first wavelength equalizer and from the sixth wavelength equalizer for the common port;

a sixth optical coupler, used to broadcast wavelengths from the common port to the fifth wavelength equalizer and to the tenth wavelength equalizer;

a seventh optical coupler used to broadcast wavelengths from the first express port to the third wavelength equalizer and to the eighth wavelength equalizer; and

an eighth optical coupler used to broadcast wavelengths from the second express port to the fourth wavelength equalizer and to the ninth wavelength equalizer.

19. The optical node of claim 17, further comprising a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack comprising:

the first line interface, the second line interface, the common port, the first express port, the second express port, the first wavelength equalizer, the second wavelength equalizer, the third wavelength equalizer, the fourth wavelength equalizer, the fifth wavelength equalizer, the sixth wavelength equalizer, the seventh wavelength equalizer, the eighth wavelength equalizer, the ninth wavelength equalizer, the tenth wavelength equalizer.

20. The optical node of claim 19, further comprising:

a second reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer circuit pack comprising;

a third line interface, a fourth line interface, a second common port, a third express port and a fourth express port,

wherein the first express port is optically connected to the third express port, and wherein the second express port is optically connected to the fourth express port.

21. The optical node of claim 20, further comprising:

a multiplexer/de-multiplexer circuit pack comprising;

a multiplexer, a de-multiplexer, a first optical coupler, and a second optical coupler,

wherein the first optical coupler is used to combine wavelengths from the common port and from the second common port for the de-multiplexer, and wherein the second optical coupler is used to broadcast wavelengths from the multiplexer to the common port and to the second common port.

22. The optical node of claim 20, further comprising:

a first multiplexer/de-multiplexer circuit pack comprising;

a first multiplexer, and a first de-multiplexer; and

a second multiplexer/de-multiplexer circuit pack comprising;

a second multiplexer, and a second de-multiplexer,

wherein the first multiplexer/de-multiplexer circuit pack is connected to the common port, and wherein the second multiplexer/de-multiplexer circuit pack is connected to the second common port.