Dispersion Compensation Patents (Class 398/81)
  • Patent number: 7147387
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally concerned with optical transceivers. In one example, an optical transceiver implements electronic dispersion compensation in the receive path, as well as optical preemphasis on the transmitted signal in order to improve aspects of optical performance on multimode fiber links, relative to systems that do not implement transmitter preemphasis. Among other things, such optical transceivers can be used to achieve longer link lengths over a given fiber and/or to improve the percentage of fibers that can be used with a given performance electronic dispersion implementation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Lewis B. Aronson, James D. McVey, The'Linh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7146071
    Abstract: An optical transmission system which permits transmission distance to be prolonged without using repeaters and yet ensures economical, high-quality optical transmission. A branch station performs non-repeated communication with an optical branching point and includes a light pumping section for causing pump light to enter an optical fiber through which a branched, receiving optical signal flows, to perform optical amplification by using the fiber as an amplification medium. An optical branching device includes an optical amplification section and an optical branching section. The optical amplification section redirects the pump light originated from the branch station and propagated through a line to the paired line through which an optical signal transmitted from the branch station flows, to excite an amplification medium inserted in the paired line and doped with active material for optical amplification and thereby amplify power of the optical signal transmitted from the branch station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Izumi Yokota
  • Patent number: 7146107
    Abstract: A tunable dispersion compensator whose passband center wavelength changes when the amount of dispersion compensation is changed is suitably adjusted. The relationship between temperature for keeping the center wavelength constant and the amount of dispersion compensation is stored in advance. After controlling the amount of dispersion compensation to achieve best or optimum transmission quality, the amount of dispersion compensation is converted into temperature in accordance with the stored relationship and, based on that, the temperature is controlled to keep the center wavelength constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kentaro Nakamura, Hiroki Ooi, Tomoo Takahara
  • Patent number: 7139453
    Abstract: A dispersion compensator and method of dispersion compensation in which an input light is converted to a selected second wavelength, the converted light beam having the second wavelength is dispersion compensated in an amount dependent upon the second wavelength, and the compensated light beam having the second wavelength is converted to the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tomoaki Takeyama, Shinya Inagaki, Keiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7134796
    Abstract: A device which in an optical interface adapts XFP to a 300 pin MSA transponder socket, permitting replacement of 300 pin MSA transponders with an XFP module on an existing host circuit pack. The device performs dispersion compensation in a removable module, addressing issues of jitter, path length equalization, cross talk and electromagnetic compatibility. As deployed, the device presents at the optical interface the attributes of XFP, hence connected optical devices are “fooled” into reading a connection to XFP instead of the 300 pin MSA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Opnext, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Anderson
  • Patent number: 7133619
    Abstract: An operation unit of a PMD compensation module includes a PBS (polarization beam splitter), a compensating part and a combiner. The PBS separates an optical input into a first polarized signal and a second polarized signal. The compensating part includes a fixed prism and a movable prism. The first polarized signal outputted from the PBS travels through the fixed prism and the movable prism in series. The light path of the first polarized signal in the movable prism is elongated or shortened according to a position of the movable prism. A continuously variable delay can thus be applied between the first and second polarized signals. The combiner recombines the first polarized signal received from the compensating part and the second polarized signal received from the PBS into an optical output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shu-Lin Tai
  • Patent number: 7133611
    Abstract: If a repeater supervisory control (SV), a pre-emphasis automatic adjustment (PE), a receiving side threshold value automatic adjustment (Vth), a transmitting side dispersion compensation value setting (VDC(T)), and a receiving side dispersion compensation value setting (VDC(R)) are executed for an optical main signal, these controls are executed in the above described priority order. Accordingly, if the controls are independently executed, or if two or more controls simultaneously occur, a control with a higher priority is executed. In this way, a transmission quality of an optical signal is prevented from being badly influenced as a result that the controls are simultaneously executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shinichi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7133587
    Abstract: A dispersion compensator includes at least one first optical waveguide, a first slab waveguide, an arrayed waveguide connected to the at least one first optical waveguide via the first slab waveguide, a second slab waveguide, at least one second optical waveguide connected to the arrayed waveguide via the second slab waveguide, and a phase distribution provider configured to provide a phase distribution to the arrayed waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Nara, Kazuhisa Kashihara
  • Patent number: 7130542
    Abstract: An optical transmission system includes a number of corresponding modular multiplexing and demultiplexing units used in transmitting and receiving an optical signal respectively. Additionally, compensation components compensate for optical dispersion experienced by the optical signal. The modular multiplexing and demultiplexing units are assembled in a cascade fashion at the transmit side and the receive side of the optical transmission system, respectively. The dispersion compensation components share dispersion compensation fiber across the cascaded units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Corvis Corporation
    Inventors: Dalma Novak, Bo Pedersen, Quan-Zhen Wang
  • Patent number: 7130496
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for determining the spatial distribution of polarisation properties of an optical fiber (1). Pulses (7) of light are transmitted along the optical fiber (1) and the polarisation state of light backscattered from portions e and elements R of the optical fiber (1) detected. A spatial distribution of linear retardance ?, orientation of linear retardance axes q and circular retardance axes can be accurately determined. This has application in the analysis of Polarisation Mode Dispension (PMD) in telecommunications as well as, inter alia, strain, stress, temperature and electric current and voltage measurement using optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: University of Surrey
    Inventor: Alan John Rogers
  • Patent number: 7126740
    Abstract: A reconfigurable multifunctional optical device has an optical arrangement for receiving an optical signal, each having optical bands or channels, and a spatial light modulator for reflecting the at least one optical signal provided thereon. The optical arrangement features a free optics configuration with a light dispersion element for spreading each optical signal into one or more respective optical bands or channels for performing separate optical functions on each optical signal. The spatial light modulator includes a micro-mirror device with an array of micro-mirrors, and the respective optical bands or channels reflect off respective micro-mirrors. The free optics configuration includes a common set of optical components for performing each separate optical function on each optical signal. The separate optical functions reflect off separate non-overlapping areas on the spatial light modulator. The separate optical functions include optical switching, conditioning or monitoring functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Szczepanek, John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, James S. Sirkis, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Christian O'Keefe, Michael A. Davis
  • Patent number: 7123838
    Abstract: An optical time-division multiplex signal processing apparatus includes an optical dispersion part providing optical dispersion to an optical time-division multiplex signal and an optical clock signal, an optical detector coupled optically to the optical dispersion part for detecting a beat signal formed between the optical time-division multiplex signal and the clock signal in a superposed state, and a filter connected to an output terminal of the optical detector for filtering out an electric signal of a desired frequency band from an output electric signal of said optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7116874
    Abstract: Enhancement of the supercontinuum generation performance of a highly-nonlinear optical fiber (HNLF) is accomplished by incorporating at least one Bragg grating structure in the HNLF. The Bragg grating results in reflecting a core-guided signal into signal which also remains core-guided. The supercontinuum radiation generated by such an arrangement will exhibit a substantial peak in its energy at the grating resonance of the Bragg grating and a region of increased radiation in a narrow wavelength band on the long wavelength side of the peak. A number of such Bragg gratings may be formed so as to “tailor” the enhancements provided in the supercontinuum radiation. Various, well-known Bragg grating modifications (tuning, chirped, blazed, etc.) may also be used in the inventive structure to enhance the generated supercontinuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignees: Fitel USA Corp., University of Rochester, Office of Technology Transfer
    Inventors: Thomas Brown, Kenneth S. Feder, Yufeng Li, Jeffrey W. Nicholson, Paul S. Westbrook
  • Patent number: 7116876
    Abstract: An optical fiber for an optical network is disclosed. The optical fiber includes a core having a core region having a first refractive index N1, and a refractive index depressed region surrounding the core region and having a second refractive index N2 that is lower than the first refractive index. A clad surrounds the core and having a third refractive index N4. The optical fiber has a zero-dispersion wavelength that is not less than 1555 nm and positioned in a wavelength range which does not exceed L-band. The optical fiber has negative dispersion values in C-band and positive dispersion values in L-band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-Geun Jang, Sung-Koog Oh, Ju-Chang Han
  • Patent number: 7113709
    Abstract: An optical receiver including a variable optical attenuator for controlling an optical loss value for each optical transmission line based on a predetermined optical loss value; a variable dispersion compensation module for controlling a wavelength dispersion value for each optical transmission line based on a predetermined dispersion value; an optical loss/dispersion controller for measuring the optical loss value and the wavelength dispersion value of every optical transmission line, outputting these values so that they are equal in all the optical transmission lines, and controlling the attenuator and the module based on the outputted predetermined values; a receive amplifier for receiving the optical signal whose light level is kept constant and amplifying the signal; and, a transmission line switch control module is provided for switching a working transmission line into a protection line if the optical signal level of the working line is lower than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 7110648
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an analog optical transmission system having a construction for expanding an analog transmittable distance. The analog optical transmission system includes: a light transmitter outputting analog optical signals such as image signals modulated in accordance with electrical signals multiplexed on a frequency domain; a transmission line including a SMF of 20 km or less in the total length; and a light receiver. A dispersion compensating fiber compensating for the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line is arranged on the transmission line, and the dispersion compensating fiber satisfies one of the first condition that the chromatic dispersion is set at ?250 ps/nm/km or less and a length is set at 1.1 km or less, and the condition that the chromatic dispersion is set at ?330 ps/nm/km or less and a length is set at 1.2 km or less. Optical suppressing devices reducing the MPI noise are arranged at the end portion of the dispersion compensating fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Tetsufumi Tsuzaki, Tatsuhiko Shitomi
  • Patent number: 7106970
    Abstract: To generate light with the degree of polarization zeroed and the spread of an optical spectrum suppressed even with temporal overlapping between optical pulses each of which is polarized orthogonally to the succeeding pulse, a polarization scrambler includes an optical pulse generator that generates optical pulses with an intensity waveform repetition period T/2 and an electrical field repetition period T in which the same intensity waveform is repeated every repetition period T/2 and in which phase is inverted every repetition period T/2, and an orthogonal polarization delay unit which receives each of the optical pulses, separates the optical pulse into two optical pulses with orthogonal states of polarization, and relatively shifts the temporal position of one of the two optical pulses from that of the other optical pulse by (2n?1)T/4 (n is a natural number) to generate light in which each pulse is polarized orthogonally to a succeeding pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Masamichi Fujiwara, Mitsuhiro Teshima, Noboru Takachio, Katsumi Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 7103283
    Abstract: A transmission characteristic compensation system enables to reduce the generation of transmission deterioration by estimating an initially selected control direction, and also to compensate in advance with a setting value estimation so as to suppress the generation of transmission deterioration in advance. The transmission characteristic compensation control system includes a variable compensator having a control circuit; and an optimal setting value calculation portion for calculating an optimal setting value for the control circuit, wherein the optimal setting value calculation portion estimates future transmission deterioration on a predetermined time-by-time basis to set into the control circuit the optimal setting value for compensating the estimated transmission deterioration performed by the variable compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Mikami, Kouichi Sawada, Hiroshi Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 7095912
    Abstract: A technique for PMD mitigation in an optical communications system that utilizes a plurality of polarization rotators in an optical fiber to continuously rotate the polarization state of at least one optical signal that propagates through the fiber. The optical fiber is segregated into a plurality of sections and the polarization rotators are disposed between adjacent sections of the fiber. The polarization state of at least one optical signal received from the first of a pair of adjacent sections is continuously rotated by the polarization rotator prior to being transmitted to the second of the pair of adjacent sections. The rotated optical signals are collected at a receiver and corrected for errors using, for example, forward error correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Frigo, Peter D Magill
  • Patent number: 7082268
    Abstract: Optical transmitter/receivers for use in a DWDM systems are provided. Transmission of data signals in a quadrature-return-to-zero (QRZ) format achieves a data transmission rate equal to eight times a base data rate, i.e., 80 Gbps over a 100 GHz channel if the base data rate is 10 Gbps, with high non-linear performance by setting the polarization state of the data bands such that non-linear effects induced by PMD are reduced. Additionally, a transmitter achieves a transmission data rate equal to 16 times the base data rate by sharpening the QRZ pulses and interleaving pulse-sharpened QRZ data signals in the time domain, further doubling the data rate. Using counterpropagation in the transmitter, carrier signals and data signals traverse the same length of fiber, reducing fringing effects in the transmitter. Related techniques enhance reception and detection of data at high data rates. A local pulse-sharpened carrier is mixed with a QRZ data signal at a detector reducing amplification noise by a factor of two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Teradvance Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Marcel F. C. Schemmann, Zoran Maricevic, Bogdan Hoanca
  • Patent number: 7079736
    Abstract: An optical fiber having a length of one kilometer or more with average transmission loss at a wavelength of 1383 nm being less than average transmission loss at a wavelength of 1310 nm, wherein a maximum value of a transmission loss at the wavelength of 1383 nm of any one kilometer section along the entire length of the optical fiber does not exceed the average transmission loss at the wavelength of 1383 nm along the entire length of the optical fiber by 0.03 dB/km or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Takahashi, Hideya Moridaira, Masahide Kuwabara, Yoshinori Ishida, Satoru Ise
  • Patent number: 7079737
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices and methods for dispersion compensation. According to one embodiment of the invention, a dispersion compensating device includes a negative dispersion fiber having an input configured to receive the optical signal, the negative dispersion fiber having a length and dispersion sufficient to remove any positive chirp from each wavelength channel of the optical signal, thereby outputting a negatively chirped optical signal; an amplifying device configured to amplify the negatively chirped optical signal; and a nonlinear positive dispersion fiber configured to receive the negatively chirped optical signal. The devices of the present invention provide broadband compensation for a systems having a wide range of variable residual dispersions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrey E Korolev, Dominique Labilloy, Daniel A Nolan, Vasiliy Solovjev
  • Patent number: 7079769
    Abstract: In the dispersion-compensating system of the present invention, a demultiplexer demultiplexes optical signals in a signal wavelength band of 1520 nm to 1620 nm propagating through a first common transmission line into C band (1520 nm to 1565 nm) and L band (1565 nm to 1620 nm). Then, the demultiplexer outputs the optical signals of C band into a first branched transmission line and the optical signals of L band into a second branched transmission line. A first dispersion-compensating device is provided on the first common transmission line and compensates for the dispersion in C and L bands. A second dispersion-compensating device is provided on the second branched transmission line and compensates for the dispersion in L band, which has not fully been compensated for by the first dispersion-compensating device. Hence, the dispersion of optical transmission line can fully be reduced in a wide signal light wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masa Tsukitani, Eisuke Sasaoka, Toshiaki Okuno
  • Patent number: 7075723
    Abstract: An optical apparatus for producing chromatic dispersion. The apparatus includes a virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) generator, a mirror and a lens. The VIPA generator receives an input light at a respective wavelength and produces a corresponding collimated output light traveling from the VIPA generator in a direction determined by the wavelength of the input light, the output light thereby being spatially distinguishable from an output light produced for an input light at a different wavelength. The mirror has a cone shape, or a modified cone shape. The lens focuses the output light traveling from the VIPA generator onto the mirror so that the mirror reflects the output light. The reflected light is directed by the lens back to the VIPA generator. In this manner, the apparatus provides chromatic dispersion to the input light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masataka Shirasaki, Simon Cao
  • Patent number: 7076172
    Abstract: An optical waveguide system exhibiting reduced noise includes a varying dispersion optical waveguide fiber and a high frequency electrical filter. The varying dispersion fiber shifts the frequency spectrum of the noise relative to that of the signal so that the noise can be filtered with substantially no effect on the signal. The varying dispersion fiber is a passive component of the optical system and is compatible with optical connecting and splicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Shiva Kumar
  • Patent number: 7076174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for processing an optical signal is provided. An optical signal is input into an optical waveguide structure for providing a nonlinear effect. As a result, the optical signal undergoes chirping induced by the nonlinear effect. An output optical signal output from the optical waveguide structure is supplied to an optical bandpass filter to thereby extract components except a small-chirp component from the output optical signal. The optical bandpass filter has a pass band including a wavelength different from the wavelength of the optical signal. By extracting the components except the small-chirp component from the output optical signal in the form of pulse, it is possible to remove intensity fluctuations or accumulated noise especially at a top portion and/or a low-power portion of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shigeki Watanabe, Fumio Futami
  • Patent number: 7072592
    Abstract: An apparatus provides an optical wavelength division multiplexed signal having 2M optical channels such that each of M information-bearing signals are differentially encoded onto 2 of the 2M optical channels. In particular, the apparatus comprises M inverters, 2M electrical-to-optical converters and a multiplexer. Each electrical-to-optical converter provides an optical signal at a different one of 2M wavelengths. The apparatus receives the M information-bearing signals and (a) creates M optical signals, each at a different wavelength, by converting each of the M information bearing signals into the optical domain via M of the 2M electrical-to-optical converters, and (b) creates M inverted optical signals, each at a different wavelength, by first inverting each of the M information bearing signals (via the M inverters) before conversion into the optical domain via the remaining M electrical-to-optical converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mohsen Sarraf
  • Patent number: 7072545
    Abstract: A dispersion compensator includes at least one first optical waveguide, a first slab waveguide, an arrayed waveguide connected to the at least one first optical waveguide via the first slab waveguide, a second slab waveguide, at least one second optical waveguide connected to the arrayed waveguide via the second slab waveguide, and a phase distribution provider configured to provide a phase distribution to the arrayed waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Nara, Kazuhisa Kashihara
  • Patent number: 7068896
    Abstract: A method and a system to produce, either in numerical simulations or in experiments, specified amounts of first, second and higher order PMD in a controlled manner, in particular large amounts. Parameters can be adjusted to obtain specific ranges of first, second and higher order PMD, and importance sampling can be used to determine the probability that the resulting PMD events can be obtained in realistic situations. Individual results obtained using specific parameter values can be combined to produce even larger ranges of PMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: William L. Kath, Gino Biondini, Sarah L. Fogal
  • Patent number: 7068943
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices and methods for dynamic dispersion compensation. According to one embodiment of the invention, a dispersion compensating device includes a negative dispersion fiber having an input configured to receive the optical signal, the negative dispersion fiber having a length and dispersion sufficient to remove any positive chirp from each wavelength channel of the optical signal, thereby outputting a negatively chirped optical signal; an amplifying device configured to amplify the negatively chirped optical signal; and a nonlinear positive dispersion fiber configured to receive the negatively chirped optical signal. The devices of the present invention provide broadband compensation for systems having a wide range of variable residual dispersions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrey E. Korolev, Dmitri V. Kuksenkov, Shenping Li, Daniel A. Nolan, Michael Sauer, Alexej Sysoliatin
  • Patent number: 7065280
    Abstract: A dispersion compensation device for compensating chromatic dispersion of optical pulses launched from the exterior is disclosed. The device comprises a waveguide and a photonic crystal part, the waveguide comprising a core part for guiding the optical pulse from an input end to an output end and a clad part consisting of a first clad layer and a second clad layer, the photonic crystal part providing a chromatic dispersion variation of a proper dispersion characteristic to the optical pulses guided through the waveguide, the chromatic dispersion variation having an absolute value of the variation and a positive or negative sign, wherein the photonic crystal part is layered onto the first clad layer, the core part is layered onto the photonic crystal part, and the second clad part is formed so that a portion of which is layered onto the photonic crystal part and a remaining part of which covers the exposed surface of the core part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Bussan Nanotech Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Kensuke Ogawa, Yong-Tsong Tan
  • Patent number: 7062173
    Abstract: An optical device can realize a further severer wave synthesizing/separation characteristic, compared with the characteristic in the past. The optical device includes a branching filter which separates wavelength division multiplexed signal lights of a plurality of wavelength groups, into first wavelength groups and second wavelength groups consisting of wavelength groups which do not come into contact with the wavelength groups making up the first wavelength groups, on the wavelength axis; a functional circuit that functionally processes the wavelength groups on a wavelength group-by-group basis of the separated first wavelength groups and second wavelength groups; and a multiplexer connected to the branching filter through the functional circuit, for synthesizing the separated first wavelength groups and second wavelength groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tomofuji, Toru Katagiri
  • Patent number: 7062123
    Abstract: A higher-order dispersion compensator for tuning a polarization controlled signal having a first order polarization mode dispersion component, a second order polarization mode dispersion component, and a variable chromatic dispersion component. The compensator includes a first tuning element that adjusts the first order polarization mode dispersion component of the polarization controlled signal, and a second tuning element that adjusts the second order polarization mode dispersion component and the variable chromatic dispersion component of the polarization controlled signal. The first tuning element, which includes a differential delay line, includes a polarization beam splitter coupled to receive the polarization controlled signal. The first tuning element includes a first waveguide optically coupled to receive a first polarization component and a second waveguide optically coupled to receive a second polarization component. A first tuning mechanism is provided that tunes one of the gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Barbara A. DeBaun, Barry J. Koch, Terry L. Smith
  • Patent number: 7058314
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing timing and amplitude jitter in trnasmission of Retrun-to-Zero modulated pulses is described. In the reduction of amplitude jitter the modulated pulses must be phase coherent. The method comprises the steps of measuring a total dispersion of a transmission fiber link, computing an optimal amount of pre-chirp to be added at an input of said transmission fiber link, computing an optimal amount of pre-chirp to be added at an output of said transmission fiber link, adding said optimal amount of pre-chirp to said input of said tranmisssion fiber link and adding said optimal amount of pre-chirp to said output of said tranmisssion fiber link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Carl Balslev Clausen, Antonio Mecozzi, Mark Shtaif
  • Patent number: 7054559
    Abstract: A system and method for modular multiplexing and amplification of optical signals in subwindows within an operating window of a fiber optic communication network. An operating window is divided into subwindows. Optical signals in each subwindow are optically amplified separately and in parallel by a plurality of optical line amplifiers. According to one embodiment, the operating window is divided into four subwindows within an erbium wavelength band. Each subwindow corresponds to a different group of channels having optical signals of a different wavelength. Modular wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) units multiplex/demultiplex optical signals in the set of multiple channels. A modular WDM unit includes a coarse WDM unit and four fine WDM units. The coarse WDM multiplexes optical signals by wavelength into subwindows separated by relatively large guard bands. A fine WDM unit further multiplexes optical signals within a subwindow by wavelength into individual channels with a fine separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Viet Le, Xiaoping Mao
  • Patent number: 7050658
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing system deterioration caused by polarization effects (e.g., a polarization-dependent gain (PDG), a polarization-dependent loss (PDL), and a polarization mode dispersion (PMD)). The apparatus performs a signal modulation process to enable one bit to simultaneously contain two orthogonal polarization components, resulting in a minimum DOP (Degree Of Polarization). If a signal undergoes the PMD, the apparatus converts an NRZ (Non Return to Zero) signal into an RZ (Return to Zero) signal, resulting in minimum inter-symbol interference caused by the PMD. The apparatus can improve a performance of an optical signal during the PMD operation, whereas a conventional PMD compensation technique has been designed to remove system deterioration caused by only the PMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yun Chur Chung, Jun Haeng Lee, Chun Ju Youn
  • Patent number: 7039318
    Abstract: A variable dispersion compensation to a signal for compensating dispersion present in an optical signal. The invention can be embodied in a dispersion discrimination and compensation system comprising a feedback loop for regulating an amount of dispersion compensation applied by a controlable anti-dispersive element (CADE) to an incoming optical signal. To that effect, the feedback loop comprises a dispersion discriminator for accepting a portion of a signal outgoing form the CADE and to provide a measure of a dispersion characteristic to a processor which controls the amount of dispersion compensation applied by the CADE. The dispersion discrimination and compensation system can be stand-alone or integrated into an optical switch. Furthermore, dispersion compensation can be provided to multichannel optical signals or to partially or totally demultiplexed optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventor: Alan F. Graves
  • Patent number: 7039272
    Abstract: In a wavelength-division multiplexing system with an OADM, part of the chromatic dispersion on a transmission line is compensated for by a chromatic dispersion compensator for a dropped wavelength of the wavelength-division multiplexing system. Also, chromatic dispersion is compensated for by a chromatic dispersion compensator for an added wavelength of the wavelength-division multiplexing system. The chromatic dispersion compensator for dropped wavelength acts on the signal dropped by the OADM, and the chromatic dispersion compensator for added wavelength acts on the added signal. Both the chromatic dispersion compensators act on the passing signal. With the chromatic dispersion compensators being mounted in the optical transmission apparatus before the system is upgraded to OADM, it is not necessary to alter the chromatic dispersion compensating method and the variation of the communication quality can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Uda
  • Patent number: 7039324
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for regenerating an optical signal suitable for WDM (wavelength division multiplexing). In this method, an optical signal is supplied to an optical waveguide structure (e.g., optical fiber) for providing a nonlinear effect. As a result, the optical signal undergoes chirp induced by the nonlinear effect. Then, an output optical signal output from the optical waveguide structure is supplied to an optical filter to thereby remove a small-chirp component from the output optical signal. By removing the small-chirp component from the output optical signal in the form of pulse, intensity fluctuations or accumulated noise especially at a top portion and/or a low-power portion of the pulse can be removed. Accordingly, the optical signal can be regenerated independently of the bit rate, pulse shape, etc. of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shigeki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7035548
    Abstract: A dispersion compensation controlling apparatus used in a very high-speed optical communication system adopting optical time division multiplexing system comprises a first specific frequency component detecting unit (2a) detecting a first specific frequency-component in a baseband spectrum in a transmission optical signal inputted to a receiving side over a transmission fiber as a transmission line (6a), a first intensity detecting unit (3a) detecting information on an intensity of the first specific frequency component detected by the first specific frequency component detecting unit (2a and a polarization-mode dispersion controlling unit (220a) con trolling a polarization-mode dispersion quantity of the transmission line (6a) such that the intensity of the first specific frequency component detected by the first intensity detecting unit. (3a) becomes the maximum, thereby easily detecting and compensating polarization-mode dispersion generated in a high-speed optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroki Ooi, George Ishikawa, Yuichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7031613
    Abstract: End of line dispersion compensation is applied on a sub-band by sub-band basis. Adequate end-of-line dispersion compensation may be provided for high data rate WDM systems even for optical link lengths of 1000 km or more. Dispersion compensating gratings (DCGs) may be used as the dispersion compensating components. There is a great savings in cost and package volume compared to per-channel compensation schemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Mazzini, Federico Carniel
  • Patent number: 7031581
    Abstract: In a wavelength division multiplexed transmission path, the used waveband can be selected from the widest possible waveband among the S-band, C-band, and L-band. The wavelength division multiplexed transmission path has a dispersion-compensating transmission path comprising a dispersion-shifted fiber, which has positive chromatic dispersion throughout a range of wavelengths from 1460 nm to 1630 nm, and one type of dispersion-compensating fiber, or two or more types of dispersion-compensating fiber having different chromatic dispersion having negative chromatic dispersion in a compensation waveband, selected from the abovementioned range; the residual chromatic dispersion of the wavelength division multiplexed transmission path is adjusted so as to be greater than ?1.0 ps/nm/km or equal to and less than or equal to +1.0 ps/nm/km in a used waveband of the wavelength division multiplexed transmission path, which is selected from the abovementioned range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Saitou, Kazuhiko Aikawa, Shoichiro Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7031559
    Abstract: A technique for PMD mitigation in an optical communications system that utilizes a plurality of polarization rotators in an optical fiber to continuously rotate the polarization state of at least one optical signal that propagates through the fiber. The optical fiber is segregated into a plurality of sections and the polarization rotators are disposed between adjacent sections of the fiber. The polarization state of at least one optical signal received from the first of a pair of adjacent sections is continuously rotated by the polarization rotator prior to being transmitted to the second of the pair of adjacent sections. The rotated optical signals are collected at a receiver and corrected for errors using, for example, forward error correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Frigo, Peter D Magill
  • Patent number: 7027684
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch is realized by combining a quantized dispersion element and an array of switching means. The quantized dispersion element enables to concentrate all the wavelengths within predetermined wavelength bands onto the same location in the switching array. With this arrangement, a low fill factor switching array can be used while maintaining good flat-top spectral performance with no spectral dips and improving alignment tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Metconnex Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Ducellier, Alan Hnatiw
  • Patent number: 7027735
    Abstract: For suppressing intra-channel four wave mixing in a time division multiplexing (TDM) system, where N synchronous data streams, each having a reduced data pulse width within a bit slot timing interval, from parallel to serial form, are converted for optically bit interleaving the N synchronous data streams into the optical communication link at a nominal bit slot delay between sequential N synchronous data streams related to the bit slot timing interval to provide a serial data sequence of short optical pulses having an equal bit slot delay between sequential pulses, a sequential bit slot delay is varied between two of the short optical pulses to provide an unequal bit slot delay between sequential pulses within the serial data sequence of short optical pulses for suppression of undesired intra-channel four-wave mixing pulses among the pulses and thereby, improvement of transmission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Shiva Kumar
  • Patent number: 7027740
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is proposed for use in a communication system in which an optical communications path including a plurality of optical spans, each of the optical spans contributing nonlinear distortions to an optical signal passing there-through includes, providing a dispersion pre-compensation to the optical signal in the optical communications path, such that the limiting nonlinear effect that produces signal distortions for long-haul transmission is suppressed, prior to transmission through a plurality of optical spans, and providing a dispersion post-compensation to the optical signal in the optical communications path after transmission through the plurality of optical spans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Rene′-Jean Essiambre, Lisa Kathleen Wickham
  • Patent number: 7024078
    Abstract: An optical fiber is tapered, for example, by heating it with a CO2 laser. The tapering process is controlled such that the taper transition regions have taper angles selected to minimize loss. The taper waist has a diameter selected to introduce desired dispersion properties and desired nonlinearity. The optical fiber can be used as a dispersion compensator in a fiber laser or other fiber optic system. The nonlinearity in the tapered optical fiber allows the generation of ultrashort light pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventor: Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 7024058
    Abstract: An apparatus for compensating a polarization mode dispersion including a polarization adjusting means for adjusting polarization states of an optical beam having a differential group delay based on a polarization adjusting feedback control signal; a polarization beam splitting means for splitting principal states of polarization of the adjusted optical beam into a first polarization and a second polarization; a time delaying means for the first polarization based on a time delay feedback control signal; a polarization adjustment controlling means for controlling the polarization adjusting means based on a polarization adjusting feedback control signal; a time delay controlling means for controlling the time delaying means based on a time delay controlling feedback signal; and an electric combining means for combining a time-compensated first polarization and the second polarization transmitted through the optical tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Ki-Ho Han, Wangjoo Lee, Je-Soo Ko
  • Patent number: 7020402
    Abstract: A crosstalk compensation engine for reducing signal crosstalk effects within a data signal. Demultiplexed data signals corresponding to multiplexed data signals received via a signal transmission medium are processed to significantly reduce one or more signal crosstalk products related to one or more interactions among the multiplexed data signals within the signal transmission medium. Such signal crosstalk products include those resulting from dense wavelength-division mutiplexing of the data signals used to provide the multiplexed data signals, four-wave mixing among the multiplexed data signals within the signal transmission medium, and cross-phase modulation among the multiplexed data signals within the signal transmission medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Scintera Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhijit G. Shanbhag, Abhijit M. Phanse
  • Patent number: 7020398
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a compact dispersion slope equalizer by which it is possible to simultaneously recover distorted waveforms of WDM signals by dispersion slope of DSF or NZ-DSF at 1.55 ?m band, and to compensate for the dispersion of various fiber transmission lines having various dispersion values and variation of dispersion value caused by the temperature change or the like. WDM signals distorted by the dispersion slope of the fiber are introduced into an input waveguide, and are demultiplexed by a wavelength demultiplexer into each wavelength component, and pass through lattice-form optical circuits, transversal-form optical circuits, or the combination of these circuits. The dispersion slope of the signals is compensated for by these circuits. The recovered signals are multiplexed by a wavelength multiplexer, and the multiplexed light is outputted at an output waveguide. Arrayed-waveguide gratings can be used as the wavelength demultiplexer and multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takiguchi, Katsunari Okamoto, Takashi Goh