Method and apparatus for dynamic equalization in wavelength division multiplexing

An apparatus for selectively adjusting power levels of component signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal including a first wavelength signal and a second wavelength signal, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a demultiplexer configured to de-multiplex the wavelength division multiplexed signal into the component signals, including the first wavelength signal and the second wavelength signal;
• b. a diffractive light modulator with a first pixel configured to receive the first wavelength signal and a second pixel configured to receive the second wavelength signal from the multiplexer, wherein each pixel is controllable to selectively direct a received signal into a first mode and a second mode, and further wherein each first mode is collected such that a power level of the first wavelength signal is selectively adjusted relative to a power level of the second wavelength signal thereby forming first and second collected wavelength signals;
• and
• c. a multiplexer configured to multiplex the first and second collected wavelength signals into an output signal.

A method of adjusting a power level of each of a plurality of component wavelength signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal comprising the steps of:

• a. de-multiplexing an input signal into component wavelength signals including first and second wavelength signals;
• b. directing the first wavelength signal onto a first pixel and the second wavelength signal onto a second pixel;
• c. modulating the first pixel to selectively direct the first wavelength signal into a first mode and a second mode;
• d. modulating the second pixel to selectively direct the second wavelength signal into the first mode and the second mode;
• and
• e. collecting the first mode of the first wavelength signal and the first mode of the second wavelength signal such that a power level of the first wavelength signal is adjusted relative to a power level of the second wavelength signal.

An apparatus for adjusting a power level of each of a plurality of component wavelength signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal comprising:

• a. means for de-multiplexing an input signal into component wavelength signals including first and second wavelength signals;
• b. means for directing the first wavelength signal onto a first pixel and the second wavelength signal onto a second pixel;
• c. means for modulating the first pixel to selectively direct the first wavelength signal into a first mode and a second mode;
• d. means for modulating the second pixel to selectively direct the second wavelength signal into the first mode and the second mode;
• and
• e. means for collecting the first mode of the first wavelength signal and the first mode of the second wavelength signal such that a power level of the first wavelength signal is adjusted relative to a power level of the second wavelength signal.

A method of selectively equalizing respective power levels among a plurality of component wavelength signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal, the method comprising the steps:

• a. directing the plurality of component incoming wavelength signals onto a respective plurality of pixels of a diffractive light modulator, wherein a first component incoming wavelength signal is directed onto a first pixel;
• b. controlling the respective pixels by a controller to control an amount of modulation imposed on a component incoming wavelength signal;
• c. producing a plurality of modulated signals, wherein each of the modulated signals comprises a reflected component, and wherein at least one modulated signal comprises a diffracted component;
• and
• d. equalizing respective power levels among the reflected components of the modulated signals.