Raman amplifier with high power distribution bypass
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorsEdward C. Gage, Mark McElhinney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical communications control station includes an equipment rack and a fiber frame for interfacing between the fiber communications link and the equipment in the rack. Raman pump lasers in the equipment rack produce a Raman pump output that bypasses the fiber frame and is coupled directly into the fiber communications link. The number of connectorized components that the pump light passes through is reduced, thus reducing the possibility of damaging fiber connections by passing the high power Raman pump light through fiber connections. The approach also reduces the possibility of an operator being inadvertently exposed to the high power Raman pump light, thus increasing operator safety.
Claims28
An optical communications station, comprising:
- a fiber communications link carrying a fiber communications signal falling in a signal wavelength range;
- a fiber equipment rack having fiber equipment units for communicating with the fiber communications link, the fiber equipment units including a Raman pump unit generating Raman pump light in a pump light wavelength range;
- a fiber interface frame containing fiber interface devices for interfacing between the fiber communications link and the fiber equipment rack;
- and
- a coupling unit disposed between the fiber communications link and the fiber interface devices, the coupling unit permitting passage of light in the signal wavelength range between the fiber communications link and the fiber interface devices and the coupling unit coupling the Raman pump light from the Raman pump unit into the fiber communications link, whereby the fiber communications link provides Raman gain to the fiber communications signal.
A method of operating a fiber communications station, comprising:
- propagating optical communications signals between a fiber communications link and a fiber communications equipment rack via a set of fiber interfaces;
- generating signals in the fiber communications equipment rack for controlling a Raman pump unit;
- and
- injecting Raman pump light from the Raman pump unit into the fiber communications link while bypassing the set of fiber interfaces.
An optical communications station, comprising;
- means for propagating optical communications signals between a fiber communications link and a fiber communications equipment rack via a set of fiber interfaces;
- means for generating signals in the fiber communications equipment rack for controlling a Raman pump unit;
- and
- means for injecting Raman pump light from the Raman pump unit into the fiber communications link while bypassing the set of fiber interfaces.
An optical communications system, comprising:
- an optical transmitter producing optical communications signals in a signal wavelength range;
- a fiber communications link coupled to receive the optical communications signals;
- and
- an optical receiver receiving at least a portion of the optical communications signals from the fiber communications link;
- at least one of the optical transmitter and the optical receiver including
- a fiber equipment rack having fiber equipment units for communicating with the fiber communications link, the fiber equipment units including a Raman pump unit generating Raman pump light in a pump light wavelength range;
- a fiber interface frame containing fiber interface devices for interfacing between the fiber communications link and the fiber equipment rack;
- and a coupling unit disposed between the fiber communications link and the fiber interface devices, the coupling unit permitting passage of light in the signal wavelength range between the fiber communications link and the fiber interface devices and the coupling unit coupling the Raman pump light from the Raman pump unit into the fiber communications link, whereby the fiber communications link provides Raman gain to the fiber communications signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.