Communication network optical apparatus and method of providing an optical signal

Abstract

Communications network optical apparatus () comprising an optical module () and a controller (). The optical module () comprises optical modulators (), internal lasers () to generate internal optical signals, an input port () to receive an external optical signal from an external laser, optical routing devices () to route internal optical signals from internal lasers to optical modulators and to route an external optical signal from the input port to at least one of the optical modulators, and a temperature sensor () to sense a temperature of the internal lasers and to generate a temperature reporting signal. The controller () comprises processing circuitry () and memory () containing instructions which when executed by the processing circuitry cause the controller to perform operations including receiving the temperature reporting signal, determining that a thermal protection condition exists based on the temperature of the internal lasers, and in response to the determining, generating control signals configured to cause the external optical signal to be provided to at least one optical modulator and to cause an operating power of at least one respective internal laser to be reduced.