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AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsFarideh Khaleghi, Alan Glen Solheim, Chris Wilhelm Barnard
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for channel performance equalization in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) systems is disclosed. Performance of the channels is estimated from optical power measurements of each signal transmitted by the channels. The measurements are taken at the inputs of optical amplifiers in the transmission path of the system. The channels are equalized by adjusting the optical power of the channel transmitters. The method is applicable to point-to-point networks as well as more complex network configurations such as those having an add-drop multiplexer (ADM) for inserting and extracting channels from the transmission path. The method can compensate for signals having different bit rates by applying an offset to the amount of optical power adjustment of the channel transmitters. Furthermore, if different types of optical amplifiers are used in the transmission path, the method can accommodate different noise characteristics of the amplifiers by using their noise figures in determining the amount of optical power adjustment of the transmitters that is required to equalize channel performance.
A method of equalizing performance of a first channel transmitting a first signal from a first transmitter along a first transmission path with respect to performance of a second channel transmitting a second signal from a second transmitter along a second transmission path the equalization being effective at a predetermined location in an optical wavelength division multiplexed system and the location being downstream of an optical amplifier in the first path and downstream of an optical amplifier in the second path, the method comprising:
An apparatus for equalizing performance of a first channel transmitting a first signal from a first transmitter along a first transmission path with respect to performance of a second channel transmitting a second signal from a second transmitter along a second transmission path the equalization being effective at a predetermined location in an optical wavelength division multiplexed system and the location being downstream of an optical amplifier in the first path and downstream of an optical amplifier in the second path the apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.