Supervisory signalling for optical communications equipment
AssigneeAlcatel
InventorsAnthony John Evans, Derek C. Willetts
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Abstract
The present invention relates to supervisory signalling for optical communications equipment. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for supervisory signalling relating to submarine optical communications equipment on a submarine optical communications system.
Claims23
A method of transmitting status information on an optical transmission line used to transmit a data signal, the method including the step of:
- applying a control signal to an optical attenuator through which the data signal passes,
- wherein the attenuator modulates the data signal by a signal corresponding to the status information.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the optical attenuation characteristics of the optical attenuator are substantially independent of the frequency of the data signal.
An optical transmission system for transmitting status information, including an optical transmission line capable of carrying an optical data signal,
- an optical attenuator through which the data signal is capable of passing,
- control means capable of applying a control signal to the optical attenuator,
- wherein the optical attenuator is capable of modulating the data signal by a signal corresponding to the status information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.