Abstract: An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) includes a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path; a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and an OTDR port configured to interface OTDR signals to monitor the standby fiber path.

Abstract: A method for noise suppression in a colorless optical add/drop system implemented prior to a colorless optical add/drop device includes, subsequent to receiving an optical signal from an optical modem, filtering the optical signal with a wavelength blocking filter to suppress out of band Amplified Stimulated Emission (ASE) in order to prevent noise funneling in the colorless optical add/drop device; and providing the filtered optical signal with the out of band ASE suppressed therein to a multiplexer port in the colorless optical add/drop device. The method can include, prior to the filtering, amplifying the optical signal with a single channel amplifier, wherein the single channel amplifier can include a pump laser shared with one or more additional single channel amplifiers.

Abstract: An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) includes a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path; a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and an OTDR connection configured to provide one or more OTDR signals to monitor an inactive path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

Abstract: An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) includes a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path; a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and an OTDR connection configured to provide one or more OTDR signals to monitor an inactive path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

Abstract: An optical node supporting a modular deployment and upgrade of optical spectrum includes one or more C+L-Band amplifier modules; and a modular base module configured to interface one or more C-Band optical modems; wherein, in an initial deployment configuration, the modular base module provides channelized Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) loading for select channels in the C-Band via a first ASE noise source coupled to a multiplexer for the C-Band, bulk ASE loading over the L-Band via a second ASE noise source coupled to an L-Band output, and an upgrade port for connection to an L-Band upgrade module. The L-Band upgrade module can selectively connect to the upgrade port to provide an L-Band upgrade configuration where the L-Band upgrade module and the modular base module coordinate transition of the bulk ASE loading to L-Band channelized ASE loading via a third ASE noise source.

Abstract: An optical node supporting a modular deployment and upgrade of optical spectrum includes one or more C+L-Band amplifier modules; and a modular base module configured to interface one or more C-Band optical modems; wherein, in an initial deployment configuration, the modular base module provides channelized Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) loading for select channels in the C-Band via a first ASE noise source coupled to a multiplexer for the C-Band, bulk ASE loading over the L-Band via a second ASE noise source coupled to an L-Band output, and an upgrade port for connection to an L-Band upgrade module. The L-Band upgrade module can selectively connect to the upgrade port to provide an L-Band upgrade configuration where the L-Band upgrade module and the modular base module coordinate transition of the bulk ASE loading to L-Band channelized ASE loading via a third ASE noise source.

Abstract: A method for noise suppression in a colorless optical add/drop system implemented prior to a colorless optical add/drop device includes, subsequent to receiving an optical signal from an optical modem, filtering the optical signal with a wavelength blocking filter to suppress out of band Amplified Stimulated Emission (ASE) in order to prevent noise funneling in the colorless optical add/drop device; and providing the filtered optical signal with the out of band ASE suppressed therein to a multiplexer port in the colorless optical add/drop device. The method can include, prior to the filtering, amplifying the optical signal with a single channel amplifier, wherein the single channel amplifier can include a pump laser shared with one or more additional single channel amplifiers.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control optical signals in a spectrally overlapped, flexible grid spectrum system include receiving measured power within a control bandwidth for an optical signal, wherein the control bandwidth is less than a spectral occupancy of the optical signal and equal to or greater than a resolution bandwidth of a measurement device configured to measure the measured power; and controlling the optical signal based on the measured power and a target power within the control bandwidth. The optical signals can include Nyquist spaced or super Nyquist spaced signals in a media-channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control optical signals in a spectrally overlapped, flexible grid spectrum system include receiving measured power within a control bandwidth for an optical signal, wherein the control bandwidth is less than a spectral occupancy of the optical signal and equal to or greater than a resolution bandwidth of a measurement device configured to measure the measured power; and controlling the optical signal based on the measured power and a target power within the control bandwidth. The optical signals can include Nyquist spaced or super Nyquist spaced signals in a media-channel.