Abstract: A bidirectional optical repeater having two unidirectional optical amplifiers and a supervisory optical circuit connected to optically couple the corresponding two optical paths through the repeater. In an example embodiment, the supervisory optical circuit is symmetrical in the sense that it enables the two optical input/output port pairs of the repeater to be interchangeable and functionally equivalent at least with respect to two supervisory wavelengths and some in-band and/or out-of-band wavelengths. This symmetry can advantageously be used, e.g., to improve the installation process directed at installing such optical repeaters in an undersea cable system. For example, a single directional orientation of the optical repeaters does not need to be maintained throughout the cable system, which can significantly reduce the risk and/or cost of installation errors.

Abstract: A bidirectional optical repeater having two unidirectional optical amplifiers and a supervisory optical circuit connected to optically couple the corresponding two optical paths through the repeater. In an example embodiment, the supervisory optical circuit is symmetrical in the sense that it enables the two optical input/output port pairs of the repeater to be interchangeable and functionally equivalent at least with respect to two supervisory wavelengths and some in-band and/or out-of-band wavelengths. This symmetry can advantageously be used, e.g., to improve the installation process directed at installing such optical repeaters in an undersea cable system. For example, a single directional orientation of the optical repeaters does not need to be maintained throughout the cable system, which can significantly reduce the risk and/or cost of installation errors.

Abstract: The system includes processors each of which can drop an optical signal contained in one channel of an incoming optical multiplex signal and add an optical signal to the multiplex signal channel thereby made available. Each processor includes an optical signal drop filter and an optical signal add filter for an individual channel of particular wavelength, and these filters are connected by an optical switch. The drop filters and the add filters of the circuits of the system are connected in series, some in a drop subsystem and the others in an add subsystem, to transmit the multiplex signal from one filter to the other and from the drop subsystem to the add subsystem. They are distributed in order of decreasing drop or add wavelength from the input of the system at which the incoming multiplex signal is received.

Abstract: An extract-and-insert optical wavelength division multiplexer includes a broadcaster (D1) for applying an incoming multiplex signal to N outputs, a combiner-diffuser (D2) for broadcasting the multiplex to be inserted (MI) on N outputs, a first set of N tunable filters (FIT, . . . , FNT) for selecting the carriers of the signals which are to be used for modulating the carriers of the outgoing multiplex (MS), a second set of N tunable filters (F1E, . . . , FNE) for selecting the carriers which are to constitute the extracted multiplex (MT), N wavelength converter devices (CL1, . . . , CLN) suitable for supplying N carriers of the outgoing multiplex (MS), and N two-input, two-output optical switches (SW1, . . .

Abstract: The automatic gain control method adapted to maintain the output level equal of the variable gain amplifier to a required value, includes a preliminary calibration phase for establishing a relationship representing the variations in the amplifier gain control signal as a function of variations in the input signal level with a constant output level equal to the required value or as a function of variations in the output signal level for a constant input signal level.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sample-and-hold unit more especially designed to work at microwave frequencies (>1 GHz). In order to increase the sampling frequency, the disclosed circuit has at least two identical parallel channels. Each channel has a first follower switch (9) a capacitor (11) and a second holding switch (15). The channels are controlled by a single clock, the complementary or phase-shifted signals (H, H) of which address the samples sequentially towards the output (8). The disclosed device can be applied to the processing of analog signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave (1 GHZ) sample-and-hold unit having a field-effect transistor, to which an input signal is applied, and a storage capacitor. The transistor is made of materials of the III-V group, such as GaAs or InP, and Its channel region is controlled by an optical control device formed by an optic fiber and a pulsed laser semiconductor. In order to reduce the switching time of the transistor, this transistor and the laser are both biased at points close to their thresholds. The disclosed device can be applied in signal processing, at frequencies of the order of 1 GHz.