Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.

Abstract: A system for optical communication including an optical amplifier card configured to receive a plurality of pump laser modules. The optical amplifier card includes a receptacle configured to receive the pump laser module, a connector configured to couple the pump laser module to the optical amplifier card, a monitor configured to measure at least the optical output power of the pump laser module, and a pump combiner communicatively coupled to the monitor. The pump combiner is configured to receive a signal from the monitor indicating a drop in the output power of a first pump laser module below a threshold level, and, in response to the signal, switch the optical amplifier card from using the optical power of the first pump laser module to using the optical power of a second pump laser module without substantially affecting normal operation of the optical amplifier card.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for amplifying optical signals in the 850 nm window. In one embodiment, an amplifier system includes a span of Thulium-doped fiber (TDF) and two pump systems. The TDF span receives and transports optical signals in the 850 nm window. A first pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 1390 nm to 1430 nm, and a second pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 670 nm to 720 nm. The pumping generates gain in the optical signals in the 850 nm window. In another embodiment, the amplifier system includes a single pump system. The pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 1390 nm to 1430 nm to generate gain in the 850 nm window.

Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.

Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.

Abstract: An optical transmitter for an optical communication system is provided. Included in the transmitter is a first optical delay element configured to generate a second optical signal from a first optical signal. A second optical delay element is configured to generate a fourth optical signal from a second optical signal. An optical multiplexer is configured to combine the third and fourth optical signals to produce a fifth optical signal. Also included is an optical modulator configured to alter a pulse width of the fifth optical signal to generate a sixth optical signal. An optical delay controller is configured to control the first optical delay element and the second optical delay element based on the sixth optical signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for providing wireless communications utilizing a passive optical network (PON) is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a PON, downstream packets from a base station destined for a mobile station, and transmitting the downstream packets to wireless transceivers associated with PON. The method also includes receiving, at the first wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to a first optical network terminal (ONT), the downstream packets from the first ONT and transmitting a first wireless signal comprising the downstream packets to a first cell. The method also includes receiving, at a second wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to a second ONT, the downstream packets from the second ONT and transmitting a second wireless signal comprising the downstream packets to a second cell.

Abstract: Selecting a wavelength and a route includes facilitating communication through routes among nodes. Each route is associated with a plurality of wavelengths and comprises one or more segments that couple one node to another node. A polarization mode dispersion value is determined for each wavelength of each route to yield polarization mode dispersion values for each route. A wavelength and a route are selected according to the polarization mode dispersion values.

Abstract: An optical network route and method are disclosed that mitigate distortion in a route having different types of fibers. For an optical network route that includes a plurality of fiber spans of a first type and a fiber span of a second type, assume that the optical network route is transporting optical signals having a plurality of original wavelengths where one or more of the original wavelengths is in a distortion wavelength region of the second type of fiber span. For optical signals entering the second type of fiber span, the original wavelength that is in the distortion wavelength region of the second type of fiber span is shifted to a temporary wavelength outside of the distortion wavelength region. The optical signals then travel over the second type of fiber span. For optical signals exiting the second type of fiber span, the temporary wavelength is shifted back to the original wavelength.

Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method for protecting traffic in a passive optical network (PON), includes transmitting downstream traffic destined for one or more optical network units (ONUs) from a first set of one or more transmitters. The method further includes substantially simultaneously transmitting the same downstream traffic destined for the one or more ONUs from a second set of one or more transmitters. The method further includes selecting either the downstream traffic from the first set of transmitters or the second set of transmitters for communication to a remote node (RN) of the PON.

Abstract: A method for adding a new wavelength to an optical communication network is provided. One step of the method includes installing a transmitter component in a transmitter node of the optical communication network. Another step includes installing a receiver component in a receiver node of the optical communication network. For each of a plurality of regenerator nodes in the optical communication network, the method includes the steps of determining whether the quality of optical signals for the new wavelength at the particular regenerator node satisfies a performance threshold, installing an optical regenerator component in the regenerator node for regenerating the optical signals if the quality of the optical signals at the regenerator node satisfies the performance threshold, and installing optical-to-electrical-to-optical regenerator components if the quality of the optical signals at the regenerator node does not satisfy the performance threshold.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method for distributing traffic in a distribution node in an optical network includes receiving wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) traffic in a plurality of wavelengths at at least one of a plurality of filters at the distribution node from at least one of the one or more upstream terminals. The optical network includes one or more upstream terminals, the distribution node, and a plurality of downstream terminals. Each of the filters is coupled to one or more of the upstream terminals by a plurality of separate fibers. The method further includes separating traffic in a first set of one or more wavelengths from traffic in a second set of one or more wavelengths at the filter. The method further includes routing the traffic in the first set of wavelengths for distribution to all downstream terminals.

Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.

Abstract: A communication system for distributed Raman amplification of optical signals is disclosed. The communication system comprises a first fiber span, a second fiber span, and an amplifier system. The amplifier system generates a light beam and splits the light beam into a first portion and a second portion. The amplifier system transfers the first portion of the light beam onto the first fiber span so that the first portion of the light beam backward propagates over the first fiber span. The amplifier system transfers the second portion of the light beam onto the second fiber span so that the second portion of the light beam forward propagates over the second fiber span.

Abstract: An optical amplifier system is disclosed comprising a discrete amplifier system and a distributed amplifier system. The discrete amplifier system receives optical signals and amplifies the optical signals having wavelengths in a target wavelength band. The target wavelength band has a bandwidth of at least 80 nm. The distributed amplifier system amplifies the optical signals having wavelengths in a longer wavelength band of the target wavelength band, a shorter wavelength band of the target wavelength band, or both.

Abstract: An optical amplifier system and method are disclosed for amplifying CWDM channels. The optical amplifier system includes a first optical amplifier that includes a fluoride-based optical fiber of a first length and a second optical amplifier that includes a fluoride-based optical fiber of a second length. The first length of fluoride-based optical fiber in the first optical amplifier is different than the second length of fluoride-based optical fiber in the second optical amplifier. When in operation, the first optical amplifier receives optical signals for CWDM channels and amplifies the CWDM channels. The second optical amplifier then receives the optical signals and amplifies the CWDM channels. Between the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier, the optical amplifier system generates a continuous gain bandwidth over the CWDM channels.

Abstract: An optical amplification system is disclosed that comprises a first order pump system and a second order pump system. As a fiber span carries an optical signal, the first order pump system and the second order pump system both backward pump onto the fiber span. The first order pump system is set to a low power and the second order pump system is set to a high power. The first and second order pump systems generate a gain in the optical signal near the center of the fiber span based on the low power of the first order pump system and the high power of the second order pump system. The gain near the center of the fiber span is greater than any gain generated near a receiver end of the fiber span.

Abstract: A communication system and method are disclosed to provide a wider gain bandwidth. One embodiment of the invention is a communication system comprising a transmitter, a Phosphate-doped fiber span, a receiver, and a continuous wavelength light system. When in operation, the transmitter transmits optical signals over the Phosphate-doped fiber span for receipt by the receiver. Concurrently, the continuous wavelength light system pumps continuous wavelength light onto the Phosphate-doped fiber span. The pumping by the continuous wavelength light system generates a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of handling a Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) outage for optical signals on an optical fiber route between an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The method comprises: determining that the PMD outage has occurred on the optical fiber route; in response to determining that the PMD outage has occurred, determining if the PMD outage is wavelength dependent; and in response to determining that the PMD outage is wavelength dependent, adding a wavelength converter to the optical fiber route, wherein the wavelength converter converts one of the optical signals from an optical wavelength affected by the PMD outage to a different optical wavelength.