Optical channel monitor (OCM) with spectrally-multiplexed wavelength reference for monitoring of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying switching, wherein the switching comprises selecting one signal from a plurality of switching input signals, and outputting the selected one signal;
• and
• inputting the selected one signal as the first combining input signal.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein the splitter circuit is further configured to apply optically broadband splitting, and wherein the optically broadband splitting comprises outputting the entire splitting input signal via each of the plurality of split ports.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein the splitter circuit is further configured to apply spectral splitting, and wherein the spectral splitting comprises outputting variably, via each of the plurality of split ports, portions of an optical spectrum corresponding to the splitting input signal or a splitting output signal comprising a portion of the splitting input signal.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein the splitter circuit is further configured to apply wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) splitting, and wherein:
• applying the WDM splitting comprises outputting a first splitting output signal via a first one of the plurality of split ports and a second splitting output signal via a second one of the plurality of split ports,
• the first splitting output signal comprises an in-band portion of the WLREF signal corresponding to a WDM spectrum of the input WDM signal, and
• the second splitting output signal comprises an out-band portion of the WLREF signal corresponding to one or more spectrum portions outside the WDM spectrum of the input WDM signal.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein one of the plurality of splitting output signals is inputted into the WDM combiner circuit as the second combining input signal.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical switch (OSW) circuit configured to select one signal from a plurality of switching input signals, and wherein one of the plurality of splitting output signals is inputted into the OSW circuit as one of the plurality of switching input signals.

A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

• an optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block configured for optical channel monitoring, the processing block comprising:
• a wavelength reference (WLREF) circuit configured to generate a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength calibration for optical channel monitoring;
• an optical channel monitor (OCM) circuit configured for monitoring WDM channels, the monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• and
• a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combiner circuit configured to generate a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• wherein the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• wherein the OCM circuit is configured to apply the monitoring to the combined signal;
• wherein the optical channel monitor (OCM) processing block further comprises an optical splitter circuit configured to split a splitting input signal to a plurality of splitting output signals via a corresponding plurality of split ports, and wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• applying optically broadband splitting, wherein the optically broadband splitting comprises outputting the entire splitting input signal as each one of the plurality of splitting output signals.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• applying spectral splitting, wherein the spectral splitting comprises outputting variably the entire splitting input signal or a splitting output signal comprising a portion of the splitting input signal.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• applying wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) splitting, wherein applying the WDM splitting comprises outputting a first splitting output signal and a second splitting output signal, and wherein:
• the first splitting output signal comprises an in-band portion of the WLREF signal corresponding to a WDM spectrum of the input WDM signal, and
• the second splitting output signal comprises an out-band portion of the WLREF signal corresponding to one or more spectrum portions outside the WDM spectrum of the input WDM signal.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• inputting one of the plurality of splitting output signals as the second combining input signal.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal;
• and
• applying switching, wherein the switching comprises selecting one signal from a plurality of switching input signals, and wherein one of the plurality of splitting output signals is inputted as one of the plurality of switching input signals.

A method for optical channel monitoring, the method comprising:

• generating a wavelength reference (WLREF) signal for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) measurement;
• applying optical channel monitoring of WDM channels, the optical channel monitoring comprising measuring one or more characteristics associated with WDM signals communicated via the WDM channels;
• generating a combined signal based on combining of a first combining input signal and a second combining input signal;
• wherein:
• the first combining input signal comprises an input WDM signal;
• the second combining input signal comprises the WLREF signal or a signal generated based on the WLREF signal;
• and
• the optical channel monitoring is applied to the combined signal;
• applying splitting to a splitting input signal, and outputting a plurality of splitting output signals, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal, wherein the splitting input signal comprises the WLREF signal.