Abstract: An optical transmission system including at least one optical transmitter configured to transmit at least one signal wavelength and a tuning wavelength, an optical receiver including an optical filter having a filter bandwidth including the at least one signal wavelength and a percentage of the tuning wavelength and an optical to electrical signal converter configured to receive the at least one signal wavelength from said filter, a first tuning optical to electrical converter configured to receive a first portion of the tuning wavelength stopped by said filter, a second tuning optical to electrical converter configured to receive a second portion of the tuning wavelength passed by said filter, and a filter controller configured to tune the filter bandwidth based on the relative proportion of first and second portions of the tuning wavelength provided to the first and second tuning optical to electrical converters.

Abstract: Optical transmission systems of the present invention include at least one optical amplifier configured to provide optical amplification of one or more information carrying optical signal wavelengths. At least one optical amplifier is controlled based on an in situ performance characterization of the at least one optical amplifier and the transmission fiber. The in situ, or installed, performance characteristics of the optical amplifier can be characterized based on relative gain measurements over the signal wavelength range as a function of the supplied pump power. The installed characterization allows the optical amplifier performance and gain profiles to be tightly controlled over the signal wavelength range in the transmission system.

Abstract: An optical system including an optical amplifier having an optical coupler adapted for receiving and coupling pump radiation from a plurality of pump radiation sources. The gain profile of the amplifier being modified to employ optical couplers that are periodic in radiation wavelength with a period ??.

Abstract: A heating module keeps a length of erbium-doped optical fiber at a constant temperature. The heating module includes the erbium-doped optical fiber, a heating element, and a temperature sensor embedded in a flexible circuit substrate. Insulating and packaging layers may be placed around the flexible circuit substrate.

Abstract: Optical systems of the present invention include an add/drop device and/or cross-connect device, which is reconfigurable to add and drop signal wavelengths between one or more transmission paths. The add/drop device includes a first selective element configurable to pass a first group of signal wavelengths including at least a first signal wavelength from an input path to a first add/drop path and pass continuing signal wavelengths differing from the first group of signal wavelength to a second add/drop path. A second selective element is provided that is configurable to pass a second group of signal wavelengths including at least a second signal wavelength from said first add/drop path and continuing signal wavelengths differing from the second group of wavelengths from said second add/drop path to an output path.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for controlling optical signal wavelength spacing by providing for simultaneous upconversion of a plurality of electrical signal on subcarrier frequencies of an optical carrier frequency with or without modulation of an electrical data signal onto the optical carrier frequency. The optical carrier lightwave is split into a plurality of split lightwaves upon which one or more electrical frequencies carrying information can be upconverted onto optical subcarriers of the lightwave carrier frequency. The relative spacings of the optical subcarrier lightwaves will thus be unaffected by variation in the carrier frequency. The optical subcarrier lightwaves can then be recombined to form the optical data signal carrying the plurality of information carried by the electrical frequencies.

Abstract: Devices, such as node and network elements for use in communications systems, which include a plurality of ports, each having an input and an output, a plurality of splitters corresponding to the port inputs, a plurality of combiners corresponding to the port outputs, a plurality of signal paths between the splitters and the combiners, wherein each of the signal paths includes a signal varying device, and a plurality of protection devices connected between the splitters and the combiners, wherein each of the plurality of protection devices includes a signal varying device and provides a protection path corresponding to a plurality of the signal paths, and wherein at least one splitter has at least one unused output after the signal paths and the protection paths are connected, and wherein at least one combiner has at least one unused input after the signal paths and the protection paths are connected.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for controlling optical signal wavelength spacing by providing for simultaneous upconversion of a plurality of electrical signal on subcarrier frequencies of an optical carrier frequency with or without modulation of an electrical data signal onto the optical carrier frequency. The optical carrier lightwave is split into a plurality of split lightwaves upon which one or more electrical frequencies carrying information can be upconverted onto optical subcarriers of the lightwave carrier frequency. The relative spacings of the optical subcarrier lightwaves will thus be unaffected by variation in the carrier frequency. The optical subcarrier lightwaves can then be recombined to form the optical data signal carrying the plurality of information carried by the electrical frequencies.

Abstract: Optical systems of the present invention include a plurality of optical processing nodes in optical communication via a plurality of signal varying devices. A first signal varying device includes an optical fiber configured to produce Raman scattering/gain in a signal wavelength range and a first signal variation profile. A first pump source is configured provides sufficient pump power in a plurality of first pump wavelengths to stimulate Raman scattering/gain in the optical fiber within the signal wavelength range.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for controlling optical signal wavelength spacing by providing for simultaneous upconversion of a plurality of electrical signal on subcarrier frequencies of an optical carrier frequency with or without modulation of an electrical data signal onto the optical carrier frequency. The optical carrier lightwave is split into a plurality of split lightwaves upon which one or more electrical frequencies carrying information can be upconverted onto optical subcarriers of the lightwave carrier frequency. The relative spacings of the optical subcarrier lightwaves will thus be unaffected by variation in the carrier frequency. The optical subcarrier lightwaves can then be recombined to form the optical data signal carrying the plurality of information carried by the electrical frequencies.

Abstract: A system and method of providing a transmission span for a telecommunications link based on a remote Er3+-doped fiber amplification scheme is provided, where a transmission span comprises first through third segments each respectively comprising first-third optical fibers having first-third fiber lengths and first-third physical properties. The first and third segments are optically coupled to opposing ends of the second segment. At least one of the first and third physical properties is different from the second physical property, where the first segment provides low nonlinearity, the third segment provides distributed gain, and the second segment compensates for the dispersion of the first and third segments. The span also includes a fourth optical fiber that is doped with a non-zero concentration of Er3+, and is disposed at a location in the span for remote pumping to provide discrete amplification of the optical signal.

Abstract: Optical systems, device, and methods including signal varying devices, such as optical amplifiers, attenuators, and filters that have controllable gain, loss and transparent intensity profiles, and which can include and be responsive to one or more local and remote controllers.

Abstract: Optical systems of the present invention include amplifiers configured to achieve maximum signal channel in a span downstream of the transmitter and amplifier site and to decrease the interaction between the wavelengths at high signal channel powers. In addition, the system can include various types of optical fiber positioned in the network to provide for increased signal channel powers and higher gain efficiencies in the system.

Abstract: Optical transmission systems of the present invention include at least one optical amplifier generally including an optical signal amplifying medium supplied with pump power in the form of optical energy in via an optical pump source. The pump source includes multiple optical sources, at least two of which provide optical energy in first and second wavelength ranges separated by a frequency difference. The amplifier includes a wavelength controller configured to adjust the wavelength range of at least one of the optical sources to vary the frequency difference in a manner sufficient to vary optical intensity noise produced when the optical energy from the multiple optical sources is combined.

Abstract: The optical systems of the present invention include optical switching device generally configured to control signal characteristic profiles over the pluralities of signal channels, or wavelengths, to provide desired signal characteristic profiles at the output ports of the device. Various signal characteristics that can be controlled include power level, cross-talk, optical signal to noise ratio, etc. The optical switching devices can include balanced demultiplexer/multiplexer combinations and switches that provide for uniform optical loss through the devices. In addition, low extinction ratio switches can be configured to provide higher extinction ratios.

Abstract: A method of receiving optical channels including providing an optical band filter configured to filter at least one optical channel from a multiple channel optical signal and provide a band filtered optical signal. A periodic filter is configured to filter and/or shape one channel from the band filtered optical signal and provide the periodic filtered, shaped signal to a receiver and other optical system. The invention also relates to corresponding systems and apparatuses.

Abstract: The invention concerns a transmission system, in particular ground-based, by optical fibre with RZ pulses comprising transmitting means, receiving means, the transmitting and receiving means using wavelength multiplexing, the transmission line comprising a plurality of main optical fibre sections having a dispersion of a given type between which are interposed dispersion-compensating means. The compensation of the dispersion operated by said means is such that the width of the spectrum of the pulses in output of said means is constant over the transmission line. The RZ pulses are of a duration ranging between 40 and 80 ps. The different channels have a rate of the order of 10 G/bits or more. Their frequency spacing is of the order of 25 GHz or less.

Abstract: Optical systems of the present invention generally include at least one optical amplifier having a first pump source configured to supply power to said amplifier via a first pumping paths. A second pumping path is provided to supply power to the amplifier from a second pump source configured to replace power from the first pump source. The amplifier allows the replacement and repair of a pump source during operation by providing in-service hot swap capability, which increases the overall availability of the amplifier. The pump source can also be changed during operation to allow reconfiguration of the optical system.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for producing and utilizing orthogonal optical data signals, which can be produced by modulating electrical data signals onto orthogonal polarization components of an optical carrier traveling in opposite directions in a common modulator. The modulator can include one or more traveling wave electrodes having first and second ends with a first electrical data input connected to the first end and a second electrical data input connected to the second end.

Abstract: An apparatus with a line card having a front panel including at least one input/output port. The apparatus further includes a line card interface assembly. The line card interface assembly includes at least one of an input and output line support, at least one guide vane cooperating with said line, and a front face providing an electrical coupling with said front panel sufficient to attenuate electromagnetic waves passing through the front panel.