Abstract: A remote node includes a first node input, a second node input, and an optical switch. The optical switch includes a first switch input optically coupled to the first node input, a second switch input optically coupled to the second node input, a first switch output switchably coupled to the first switch input or the second switch input, and a second switch output switchably coupled to the first switch input or the second switch input. The remote node includes a photodiode optically coupled to the second switch output, and a capacitor electrically coupled to the photodiode and the optical switch. When the first switch input is switchably coupled to the first switch output, the second switch input is switchably coupled to the second switch output. Light received by the second switch input passes out the second switch output to the photodiode. The photodiode charges the capacitor to a threshold charge.

Abstract: A carrier office includes an optical line terminal, a first transmit-erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), and a second transmit-EDFA. The OLT is configured to transmit first and second optical signals. The first transmit-EDFA is optically coupled to the OLT and a first feeder fiber, and the first feeder fiber is optically coupled to a first remote node (RN). The first transmit-EDFA is operable between a respective enabled state and a respective disabled state. The second transmit-EDFA is optically coupled to the OLT and a second feeder fiber, and the second feeder fiber is optically coupled to a second RN. The second transmit-EDFA is operable between a respective enabled state and a respective disabled state.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first optical system and a second optical system optically connected to a clamping laser and a pump laser. The first optical system includes first and second optical splitters. The first optical splitter is configured to receive a clamping laser signal from the clamping laser and split the signal into split clamping laser signals. The second optical splitter is configured to receive a pump laser signal from the pump laser and split signal into split pump laser signals. The second optical system is optically connected to the first optical system and includes amplifier systems. Each amplifier system is configured to receive a multiplexed signal. The second optical system includes first and second combiners optically connected to an erbium-doped fiber. The first combiner is optically connected to the first splitter, and the second combiner is optically connected to the second splitter.

Abstract: The communication system has first and second optical systems and an optical feed fiber in communication with the first optical system and arranged to convey a feeder optical signal to the second optical system. The first optical system includes a multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a first optical line terminal signal, a second optical line terminal signal, and the feeder optical signal. The feeder optical signal includes the first optical line terminal signal and the second optical line terminal signal. The first optical line terminal signal includes a first upstream free spectral range and a first downstream free spectral range. The second optical line terminal signal includes a second upstream free spectral range and a second downstream free spectral range. The second optical system is in communication with the optical feed fiber and is configured to multiplex and demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first multiplexer configured to multiplex a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group into a first multiplexed signal. The communication system includes a second multiplexer configured to demultiplex a second multiplexed signal into a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group. Moreover, the communication system includes a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, the third multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a feeder optical signal and the first and second multiplexed signals. The first and second optical line terminal signals include a legacy upstream free spectral range, and the third and fourth optical line terminal signals include a legacy downstream free spectral range.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first multiplexer configured to multiplex a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group into a first multiplexed signal. The communication system includes a second multiplexer configured to demultiplex a second multiplexed signal into a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group. Moreover, the communication system includes a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, the third multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a feeder optical signal and the first and second multiplexed signals. The first and second optical line terminal signals include a legacy upstream free spectral range, and the third and fourth optical line terminal signals include a legacy downstream free spectral range.

Abstract: The communication system has first and second optical systems and an optical feed fiber in communication with the first optical system and arranged to convey a feeder optical signal to the second optical system. The first optical system includes a multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a first optical line terminal signal, a second optical line terminal signal, and the feeder optical signal. The feeder optical signal includes the first optical line terminal signal and the second optical line terminal signal. The first optical line terminal signal includes a first upstream free spectral range and a first downstream free spectral range. The second optical line terminal signal includes a second upstream free spectral range and a second downstream free spectral range. The second optical system is in communication with the optical feed fiber and is configured to multiplex and demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first optical system and a second optical system optically connected to a clamping laser and a pump laser. The first optical system includes first and second optical splitters. The first optical splitter is configured to receive a clamping laser signal from the clamping laser and split the signal into split clamping laser signals. The second optical splitter is configured to receive a pump laser signal from the pump laser and split signal into split pump laser signals. The second optical system is optically connected to the first optical system and includes amplifier systems. Each amplifier system is configured to receive a multiplexed signal. The second optical system includes first and second combiners optically connected to an erbium-doped fiber. The first combiner is optically connected to the first splitter, and the second combiner is optically connected to the second splitter.

Abstract: The communication system has first and second optical systems and an optical feed fiber in communication with the first optical system and arranged to convey a feeder optical signal to the second optical system. The first optical system includes a multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a first optical line terminal signal, a second optical line terminal signal, and the feeder optical signal. The feeder optical signal includes the first optical line terminal signal and the second optical line terminal signal. The first optical line terminal signal includes a first upstream free spectral range and a first downstream free spectral range. The second optical line terminal signal includes a second upstream free spectral range and a second downstream free spectral range. The second optical system is in communication with the optical feed fiber and is configured to multiplex and demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first multiplexer configured to multiplex a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group into a first multiplexed signal. The communication system includes a second multiplexer configured to demultiplex a second multiplexed signal into a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group. Moreover, the communication system includes a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, the third multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a feeder optical signal and the first and second multiplexed signals. The first and second optical line terminal signals include a legacy upstream free spectral range, and the third and fourth optical line terminal signals include a legacy downstream free spectral range.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first optical system and a second optical system optically connected to a clamping laser and a pump laser. The first optical system includes first and second optical splitters. The first optical splitter is configured to receive a clamping laser signal from the clamping laser and split the signal into split clamping laser signals. The second optical splitter is configured to receive a pump laser signal from the pump laser and split signal into split pump laser signals. The second optical system is optically connected to the first optical system and includes amplifier systems. Each amplifier system is configured to receive a multiplexed signal. The second optical system includes first and second combiners optically connected to an erbium-doped fiber. The first combiner is optically connected to the first splitter, and the second combiner is optically connected to the second splitter.

Abstract: Micro-optic filtering devices and the method of making the same are described. In one aspect, the invention is related to techniques of obtaining low-loss coupling optics, packaging structure and process to secure components constituting a micro-optic fiber device. To support and fix various components in a fiber optic device, tubes are used to facilitate the manufacturability of these optical devices. These tubes may be metal tubes or glass tubes.

Abstract: Various designs of pluggable variable optical attenuator (VOA) are disclosed. A pluggable VOA has an optical fiber adaptor connected to an internal VOA via different fiber optical interface configurations. At least a pair of ports is provided to accept optical fibers or external optical fiber ferrules for optical pluggability. The VOA is controlled electronically or manually. To facilitate a control of the VOA via a hosting system, an electronic device and/or interface is provided. External commands take the control of the VOA and set an attenuation level within a specification when the pluggable variable optical attenuator device is connected to a hosting system.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.

Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for adding or dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as multiplexing a plurality of signals into a multiplexed signal or demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an isolator core is built into the optical devices to stop a reflected signal from an optical file in the optical devices. As a result, the optical devices are amenable to small footprint, broad operating wavelength range, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices with high reflection isolation are disclosed. According to one aspect of the devices, an optical filter and a reflecting element are used. Depending on implementation, the reflecting element may be another optical filter, a prism and a mirror. The reflecting element is provided to direct a reflected light beam from the optical filter back to the optical filter for additional filtering, wherein the reflected light is a filtered signal that is presumably carrying residuals of unwanted signals (e.g., a transmitted signal of the optical filter). With a proper placement of the reflecting element with respect to the optical filter, the reflected light beam can be redirected back to the optical filter for a predefined number of times so that the errors or residuals in the reflected light beam are much reduced, if not completely removed.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.

Abstract: Techniques for designing compact free-space optical device with all input/output ports on one side are disclosed. Instead of folding a fiber, a beam folding means is provided to turn a light beam to significantly reduce the size of the device. In one embodiment, there are a first collimator, a second collimator, and a beam folding means to turn a light beam from the first collimator back to the second collimator by two turns so that a first light path from the first collimator to the beam folding means and a second light path from the second collimator to the beam folding means are parallel. A substrate is provided to which the first and second collimators and filters are boned thereto.

Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for multiplexing or demultiplexing as well as adding or dropping are disclosed. According to one aspect of the designs, one or more beam redirecting parts (e.g., prisms or mirrors) are used in an optical device to redirect a beam for at least two purposes: to increase a distance between two optical parts that are not positioned along an optical path, by using one or two of such beam redirecting parts, and to minimize an angle of incidence (AOI) to an optical filter or to adjust the AOI to an optimum value. As a result, devices employing the techniques provide small AOL and flexibility in adjustment and are amenable to small footprint, broad operating wavelength range, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.