Automatic shutdown system and method for optical multiplexers and demultiplexers
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsJun Su, Yi Ding
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic shutdown system for optical multiplexers and demultiplexers includes an optical switch that is disposed in a common optical channel between a transmitter and a receiver of an optical communication system. The optical switch may attenuate or block a signal in the common optical channel during power-off conditions. The optical switch may also provide a low insertion loss and low polarization loss in the common optical channel during power-on conditions.
Claims30
An optical communication system comprising:
- an optical multiplexer configured to receive at least one or more optical input channels and provide a common optical channel;
- an optical demultipelxer configured to receive the common optical channel and provide at least one or more optical output channels;
- and
- an optical switch coupled to the common optical channel, the optical switch configured to switch between a low insertion loss power-on mode and a high attenuation power-off mode.
A communication device comprising:
- an optical multiplexer configured to receive at least one or more optical input channels and provide a common optical channel;
- and
- an optical switch coupled to the common optical channel, the optical switch configured to switch between a low insertion loss power-on mode and a high attenuation power-off mode.
A communication device comprising:
- an optical demultipelxer configured to receive a common optical channel and provide at least one or more optical output channels;
- and
- an optical switch coupled to the common optical channel, the optical switch configured to switch between a low insertion loss power-on mode and a high attenuation power-off mode.
A method of automatic shutdown for an optical communication system, the method comprising:
- attenuating at least one or more optical input channels at variable attenuation levels at power-on conditions;
- attenuating the plurality of optical input channels at a power-off attenuation level at power-off conditions;
- multiplexing the plurality of optical input channels into a common optical channel;
- and
- attenuating the common optical channel during the power-off conditions, the attenuating of the common optical channel during the power-off conditions being at a higher level than the power-off attenuation level of the plurality of optical input channels.
A planar lightwave circuit for a transmitter of an optical communication system, the planer lightwave circuit comprising:
- at least one or more optical input channels;
- a arrayed waveguide grating configured to receive the plurality of optical input channels and provide a multiplexed common output channel;
- and
- an optical switch connected to the common output channel, the optical switch configured to switch between a low insertion loss mode when powered and an attenuation mode when not powered.
A planar lightwave circuit for a receiver of an optical communication system, the planar lightwave circuit comprising:
- an optical switch configured to receive a multiplexed common optical channel;
- and
- an arrayed waveguide grating configured to receive the multiplexed common optical channel and provide at least one or more demultiplexed optical output channels;
- wherein the optical switch is configured to switch between a low insertion loss mode when powered and an attenuation mode when not powered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.