Method and apparatus for amplification of an optical signal

A method of amplifying an optical signal in an optical network comprising the steps of:

• receiving the optical signal from the optical network
• attenuating the optical signal by an attenuation factor to form an attenuated optical signal;
• amplifying said attenuated optical signal to form an amplified optical signal;
• transmitting said amplified optical signal on the optical network;
• determining an operating indicator from an amplifying means used during the step of amplifying;
• and
• adjusting said attenuation factor based on said operating indicator.

A device for multiplexing and amplifying a first optical signal and a second optical signal in an optical network, said device comprising:

• a first optical attenuator coupled to the optical network for receiving the first optical signal and producing a first attenuated optical signal, said first optical attenuator having a plurality of first attenuation factors;
• a second optical attenuator coupled to the optical network receiving the second optical signal and producing a second attenuated optical signal, said second optical attenuator having a plurality of second attenuation factors;
• an optical multiplexer coupled to said first optical attenuator and said second optical attenuator, said optical multiplexer multiplexing said first attenuated signal with said second attenuated signal to form a multiplexed optical signal;
• an optical amplifier coupled to said optical multiplexer, said optical amplifier receiving said multiplexed optical signal and producing an amplified optical signal for transmission on the optical network;
• and
• a controller coupled to said first optical attenuator, said second optical attenuator, said optical multiplexer, said optical amplifier and the optical network, said controller outputting a first control signal to said first optical attenuator selecting one of said plurality of first attenuation factors, and said controller for outputting a second control signal to said second optical attenuator selecting one of said plurality of second attenuation factors, and wherein said optical amplifier outputs an indicator to said controller and wherein said controller generates said first and second control signals based on said indicator.

A method for multiplexing and amplifying a first optical signal and a second optical signal in an optical network comprising the steps of:

• receiving the first optical signal and the second optical signal;
• attenuating the first optical signal by a first attenuation factor to form a first attenuated optical signal;
• attenuating the second optical signal by a second attenuation factor to form a second attenuated optical signal;
• multiplexing said first attenuated optical signal and said second attenuated optical signal to form a multiplexed optical signal;
• amplifying said multiplexed optical signal to form an amplified optical signal;
• transmitting said amplified optical signal on the network;
• determining an operating indicator from an amplifying means used during the step of amplifying;
• and
• adjusting said first attenuation factor and said second attenuation factor based on said operating indicator.

An optical network for transmitting at least one optical signal, said optical network comprising:

• a plurality of nodes including at least a first and a second node;
• a plurality of interconnections coupled between said plurality of nodes including a first interconnection coupled between said first node and said second node, said first interconnection for transmitting the at least one optical signal between said first node and said second node;
• and
• an amplification module coupled to said first interconnection, the amplification module having logic to receive the at least one optical signal and at least one parameter and to amplify the at least one optical signal by an amplification factor to form an amplified optical signal for transmission on the optical network, the amplification factor based on the at least one optical signal and the at least one parameter, and wherein said amplification module comprises:
• an optical attenuator having logic to receive the at least one optical signal and to produce an attenuated optical signal, said optical attenuator having a plurality of attenuation factors;
• an optical amplifier coupled to said optical attenuator, said optical amplifier having logic to receive said attenuated optical signal and to produce said amplified optical signal;
• and
• a controller coupled to said optical attenuator and said optical amplifier, said controller having logic to output a control signal to said optical attenuator for selecting one of said plurality of attenuation factors, said control signal based on the at least one optical signal and said at least one parameter.

An optical network for transmitting at least a first optical signal and a second optical signal, said optical network comprising:

• a plurality of nodes including at least a first and a second node;
• a plurality of interconnections coupled between said plurality of nodes including at least a first interconnection coupled between said first node and said second node, said first interconnection transmitting the first optical signal and the second optical signal;
• and
• an amplification module coupled to said first interconnection, said amplification module having logic to receive the first optical signal, the second optical signal and at least one parameter, said amplification module having logic to amplify the first optical signal by a first amplification factor to form a first amplified signal, said amplification module having logic to amplify the second optical signal by a second amplification factor to form a second amplified signal, said amplification module having logic to multiplex said first amplified signal and said second amplified signal to form a third signal for transmission on the optical network, said first amplification factor and said second amplification factor based on the first optical signal, the second optical signal and said at least one parameter.