Optical power measuring system terminal station and repeater therefor

Abstract

An oscillator oscillates at a predetermined reference frequency, and a reference signal light sender generates light (reference signal light) of a specific wavelength deeply modulated by output from the oscillator. A frequency divider frequency-divides the output from the oscillator into a certain number, and outputs a tone signal of a predetermined measurement frequency. Output from the frequency divider is applied to selected one of a plurality of optical transmission signal senders via one of a plurality of switches, and is used to slightly intensity-modulate a corresponding optical transmission signal. An optical divider in an optical repeater outputs most of output light from an optical amplifier onto an optical fiber transmission line toward a terminal station, and applies small amounts of the light to a measuring circuit. The measuring circuit synchronously detects the measurement frequency component in the received light using the reference frequency obtained from the reference signal light of the specific wavelength. A modulator slightly varies the amplification gain of the other optical amplifier that amplifies the signal light travelling on the other optical fiber transmission line in response to results of measurement by the measuring circuit.