Abstract: A communication unit inhibits delay and jitter during network communication, improving the communication quality. For this purpose, the communication unit includes: a first terminator that terminates a communication channel in the first optical communication scheme established between the communication unit and another communication unit; a second terminator that terminates a signal in the second optical communication scheme; and a path setting switch that switches between a first signal path setting and a second signal path setting.

Abstract: An optical gate device transmits or interrupts input light according to control information. The optical gate device includes a light-receiver that obtains input and output optical powers of the optical gate device, and a monitor that obtains optical input and output characteristics of the optical gate device based on the control information and the monitored input and output optical powers, the optical input and output characteristics being equivalent to a time the optical gate device is controlled in a transmitted state.

Abstract: A polarization controller is configured to comprise polarization state monitoring section for monitoring polarization states of input light and output light of a variable polarization light element; and a control section, when the positions on a Poincare sphere expressing each of the polarization states monitored by the polarization state monitoring section are at the positions being symmetric or approximately symmetric for the equator of the Poincare sphere, for rotating the Poincare sphere by ? by using the earth axis of the Poincare sphere as a rotation axis by changing the azimuth of the optical axis of the variable polarization light element, and also for inverting the changing direction of the phase shift amount. By this, arbitrary and endless control of polarization light can be realized by a phase shift amount being less than the wavelength ? of the input light.

Abstract: An optical transmission device improved in quality and reliability of OADM function and permitting configuration of highly-flexible, economical OADM networks. A wavelength tunable filter variably selects a wavelength according to a control frequency. A filter controller applies the control frequency to the filter while scanning wavelength over an entire signal bandwidth, to detect, from a reference wavelength monitor signal supplied thereto, a reference control frequency which permits the filter to select a reference wavelength and according to which wavelength is matched. On receiving a wavelength selection request, the controller obtains a target control frequency from the reference control frequency and the position of a target wavelength relative to the reference wavelength, and applies the obtained frequency to the filter. A reference wavelength filter transmits the reference wavelength therethrough. A light-receiving element monitors the transmitted reference wavelength to generate the monitor signal.

Abstract: An optical transmission system capable of time difference correction without increasing guard times, thereby improving optical packet transmission efficiency. An optical switching processor sets identical switching timing for all input ports thereof such that optical signals input from the input ports are switched at the same timing. During initialization, a time difference corrector transmits an optical dummy packet to an optical switch node, and detects synchroneity of the optical dummy packet returned thereto after being switched by the optical switch node. If synchronization error is detected, the time difference corrector adjusts the output timing of the optical dummy packet so that the timing of arrival of the optical dummy packet at the optical switching processor may coincide with the switching timing of the optical switching processor, to thereby correct the time difference between the switching timing and the arrival timing.

Abstract: A network managing apparatus is connected to one of multiple OADM nodes that execute optical communication on an optical ring network configured by a two-line transmission path including of an active line and a backup line. The apparatus includes a storing unit that stores arrangement information of the OADM nodes and operating wavelength information of optical signals transmitted by the nodes. A controlling unit updates the operating wavelength information retained in the storing unit based on fault information from the OADM nodes and distributes the updated operating wavelength information to the OADM nodes.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers operates as an optical gate switch and selects an optical signal indicated by a gate control signal from an optical gate switch control unit. A plurality of photodetectors monitor the power of an optical signal input through a corresponding input port. A VOA control unit calculates an amount of attenuation corresponding to each input port based on the power of each optical signal. A variable optical attenuator attenuates the selected optical signal according to the calculated amount of attenuation in synchronization with the gate control signal.

Abstract: Optical add/drop nodes are used in a network having a pair of optical transmission paths for transmitting optical signals in opposite directions to each other. Each add/drop node comprises a variable split ratio optical coupler for splitting an optical signal output from a transmitter. The split ratio of the variable split ratio optical coupler is set such that the optical power levels of the signals added through the respective optical add/drop nodes are equal to one another respectively on the pair of optical transmission paths.

Abstract: An optical transmission device improved in quality and reliability of OADM function and permitting configuration of highly-flexible, economical OADM networks. A wavelength tunable filter variably selects a wavelength according to a control frequency. A filter controller applies the control frequency to the filter while scanning wavelength over an entire signal bandwidth, to detect, from a reference wavelength monitor signal supplied thereto, a reference control frequency which permits the filter to select a reference wavelength and according to which wavelength is matched. On receiving a wavelength selection request, the controller obtains a target control frequency from the reference control frequency and the position of a target wavelength relative to the reference wavelength, and applies the obtained frequency to the filter. A reference wavelength filter transmits the reference wavelength therethrough. A light-receiving element monitors the transmitted reference wavelength to generate the monitor signal.

Abstract: A polarization controller is configured to comprise polarization state monitoring section for monitoring polarization states of input light and output light of a variable polarization light element; and a control section, when the positions on a Poincare sphere expressing each of the polarization states monitored by the polarization state monitoring section are at the positions being symmetric or approximately symmetric for the equator of the Poincare sphere, for rotating the Poincare sphere by ? by using the earth axis of the Poincare sphere as a rotation axis by changing the azimuth of the optical axis of the variable polarization light element, and also for inverting the changing direction of the phase shift amount. By this, arbitrary and endless control of polarization light can be realized by a phase shift amount being less than the wavelength ? of the input light.