Subsea optical communication network

A method comprising:

• delivering power from power feed equipment of a first trunk terminal to a plurality of communication trunks disposed along a floor of a body of water, each communication trunk coupling the first trunk terminal to a second trunk terminal, each communication trunk comprising at least one signal amplifier configured to amplify a signal conveyed along a corresponding communication trunk, the delivered power for powering the at least one signal amplifier of each communication trunk;
• receiving, at the power feed equipment, a shunt fault notification identifying an electrical shunt fault along a faulted communication trunk of the plurality of communication trunks;
• and
• in response to the shunt fault notification, ceasing, at the power feed equipment, delivery of power along at least one communication trunk.

A communication system comprising:

• a first trunk terminal;
• a second trunk terminal;
• at least one communication trunk disposed along a floor of a body of water and coupling the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal, the at least one communication trunk comprising multiple communication cables;
• and
• an intermediate unit connected to the at least one communication trunk between the first and second trunk terminals, the intermediate unit comprising:
• a group of main signal amplifiers, each main signal amplifier coupled to a corresponding communication cable and configured to amplify a signal conveyed along the corresponding communication cable;
• and
• a single backup signal amplifier coupled to two or more of the communication cables and configured to:
• receive a failure notification indicating a failure of one of the main signal amplifiers;
• and
• in response to receiving the failure notification, amplify the signal conveyed along the communication cable corresponding to the failed main signal amplifier.

A communication system comprising:

• a first trunk terminal;
• a second trunk terminal;
• a communication trunk network disposed along a floor of a body of water and coupling the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal, the communication trunk network comprising:
• communication trunks;
• communication switches interconnecting the communication trunks;
• and
• an intermediate unit connected to each communication trunk between the first and second trunk terminals, each communication trunk comprising a plurality of communication cables, the intermediate unit comprising:
• a group of main signal amplifiers, each main signal amplifier coupled to a corresponding communication cable of the corresponding communication trunk and configured to amplify a signal of the corresponding communication cable;
• and
• a backup signal amplifier coupled to two or more of the communication cables and of the corresponding communication trunk configured to:
• receive a failure notification indicating failure of one of the main signal amplifiers;
• and
• in response to receiving the failure notification, amplify the signal conveyed along the communication cable corresponding to the failed main signal amplifier;
• and
• power feed equipment coupled to the communication trunk network, the power feed equipment configured to:
• deliver power along each communication trunk to power the corresponding intermediate unit and/or the switches;
• receive a shunt fault notification identifying an electrical shunt fault along a faulted communication trunk of the communication trunks;
• and
• in response to the shunt fault notification, cease delivery of power along at least one communication trunk.

A communication system comprising:

• a first trunk terminal;
• a second trunk terminal;
• a communication trunk network including first and second communication trunks disposed along a floor of a body of water and coupling the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal, each communication trunk including fiber pairs, the communication trunk network comprising:
• repeaters disposed on the first and second communication trunks;
• a first power cable extending from the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal and configured to power the repeaters associated with the first communication trunk;
• and
• a second power cable extending from the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal and configured to power the repeaters associated with the second communication trunk;
• and
• a controller configured to control power delivery to the communication network by:
• identifying one or more repeaters to be unpowered by the corresponding one or more power cables;
• bypassing the powering of the one or more identified repeaters;
• receiving a fault notification identifying a fault communication trunk of the first and second communication trunks;
• and
• in response to receiving the fault notification:
• reassessing the identification of the one or more repeaters to be unpowered by the corresponding one or more power cables;
• and
• bypassing the powering of the one or more reassessed-identified repeaters.