Abstract: In an embodiment, apparatus (100) for configuring carrier selection from a wavelength-division multiplexed, WDM, signal (102) comprising a plurality of carriers is described. The apparatus comprises an optical interface (104). The optical interface is configured to receive the WDM signal and an optical control signal (106). The apparatus further comprises a switch (108). The switch is actuatable in response to an electrical control signal (110) to control carrier selection according to whether the switch is to pass a carrier of the WDM signal. The apparatus further comprises control circuitry (112). The control circuitry is configured to: convert optical power of the optical control signal to electrical power for powering the apparatus, wherein the optical control signal is encoded with control information for controlling the switch; generate the electrical control signal based on the control information; and provide the electrical control signal to the switch.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a laser assembly (100, 200) comprises a laser chip (102, 202), a heater (104, 204), a temperature regulation device (106, 206) capable of heating and cooling the laser chip (102, 202), at least one temperature sensor (108, 208) configured to measure a temperature of the laser assembly (100, 200) and a controller (110, 210). The controller (110, 210) is configured to, based on at least one temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor (108, 208), control the heater (104, 204) to heat the laser chip (102, 202); and control the temperature regulation device (106, 206) to regulate the temperature of the heated laser chip (102, 202).

Abstract: An adaptor for an optical connector is provided. The optical connector defines first and second optical connector channels. The adaptor comprises a first part to couple to the optical connector and a second part comprising a connector portion for coupling to an optical device, in order to optically couple the first and second optical connector channels to the optical device. The first and second parts are movably coupled to one another and the first part is movable relative to the second part between first and second positions to selectively adjust a polarity of the connector portion.

Abstract: A padding unit comprising one or more fiber paddings is provided. Each of the one or more fiber paddings is for a respective one of one or more pairs of coupled channels in an optical device. At each pair of coupled channels, one channel in the pair of coupled channels is used as an upstream channel and the other channel in the pair of coupled channels is used as a downstream channel. Each fiber padding comprises a padding length of fiber configured to offset at least a part of a latency imbalance at the respective pair of coupled channels, the latency imbalance being a difference in latencies between the respective upstream and downstream channels caused by a difference in the multiplexing or demultiplexing path lengths of the respective upstream and downstream channels.

Abstract: Optical amplifier apparatus (100) comprising: an input (102) for an incoming optical signal (IN) comprising an optical supervisory channel, OSC, signal and service channel signals at channel wavelengths of a WDM channel wavelength grid; an output (112) for an outgoing optical signal (OUT); an optical amplifier, OA, (106) having an operating bandwidth including the WDM channel wavelength grid; a first optical drop filter (104) configured to drop from an IN signal an out-of-band, OOB, OSC signal at a wavelength outside the OA operating bandwidth; a second optical drop filter (108, 208) configured to drop from an IN signal an in-band, IB, OSC signal at a wavelength within the OA operating bandwidth; an OSC signal output (114) configured to output the dropped OSC signal; an OSC signal input (116) configured to receive an outgoing OOB OSC or IB OSC signal; and an optical add filter (110, 210) configured to add an outgoing OOB OSC or IB OSC signal to service channel signals at channel wavelengths of the WDM channel

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for performing optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) on an optical fibre. The method comprises: a) setting (1010) a decision threshold of a photodetector; b) transmitting (1020) a first signal into an optical fibre, wherein the first signal comprises a sequence of optical radiation pulses based on a coded sequence; c) detecting (1030) optical radiation backscattered and/or reflected from the optical fibre using the photodetector; d) obtaining (1040) a measurement signal comprising bit sequences based on the detected optical radiation and the decision threshold of the photodetector; e) comparing (1050) the measurement signal with the first signal to obtain a correlation signal; f) adjusting (1060) the decision threshold of the photodetector; g) repeating (1070) steps (b)-(f) to obtain a plurality of correlation signals; and e) combining (1080) the plurality of correlation signals to obtain an OTDR trace of the optical fibre.

Abstract: There is provided an optical filter module comprising a photodetector, a transmitting-side tunable optical filter, and processing circuitry. The photodetector is configured to receive a low speed overlay signal from a transceiver of a fixed wavelength, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to decode information relating to the fixed wavelength from the low speed overlay signal and set the transmitting-side tunable optical filter at the fixed wavelength.

Abstract: An optical node (100) for multiplexing optical signals is disclosed. The optical node (100) comprises an add port (102), a common port (104), an auxiliary port (106), an optical transfer module (110), and a reflecting element (108) coupled to the auxiliary port. The optical transfer module (110) is configured to couple a signal received on the add port (102) and matching an operational wavelength of the optical node (100) to the common port (104), and to couple a signal received on the add port (102) and not matching an operational wavelength of the optical node (100) to the auxiliary port (106). The reflecting element (108) is configured to reflect a signal received on the auxiliary port (106) to the add port (102). Also disclosed are an optical transceiver and methods for operating and optical node and an optical transceiver.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatuses for determining information associated with an optical component system in a network. A method for determining information associated with an optical component system in a network, wherein the optical component system includes a first optical path for transmission of a first optical signal, wherein the first optical path operates in an optical bandwidth that is different from a traffic optical bandwidth of a traffic optical path, includes: detecting at least one mechanically introduced optical loss in the transmitted first optical signal; and based on the detected at least one mechanically introduced optical loss, determining information associated with the optical component system.

Abstract: A padding unit comprising one or more fiber paddings is provided. Each of the one or more fiber paddings is for a respective one of one or more pairs of coupled channels in an optical device. At each pair of coupled channels, one channel in the pair of coupled channels is used as an upstream channel and the other channel in the pair of coupled channels is used as a downstream channel. Each fiber padding comprises a padding length of fiber configured to offset at least a part of a latency imbalance at the respective pair of coupled channels, the latency imbalance being a difference in latencies between the respective upstream and downstream channels caused by a difference in the multiplexing or demultiplexing path lengths of the respective upstream and downstream channels.

Abstract: An adaptor for an optical connector is provided. The optical connector defines first and second optical connector channels. The adaptor comprises a first part to couple to the optical connector and a second part comprising a connector portion for coupling to an optical device, in order to optically couple the first and second optical connector channels to the optical device. The first and second parts are movably coupled to one another and the first part is movable relative to the second part between first and second positions to selectively adjust a polarity of the connector portion.

Abstract: An optical transceiver assembly is provided. The optical transceiver assembly comprises: an optical transceiver, wherein the optical transceiver comprises: an optical transmitter comprising an active region of a cavity laser for transmitting optical signals over a first channel of the optical transceiver; an optical receiver for receiving optical signals over a second channel of the optical transceiver; and an adaptor.

Abstract: A housing for optical transceivers is provided. The housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a plurality of spaces for receiving optical transceivers, e.g. pluggable optical transceivers. The housing defines a plurality of openings into the respective spaces. The housing further comprises a cover movably coupled to one of the walls, the cover movable relative to the one of the walls in order to cover one of the openings, when the space corresponding to the opening is vacant.

Abstract: Optical amplifier apparatus (100) comprising: an input (102) for an incoming optical signal (IN) comprising an optical supervisory channel, OSC, signal and service channel signals at channel wavelengths of a WDM channel wavelength grid; an output (112) for an outgoing optical signal (OUT); an optical amplifier, OA, (106) having an operating bandwidth including the WDM channel wavelength grid; a first optical drop filter (104) configured to drop from an IN signal an out-of-band, OOB, OSC signal at a wavelength outside the OA operating bandwidth; a second optical drop filter (108, 208) configured to drop from an IN signal an in-band, IB, OSC signal at a wavelength within the OA operating bandwidth; an OSC signal output (114) configured to output the dropped OSC signal; an OSC signal input (116) configured to receive an outgoing OOB OSC or IB OSC signal; and an optical add filter (110, 210) configured to add an outgoing OOB OSC or IB OSC signal to service channel signals at channel wavelengths of the WDM channel

Abstract: A method of power control of an optical signal transmitted by a first network element. The first network element comprising a laser and a bandpass filter operating on the optical signal produced by said laser, whereas the method comprises receiving (106) information indicative of a power level of the optical signal transmitted by the first network element; and tuning (110) the laser output wavelength in response to said received information.

Abstract: An optical add/drop device (100) comprising: a common port (102); an add port (106); a first wavelength selective optical filter (110) configured to: receive an optical signal at an add wavelength from the add port and transmit said optical signal at the add wavelength towards the common port; and receive optical signals from the common port and reflect optical signals not at the add wavelength; a second wavelength selective optical filter (114) configured to receive said optical signals from the common port reflected by the first wavelength selective optical filter and transmit an optical signal at a drop wavelength, different to the add wavelength; a drop port (116); and an optical waveguide (118) configured receive said optical signal at the drop wavelength transmitted by the second wavelength selective optical filter and route said optical signal to the drop port.

Abstract: An optical node (100) for multiplexing optical signals is disclosed. The optical node (100) comprises an add port (102), a common port (104), an auxiliary port (106), an optical transfer module (110), and a reflecting element (108) coupled to the auxiliary port. The optical transfer module (110) is configured to couple a signal received on the add port (102) and matching an operational wavelength of the optical node (100) to the common port (104), and to couple a signal received on the add port (102) and not matching an operational wavelength of the optical node (100) to the auxiliary port (106). The reflecting element (108) is configured to reflect a signal received on the auxiliary port (106) to the add port (102). Also disclosed are an optical transceiver and methods for operating and optical node and an optical transceiver.

Abstract: A method of power control of an optical signal transmitted by a first network element. The first network element comprising a laser and a bandpass filter operating on the optical signal produced by said laser, whereas the method comprises receiving (106) information indicative of a power level of the optical signal transmitted by the first network element; and tuning (110) the laser output wavelength in response to said received information.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for fiber optic line continuity detection. The apparatus comprises an optical input connectable to a first optical fiber of a fiber optic line, an optical output connectable to a second optical fiber of the fiber optic line an optical interface unit configured to transmit and receive optical signals; and an optical switch having a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration the optical switch is configured to pass optical signals received at the optical input to the optical interface unit and to pass optical signals received from the optical interface unit to the optical output. Whereas, in the second configuration the optical switch is configured to pass optical signals received at the optical input to the optical output.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for fiber optic line continuity detection. The apparatus comprises an optical input connectable to a first optical fiber of a fiber optic line, an optical output connectable to a second optical fiber of the fiber optic line an optical interface unit configured to transmit and receive optical signals; and an optical switch having a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration the optical switch is configured to pass optical signals received at the optical input to the optical interface unit and to pass optical signals received from the optical interface unit to the optical output. Whereas, in the second configuration the optical switch is configured to pass optical signals received at the optical input to the optical output.