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US 2003/0198472 A1Published application
WDM ring transmission system
AssigneeCiena Corporation
InventorWilliam E. Talbot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fiber ring is provided carrying a plurality of WDM optical signals, each at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths. Each optical signal carries data associated with a corresponding group of TDM add/drop multiplexers coupled to an optical path spaced from the optical fiber ring. The optical signals are extracted from the fiber ring with optical add/drop multiplexers, and the data carried by the optical signals is then supplied to the corresponding group of TDM add/drop multiplexers. Accordingly, instead of assigning an optical add/drop multiplexer to each TDM add/drop multiplexer, the optical add/drop multiplexers are assigned to respective groups of TDM add/drop multiplexers. As a result, optical loss as well as cost of the WDM ring are minimized.
Claims23
An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
- a first plurality of optical communication path segments interconnected in a loop, said first plurality of optical communication path segments carrying a plurality of optical signals, each of said plurality of optical signals being at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths;
- a second plurality of optical communication path segments;
- and
- a plurality of add/drop multiplexers, said plurality of add/drop multiplexers being arranged in a plurality of groups, each of said plurality of groups of add/drop multiplexers being coupled to a respective one of said second plurality of optical communication path segments, each of said plurality of optical signals carrying data associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of groups of add/drop multiplexers.
1 more element
An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
- a looped optical communication path including first and second optical communication path segments;
- third and fourth optical communication path segments;
- a first plurality of add/drop multiplexers being coupled to said third optical communication path segment;
- a second plurality of add/drop multiplexers coupled to said fourth optical communication path segment;
- an optical add/drop multiplexer having a first input and a first output, said first input being coupled to said first optical communication path segment and said first output being coupled to said second optical communication path segment, said first optical communication path segment carrying a first plurality of optical signals, each at a respective one of a first plurality of wavelengths, said second optical communication path segment carrying a second plurality of optical signals, each at a respective one of a second plurality of wavelengths;
- a first optical receiver having an input port coupled to a second output of said optical add/drop multiplexer and an output port coupled to said third optical communication path segment, said first optical receiver sensing one of said first plurality of optical signals carrying first information associated with said first plurality of add/drop multiplexers and outputting first electrical signals in response thereto;
- a first optical transmitter coupled to said first optical receiver, said first optical transmitter supplying first light modulated in accordance with said first information to said third optical communication path segment;
- a second optical receiver coupled to said fourth optical communication path segment, said second optical receiver sensing second light carrying second information associated with said second plurality of add/drop multiplexers and outputting a second electrical signal in response thereto;
- and
- a second optical transmitter configured to supply one of said second plurality of optical signals modulated in accordance with said second information to a second input of said optical add/drop multiplexer, said optical add/drop multiplexer supplying said one of said second plurality of optical signals to said second optical communication path segment via said second output of said optical add/drop multiplexer.
7 more elements
A communication method, comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a plurality of optical signals along a first optical communication path segment, each of said plurality of first optical signals being at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths;
- extracting one of said plurality of first optical signals from said first optical communication path segment;
- supplying a second optical signal to a second optical communication path segment in response to said one of said plurality of first optical signals;
- extracting data constituting at least a portion of information carried by said second optical signal at a plurality of locations provided along said second optical communication path segment.
1 more element
A communication method, comprising the steps of:
- successively modulating a first optical signal at a plurality of locations along a first optical communication path;
- supplying a second optical signal to a second optical communication path based on said modulated first optical signal;
- and
- supplying a plurality of additional optical signals to said second optical communication path, each said second optical signal and said additional plurality of optical signals being at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths.
1 more element
A communication method, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a plurality of first optical signals to a first optical communication path segment, each of said plurality of first optical signals being at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths;
- successively modulating a second optical signal at a plurality of locations along a second optical communication path segment, said second optical signal being modulated in accordance with first data associated with said plurality of locations;
- extracting one of said plurality of first optical signals from said first optical communication path segment, said one of said plurality of first optical signals carrying second data;
- passing remaining ones of said plurality of first optical signals from said first optical communication path segment to a third optical communication path segment;
- adding a third optical signal to said third optical communication path segment in response to said second optical signal;
- and
- supplying a fourth optical signal to a fourth optical communication path segment in response to said extracted one of said plurality of first optical signals.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.