Optical communication system which determines the spectrum of a wavelength division multiplexed signal and performs various processes in accordance with the determined spectrum

Abstract

An optical communication system for transmitting wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal light through an optical fiber. The optical communication system includes a decoupling unit and a monitoring unit. The decoupling unit decouples a portion of the WDM signal light from the optical fiber as a monitoring signal. The monitoring unit determines the spectrum of the WDM signal light from the monitoring signal and performs control processing in accordance with the determined spectrum. Control processing includes performing at least one of the following: (1) controlling light sources to maintain a constant wavelength of each light signal in the WDM signal light, (b) determining a noise figure of an optical amplifier which amplifies the WDM signal light, (c) controlling the optical amplifier to achieve a desired noise figure, (d) detecting a signal-to-noise ratio of the WDM signal light, (e) detecting a true signal power of the WDM signal light, (f) maintaining the true signal power to be at a constant level, (g) counting the number of channels in the WDM signal light, (h) equalizing the gain of an optical amplifier to maintain a flat gain, (i) selecting a light source from among redundant light sources for providing a light signal on a respective channel of the WDM signal light, or (j) selecting a respective channel of the WDM signal light for signal enhancement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.