Method of determining optical amplifier failures

A failure detection system for an optical amplifier module, comprising:

• means for measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• a memory unit for providing a predetermined expected performance parameter;
• and
• a comparator unit for receiving said performance parameter and said expected performance parameter and producing an error signal when said performance parameter departs from said expected performance parameter,
• wherein said means for measuring further comprises:
• means for supplying an input value as a function of the power of an incoming optical signal received by said amplifier module on a transmission channel;
• and
• means for supplying an output value as a function of the power of an outgoing optical signal transmitted by said amplifier module on said transmission channel.

A failure detection system for an optical amplifier module, comprising:

• means for measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• a memory unit that stores an expected performance parameter;
• and
• a comparator unit for receiving said performance parameter and said expected performance parameter and producing an error signal when said performance parameter departs from said expected performance parameter,
• wherein said means for measuring further comprises:
• means for supplying an input value as a functions of the power of an incoming optical signal received by said amplifier module on a transmission channel;
• and
• means for supplying an output value as a function of the power of an outgoing optical signal transmitted by said amplifier module on said transmission channel;
• and
• wherein said comparator unit comprises:
• a first comparator for comparing said output value with a provisioned output value stored in said memory unit and producing said error signal;
• and
• a second comparator for comparing, in response to said error signal, said input value to a threshold stored in said memory unit and producing one of a module fail alarm signal and input low alarm signal.

A failure detection system for an optical amplifier module, comprising:

• means for measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• a memory unit that stores an expected performance parameter;
• and
• a comparator unit for receiving said performance parameter and said expected performance parameter and producing an error signal when said performance parameter departs from said expected performance parameter,
• wherein said means for measuring further comprises:
• means for supplying an input value as a function of the power of an incoming optical signal received be said amplifier module on a transmission channel;
• means for supplying an output value as a function of the power of an outgoing optical signal transmitted by said amplifier module on said transmission channel;
• means for estimating the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) value;
• means for supplying a pump power value as a function of the power injected by a laser pump of said amplifier module on said transmission channel;
• and
• a calculation unit for receiving said input value, said output value, said ASE value, and said pump power value and determining a figure of merit as said expected performance parameter.

A failure detection system for a multi-channel optical amplifier module having a plurality (M) of transmission channels, comprising:

• means for measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• memory for storing a predetermined expected performance parameter;
• and
• a comparator unit for comparing said performance parameter with said expected performance parameter and producing an error signal when said performance parameter departs from said expected performance parameter.

A failure detection system for a multi-channel optical amplifier module having a plurality (M) of transmission channels, comprising:

• means for measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• a memory unit for storing an expected performance parameter;
• and
• a comparator unit for comparing said performance parameter with said expected performance parameter and producing an error signal when said performance parameter departs from said expected performance parameter,
• wherein said means for measuring comprises:
• means for supplying an input value (I.sub.m) for each transmission channel (m) as a function of the power of an incoming optical signal received by said amplifier module on said transmission channel (m), where m is an integer m.epsilon.[1,M];
• and
• means for supplying an output value (O.sub.m) for each transmission channel (m), as a function of the power of an outgoing optical signal transmitted by said amplifier module on said transmission channel (m).

A method for detecting failure of an optical amplifier module, comprising the steps of:

• providing a predetermined expected performance parameter for said module;
• measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• comparing said performance parameter with said expected performance parameter to generate an error signal when said performance parameter is different from said expected performance parameter;
• and
• triggering an alarm/display unit with a true/false signal for accordingly indicating a failure of said module.

A method for detecting failure of an optical amplifier module, comprising the steps of:

• providing an expected performance parameter for said module;
• measuring a performance parameter of said module;
• comparing said performance parameter with said expected performance parameter to generate an error signal when said performance parameter is different from said expected performance parameter;
• and
• triggering an alarm/display unit with a true/false signal for accordingly indicating a failure of said module,
• wherein said step of measuring comprises:
• measuring, for a plurality (M) of transmission channels, an input value I.sub.m, representative of the power of an incoming optical signal on each transmission channel (m);
• and
• measuring, for said plurality (M) of transmission channels, an output value representative of the power of an outgoing optical signal on each transmission channel (m).