Automatic protection system for an optical transmission system

A method of activating an optical communication system comprising:

• forcing a first optical amplifier to disregard a shutdown signal;
• operating the first optical amplifier at a first power level;
• verifying an absence of a shutdown signal after a predetermined period of time;
• and
• operating the first optical amplifier at a second power level after the predetermined period of time, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level.

A system for optical communication comprising:

• a first optical transformation site;
• a second optical transformation site;
• and
• a plurality of optical amplifiers coupled serially between the first and second optical transformation sites, wherein the first optical transformation site couples to an input of one of the optical amplifiers and the second optical transformation site couples to an output of one of the optical amplifiers, and wherein each of the optical amplifiers is operable to:
• receive a signal at an input of the optical amplifier;
• detect a decrease in the signal;
• decrease a pump power of the optical amplifier in response to the decrease in the signal;
• and
• disregard a shutdown signal for a predetermined period of time in response to the decrease in the signal.

A system for optical communication comprising:

• a first optical transformation site;
• a second optical transformation site;
• and
• a plurality of optical amplifiers coupled serially between the first and second optical transformation sites, wherein the first optical transformation site couples to an input of one of the optical amplifiers and the second optical transformation site couples to an output of one of the optical amplifiers, and wherein each of the optical amplifiers is operable to:
• disregard a shutdown signal;
• increase a pump power of the optical amplifier to a first power level;
• verify an absence of a shutdown signal after a predetermined period of time;
• and
• increase the pump power of the optical amplifier to a second power level in response to verifying the absence of the shutdown signal, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level.

An optical amplifier, comprising:

• an input operable to receive a signal;
• a detector operable to detect a decrease in the signal;
• a pump operable to decrease a pump power in response to the decrease in the signal;
• and
• a sensor operable to selectively disregard a shutdown signal for a predetermined period of time in response to the decrease in the signal.

An optical amplifier, comprising:

• an input operable to receive a signal and to detect increases in the signal;
• a sensor operable to detect a shutdown signal and operable to selectively disregard the shutdown signal for a predetermined period of time;
• and
• a pump operable to increase a pump power of the optical amplifier.

Logic for activating an optical communications system, the logic embodied in a computer-readable media and operable to perform the steps of:

• forcing a first optical amplifier to disregard a shutdown signal;
• operating the first optical amplifier at a first power level;
• verifying an absence of a shutdown signal after a predetermined period of time;
• and
• operating the first optical amplifier at a second power level wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level.

Logic for deactivating an optical communications system, the logic embodied in a computer-readable media and operable to perform the steps of:

• detecting a decrease in a signal at an input to an optical amplifier;
• decreasing a pump power of the optical amplifier in response to the decrease in the signal;
• and
• forcing the optical amplifier to disregard a shutdown signal for a predetermined period of time.

An optical communication system, comprising:

• means for detecting a decrease in a signal at an input to an optical amplifier;
• means for decreasing a pump power of the optical amplifier in response to the decrease in the signal;
• and
• means for forcing the optical amplifier to disregard a shutdown signal for a predetermined period of time.

An optical communication system, comprising:

• means for forcing an optical amplifier to disregard a shutdown signal;
• means for operating the first optical amplifier at a first power level;
• means for verifying an absence of a shutdown signal after a predetermined period of time;
• and
• means for operating the first optical amplifier at a second power level wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level.