US 7,627,254 B2 · Automated optical link power control

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method are described for controlling the gain across one or more amplifier nodes within an optical span. In one embodiment, a fast local amplifier constant gain control loop is provided that maintains a constant gain across an amplifier node for each of the channels within an optical signal. A slow link level gain setting control loop is provided to set and/or adjust the target gain on the amplifier node(s). A gain adjust sequence is performed by the slow link level gain setting control loop to adjust the target gain(s) in response to various events and mechanisms. A “time of flight” protection method is also provided to ensure consistency between the fast local amplifier gain control loop and the slow link level gain setting control loop.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A system for controlling optical link power, the system comprising:

a head node that transmits an optical signal, having a plurality of optical channels, on an optical link;
a plurality of amplifier nodes, serially coupled to the head node;
an end node, coupled to the plurality of amplifier nodes, that receives the optical signal from the optical link;
an amplifier gain control loop, coupled across one of the plurality of amplifier nodes, the amplifier gain control loop controlling said one of the plurality of amplifier nodes such that said one of the plurality of amplifier nodes applies a constant gain to each of the plurality of optical channels;
and
a link gain setting control loop coupled between the head end node and said one of the plurality of amplifier nodes, the link gain setting control loop adjusting a target gain value for said one of the plurality of amplifier nodes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated optical link power control

Life of this patent

Automated optical link power control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11