Optical amplifier output control based on change in detected input power
AssigneeOplink Communications, Inc.
InventorGuansan Chen
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Abstract
This specification describes technologies relating to controlling optical amplifiers. In one implementation, an optical amplifier is provided. The optical amplifier includes a light amplifying medium for receiving an input optical signal and outputting an output amplified signal; a first measuring block for measuring a change in power of the input signal; a pump laser for supplying pump light to the light amplifying medium; and an electronic control for controlling the power of the pump light in response to the measured change in power of input signal to provide an output amplified signal having a substantially constant power for one or more changes in the power of the input signal.
Claims22
An optical amplifier comprising:
- a light amplifying medium for receiving an input optical signal and outputting an output amplified signal;
- a first measuring block for measuring a change in power of the input signal wherein measuring the change in input power includes calculating a difference between two detected input power levels separated by a specified time interval;
- a pump laser for supplying pump light to the light amplifying medium;
- and
- an electronic control for controlling the power of the pump light in response to the measured change in power of input signal to provide an output amplified signal having a substantially constant power following a transient period for one or more changes in the power of the input signal.
A method of controlling the output power of an optical amplifier comprising:
- measuring a change in input power where measuring the change in input power includes calculating a difference between two detected input power levels separated by a specified time interval;
- and
- in response to the measured change in input power, controlling the optical amplifier such that a power of an output amplified signal is substantially constant for one or more changes in the input power.
A method comprising:
- monitoring an input signal received at an optical amplifier;
- monitoring a power of an output amplified optical signal;
- detecting a change in a power of the input signal;
- and
- using the detected change in the power of the input signal and monitored power of the output amplified signal to control the optical amplifier such that a power of an output amplified optical signal remains substantially constant following a transient period including modifying a power of a pump light based on a measured power of the output amplified signal relative to a calculated sum of a target output power and a specified tolerance value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.