Optical network equipment with control and data paths
AssigneeOnetta, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Gassner, Lechuan Xue, Jun Ye
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Optical amplifiers and other optical network equipment are provided for use in fiber-optic communications networks. The equipment may include dynamic spectral filters and optical channel monitors. Control units may be used to control the operation of the equipment. Components in the equipment may be interconnected using communications paths. The communications paths may include paths such as synchronous and asynchronous paths, point-to-point and multidrop paths, RS-232 paths, two-wire interface bus paths, parallel bus paths, and synchronous serial interface paths. The communications paths may be used to support an extensible equipment architecture that allows equipment features to be changed and added.
Claims10
An optical amplifier for use in amplifying optical signals carried on a fiber-optic communications link, comprising:
- at least one optical gain stage that amplifies the optical signals, wherein the optical gain stage includes fiber;
- a plurality of pump lasers that provide light to optically pump the fiber at respective pump powers;
- a plurality of laser drivers, each of which drives an associated pump laser at a respective current;
- a plurality of digital-to-analog converters, each of which provides a corresponding analog control voltage to a respective one of the laser drivers;
- a parallel digital bus to which each of the digital-to-analog converters is connected to receive digital data that directs that digital-to-analog converter to produce its corresponding analog control voltage;
- and
- a control unit that provides the digital data to the digital-to-analog converters using the parallel digital bus, wherein the digital-to-analog converters share the bus using time division multiplexing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.