Metropolitan area network using low insertion loss optical add-drop multiplexers
AssigneeSprint Communications Company L.P.
InventorsChao-Xiang Shi, Li-Ping Chen
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Abstract
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is disclosed that is comprised of a central node, an optical fiber, a first low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM), a second low insertion loss O-ADM, and a third low insertion loss O-ADM. The first, second, and third O-ADMs are coupled to the optical fiber and configured to drop wavelengths from an optical signal. The first, second, and third O-ADMs each have an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 dB. The low insertion loss O-ADMs create an efficient MAN that can grow much larger than current MANs in the absence of optical line amplifiers.
Claims15
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), comprising:
- an optical fiber;
- a central node coupled to the optical fiber;
- a first low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM) coupled to the optical fiber and configured to receive an optical signal from the central node, drop a first wavelength from the optical signal, and transfer the optical signal wherein the first low insertion loss O-ADM has an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 decibels (dB);
- a second low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM) coupled to the optical fiber and configured to receive the optical signal from the first O-ADM, drop a second wavelength from the optical signal, and transfer the optical signal wherein the second low insertion loss O-ADM has an insertion loss of less, than approximately 1.00 dB;
- and
- a third low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM) coupled to the optical fiber and configured to receive the optical signal from the second O-ADM, drop a third wavelength from the optical signal, and transfer the optical signal wherein the third low insertion loss O-ADM has an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 dB.
A method of operating a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal from a central node to a first low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM);
- dropping a first wavelength from the optical signal in the first O-ADM wherein dropping the first wavelength results in an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 decibels (dB);
- transmitting the optical signal from the first O-ADM to a second low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM);
- dropping a second wavelength from the optical signal in the second O-ADM wherein dropping the second wavelength results in an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 dB;
- transmitting the optical signal from the second O-ADM to a third low insertion loss Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (O-ADM);
- and
- dropping a third wavelength from the optical signal in the third O-ADM wherein dropping the third wavelength results in an insertion loss of less than approximately 1.00 dB.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.