US 2010/0142956 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Reshaping a Channel Signal

Abstract

Higher rate channels (e.g., 40 Giga bits or greater) have large bandwidths and are susceptible to inter-channel crosstalk. Optical tunable filters may be used to overcome crosstalk. Tunable filters do not maintain their central wavelength over a long duration or a wide temperature range. An example embodiment of the present invention relates to shaping a channel signal within a dense wavelength division multiplexing signal and may employ a tunable filter and input and output optical power detectors to measure a modulated source channel signal at an input of the tunable filter and a filtered modulated source channel signal at an output of the tunable filter. A controller is configured to adjust a center wavelength of the tunable filter as a function of a difference between measurements of optical power by the optical power detectors. Adjusting the center wavelength shapes the channel signal and overcomes undesired effects for higher rate channels.

Claims36

Dependent claims

An apparatus for shaping a channel signal within a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) signal, the apparatus comprising:

a tunable filter;
an input optical power detector and an output optical power detector to measure a modulated source channel signal at an input of the tunable filter and a filtered modulated source channel signal at an output of the tunable filter respectively;
and
a controller configured to adjust a center wavelength of the tunable filter as a function of a difference between measurements of optical power by the optical power detectors to shape the channel signal within the DWDM signal.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and Apparatus for Reshaping a Channel Signal

Life of this patent

Method and Apparatus for Reshaping a Channel Signal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36