Abstract: A system includes (i) an optical link including multiple spans of optical fiber and multiple network elements and (ii) at least one switch configured to reverse a direction that at least one of the network elements communicates over the optical link.

Abstract: An apparatus includes first bidirectional communications equipment having a transmitter and a receiver. The first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to operate in at least a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a bidirectional communication link with a transmitter and a receiver of second bidirectional communications equipment. In the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide (i) a first unidirectional communication link between the transmitter of the first bidirectional communications equipment and the receiver of the second bidirectional communications equipment and (ii) a second unidirectional communication link between the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment and a transmitter of third bidirectional communications equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus includes first bidirectional communications equipment having a transmitter and a receiver. The first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to operate in at least a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a bidirectional communication link with a transmitter and a receiver of second bidirectional communications equipment. In the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide (i) a first unidirectional communication link between the transmitter of the first bidirectional communications equipment and the receiver of the second bidirectional communications equipment and (ii) a second unidirectional communication link between the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment and a transmitter of third bidirectional communications equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus includes bidirectional communication equipment for communicating information along optical fibers, where the bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a first unidirectional communication link from the equipment to a first location and a second unidirectional communication link to the equipment from a different second location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a remote optically pumped amplifier (ROPA). The ROPA includes a bypass filter configured to receive an optical signal and first pump power and to separate the optical signal and the first pump power. The ROPA also includes an amplifier configured to receive the optical signal from the bypass filter and to amplify the optical signal. The ROPA further includes an optical combiner/multiplexer configured to receive the first pump power from the bypass filter, receive at least second and third pump powers, combine at least two of the first, second and third pump powers, and provide different pump powers or combinations of pump powers to different locations within the ROPA to feed the amplifier.

Abstract: A system includes (i) an optical link including multiple spans of optical fiber and multiple network elements and (ii) at least one switch configured to reverse a direction that at least one of the network elements communicates over the optical link.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a remote optically pumped amplifier (ROPA). The ROPA includes a bypass filter configured to receive an optical signal and first pump power and to separate the optical signal and the first pump power. The ROPA also includes an amplifier configured to receive the optical signal from the bypass filter and to amplify the optical signal. The ROPA further includes an optical combiner/multiplexer configured to receive the first pump power from the bypass filter, receive at least second and third pump powers, combine at least two of the first, second and third pump powers, and provide different pump powers or combinations of pump powers to different locations within the ROPA to feed the amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a remote optically pumped amplifier (ROPA). The ROPA includes a bypass filter configured to receive an optical signal and first pump power and to separate the optical signal and the first pump power. The ROPA also includes an amplifier configured to receive the optical signal from the bypass filter and to amplify the optical signal. The ROPA further includes an optical combiner/multiplexer configured to receive the first pump power from the bypass filter, receive at least second and third pump powers, combine at least two of the first, second and third pump powers, and provide different pump powers or combinations of pump powers to different locations within the ROPA to feed the amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus includes bidirectional communication equipment for communicating information along optical fibers, where the bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a first unidirectional communication link from the equipment to a first location and a second unidirectional communication link to the equipment from a different second location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a remote optically pumped amplifier (ROPA). The ROPA includes a bypass filter configured to receive an optical signal and first pump power and to separate the optical signal and the first pump power. The ROPA also includes an amplifier configured to receive the optical signal from the bypass filter and to amplify the optical signal. The ROPA further includes an optical combiner/multiplexer configured to receive the first pump power from the bypass filter, receive at least second and third pump powers, combine at least two of the first, second and third pump powers, and provide different pump powers or combinations of pump powers to different locations within the ROPA to feed the amplifier.

Abstract: Network management of a telecommunications network. An external system, such as a cloud computing environment, receives network element data from the network management system of the telecommunications network over a channel that may be encrypted. The network element data are parameter samples that the network management system has collected from one or more network elements within the telecommunications network. The external system then processes at least some of the received network element data. The external system might also receive network element data from other network management systems of other telecommunications networks also. Furthermore, the external system might also have external information not received from the network management system. The external system may perform processing on all of this information in conjunction with the received network element data in order to perform sophisticated analytics.

Abstract: The alteration of the bandwidth of an optical amplifier. Before alteration, optical signals having a first set of wavelengths are provided through a gain medium of the optical amplifier. In addition, a first pump having a set of pump wavelengths is propagated through the gain medium to thereby amplify the optical signals. After alteration, optical signals having at least a partially different set of wavelengths are able to be optically amplified by coupling a second pump into the optical medium. The second pump is at least partially distinct from the first pump in that the second pump includes at least one pump wavelength that was not included in the first pump.

Abstract: An optical amplification mechanism that introduces optical pump(s) into one port of an optical circulator. The optical circulator directs the optical pumps from that port into another port that is coupled to the output of a gain stage. The optical pump(s) then pass from the output to the input of the gain stage while amplifying an optical signal passing from the input to the output of the gain stage. A residual amount of optical pump(s) that exits the input of the gain stage is reflected back into the input of the gain stage. The reflected optical pump(s) then further assists in the amplification of the optical signal. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Optical amplification by combining two or more optical signals from separate optical fibers, amplifying the combined signal using an optical fiber, and separating the amplified signals into their constituent optical signals. The separated optical signals may then be sent further in the direction they had been heading before combination. This allows multiple optical signals to be amplified using a single optical amplifier, perhaps even in a single optical fiber. Although not required, the two optical signals may even be travelling in different directions.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes a gain medium that receives optical signal(s) of one or more optical signal wavelengths. The system also includes pump source(s) that are capable of generating at least a first pump signal and a second pump signal. The first pump signal includes at least one integer Raman order wavelength that includes a Raman gain peak that is one stokes shift away from at least one of the one or more optical signal wavelengths. The second pump signal includes at least one fractional Raman order pump wavelength that includes a Raman gain peak that is a non-integer multiple of a stokes shift from each of the one or more optical signal wavelengths. Optionally, there might be one or more other pump signals that do not satisfy the criteria specified for the first pump signal or the second pump signal.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes a gain medium that is capable of receiving at least one optical signal that includes one or more optical signal wavelengths. The system also includes one or more pump sources that are capable of generating at least one pump signal for introduction to the gain medium. The pump signal includes one or more fractional Raman order pump wavelengths having a Raman gain peak that is a non-integer multiple of one stokes shift from each of the one or more optical signal wavelengths. In one particular embodiment, the pump signal interacts with the optical signal as the pump signal traverses at least a portion of the gain medium.

Abstract: Optical amplification by combining two or more optical signals from separate optical fibers, amplifying the combined signal using an optical fiber, and separating the amplified signals into their constituent optical signals. The separated optical signals may then be sent further in the direction they had been heading before combination. This allows multiple optical signals to be amplified using a single optical amplifier, perhaps even in a single optical fiber. Although not required, the two optical signals may even be travelling in different directions.

Abstract: The alteration of the bandwidth of an optical amplifier. Before alteration, optical signals having a first set of wavelengths are provided through a gain medium of the optical amplifier. In addition, a first pump having a set of pump wavelengths is propagated through the gain medium to thereby amplify the optical signals. After alteration, optical signals having at least a partially different set of wavelengths are able to be optically amplified by coupling a second pump into the optical medium. The second pump is at least partially distinct from the first pump in that the second pump includes at least one pump wavelength that was not included in the first pump.

Abstract: An optical amplification mechanism that introduces optical pump(s) into one port of an optical circulator. The optical circulator directs the optical pumps from that port into another port that is coupled to the output of a gain stage. The optical pump(s) then pass from the output to the input of the gain stage while amplifying an optical signal passing from the input to the output of the gain stage. A residual amount of optical pump(s) that exits the input of the gain stage is reflected back into the input of the gain stage. The reflected optical pump(s) then further assists in the amplification of the optical signal. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes a plurality of optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs). The plurality of OADMs includes at least five low distortion OADMs. Each OADM is coupled between spans of a multiple span communication link and operable to receive a multiple wavelength signal. The multiple wavelength signal includes a plurality of bands of wavelength signals each separated from other bands of wavelength signals by one or more guard-channels. In one embodiment, each of the at least five low distortion OADMs adds/drops a common first band of wavelengths to/from the multiple wavelength signal. In some embodiments, a spectral distortion associated with a pass-through wavelength signal spectrally adjacent to one of the one or more guard-channels is no more than three decibels after exiting the last of the plurality of low distortion OADMs. In those embodiments, the guard-channel is adjacent to the first band of wavelengths.