Nortel Networks Corporation

Ciena Corporation

Saeid Seydnejad

David W Boertjes

Zhuhong Zhang

David Miedema

David Casson Bownass

Edgar Velez

Loren Berg

Frederic J Simard

Mark R Hinds

Kevin Stuart Farley

Anant Grewal

Robert Palmer

Frederic Poulin

Michael Hiridjee

Kun Han

Aiping Liang

Zhongwei Li

An optical control system is described which is capable of maintaining and optimizing a fiber-optic transport system within it's domain of control while interacting with other optical systems which are controlled independently. This allows the optical system to be incorporated as a building block into a larger optical network in a relatively arbitrary fashion. This provides an underlying control system for a non-linear system like optics network that is flexible and extensible.

Method and system for controlling optical networks

In a method and apparatus for measuring and controlling signal gain of a backward Raman amplifier having multiple pump lasers as used in optical communications networks, Raman pump power levels required to provide a uniform gain across a range of wavelengths in an optical fiber are determined by a combination of theoretical calculations and empirical measurement. A system of non-linear differential equations is solved for various pump powers and used to build a look-up table relating desired average Raman gain to the normalized power required to provide a uniform gain across a range of wavelengths. The linear relationship between Raman pump power and average Raman gain is determined by measuring data signal power levels at specific Raman pump powers. A desired average Raman gain is first applied to the linear relationship to determine total power required, and then applied to the look-up table to determine the required relative pump powers.

Method and apparatus for Raman amplifier gain control

In method of controlling an optical amplifier dynamically adapts to both configuration and performance changes of a communications system. An error vector is calculated to indicate a difference between respective detected values and target values of a parameter of a light beam downstream of the optical amplifier. A sensitivity matrix indicative of a sensitivity of the detected parameter value to incremental changes in a control variable of the optical amplifier is calculated. A predicted optimum value of the control variable is then calculated using the error vector and the sensitivity matrix. Calculation of the predicted optimum control variable value can be iterative, with the sensitivity matrix calculated either during each iteration, or at the beginning of each optimization run. As a result, optimization of the amplifier control variables is performed based on a sensitivity matrix that accurately reflects the performance of the amplifier.

Adaptive optical amplifier control

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Saeid Seydnejad