Method and an improved device for controlling the power delivered at the output of a node of an optical network that switches bands of wavelengths

A device (D) for controlling the power of optical signals in a transparent switching node (Ni) of an optical communication network that switches bands of wavelengths, said node (Ni) comprising demultiplexing means (1) for feeding demultiplexed optical signals to switching means (4) for feeding demultiplexed optical signals to multiplexing means (6) and said device comprising i) control means (12) for comparing input optical power measurements to a selected first threshold and generating instructions representative of the comparison result, ii) measuring means (10A, 10B) for measuring the input optical power of the optical signals at one output at least of said switching means (4), and iii) processing means (13) at least part of which is between said switching means (4) and said multiplexing means (6) and which control the optical power of the signals coming from said switching means (4) as a function of the instructions they receive, so that the optical power of the input signals of said multiplexing means (6) is maintained substantially constant, which device is characterized in that said processing means (13) comprise at least one optical channel (14) connected to one of the outputs of said switching means (4) and comprising variable attenuation means (13A) for attenuating the optical power of the signals on said channel and coupling means (15) connected to variable auxiliary optical power feeding means (13B) and to said optical channel (14) downstream of said attenuation means (13A) to insert said auxiliary optical power into said optical channel (14).

A device configured to control the power of optical signals in a transparent switching node of an optical communication network that switches bands of wavelengths, said node comprising a demultiplexer that feeds demultiplexed optical signals to a switching device that feeds demultiplexed optical signals to a multiplexer, said device comprising:

• a controller that compares input optical power measurements to a selected first threshold and generates instructions representative of the comparison result;
• a measuring device that measures the input optical power of the optical signals at one output at least of said switching device;
• and
• a processor, at least part of which is between said switching device and said multiplexer and which controls the optical power of the signals coming from said switching device as a function of the instructions they receive,
• wherein the optical power of the input signals of said multiplexer is substantially constant, and
• further wherein said processor includes at least one optical channel coupled to an output of said switching device, and further includes a variable attenuator that attenuates the optical power of the signals on said channel and a coupling device coupled to a variable auxiliary optical power feeding device and to said optical channel downstream of said attenuator to insert said auxiliary optical power into said optical channel.