Apparatus And Method For Transmitting In An Optical Communication Network

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transmitting in an optical communication network. Optical transmissions, and in particular burst mode transmissions, are subject to wavelength drift. Described herein is a manner of executing optical transmissions while mitigating wavelength drift, in some cases without significantly reducing transmit power. Emphasis is placed on timely and efficient feedback so that adjustments may be made. A network node such as an ONT in a PON is provided with a light source and means for modulating an upstream optical transmission. A tap provides a portion of the generated (and perhaps modulated) light beam to a wavelength control loop, which in a preferred embodiment includes a channel selection filter and a wavelength discrimination filter. The wavelength generated by the light source is adjusted, if necessary, according to, at least in part, the output of the wavelength control loop.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.