Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical router device that is configured to route optical packets in a TDM/WDM optical network. The optical device is disposed in a node of the WDM optical network. The WDM optical network is configured to accommodate a plurality of wavelength channels. Each of the plurality of wavelength channels is configured to propagate optical packets in a time division multiplexed (TDM) arrangement. Each optical packet includes a baseband-payload and a subcarrier modulated (SCM) header. The device includes an optical WDM demultiplexer configured to demultiplex the plurality of wavelength channels. A header recovery component is coupled to the optical WDM demultiplexer. The header recovery element is configured to recover the SCM header in each optical packet propagating on each demultiplexed wavelength channel. A routing control processor (RCP) is coupled to the header recovery component.

Abstract: Performance of a transmission system is optimized by compensating for both noise and fiber non-linearities in the transmission system. The transmission system between a transmission terminal and a reception terminal has at least two channels. A processor determines an adjustment for equalizing the predetermined characteristic for each channel, and then reduces the adjustment by a predetermined amount. A plurality of controllers, each associated with a transmitter in the transmission terminal, each receives the reduced adjustment for an associated channel and providing the reduced adjustment to an output of an associated transmitter. The determination of the adjustment may be made using measurements of received signals or may be estimated knowing the characteristics of the amplifiers in the system.

Abstract: A plurality of fiber lasers or amplifiers which share a common pump source. Cost and efficiency improvement of waveguide fiber telecommunications systems are made possible by routing pump laser power through a 1×N coupler to supply pump light to desired combinations of optical fiber lasers or amplifiers. The design is readily adapted to the use of modules, for example laser modules which have a port for receiving pump light and a port for receiving a wavelength selecting module.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for flattening the gain of an optical fiber amplifier (18) doped with an ion such as erbium and which is pumped by a pump laser (20). Optical couplers (32, 34) inserted before and after the fiber amplifier couple the main optical path to an optical ring passing through the fiber amplifier so as to form a ring laser. An optical isolator (32) placed in the ring causes the lasing light to only counterpropagate relative to the optical signal being amplified. When the fiber amplifier primarily exhibits inhomogeneous broadening and the ring lases, the lasing light clamps the gain to a value determined by the loop loss, and the value of the clamped gain is relatively uniform across a wide bandwidth.