The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1998
Pirelli Cavi E Sistemi S.p.A., Milan, IT;
Abstract
An optical fiber amplifier and filtering apparatus and method for a bidirectional wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) system having odd and even interleaved channels is disclosed. The apparatus uses optical circulators, in-fiber Bragg gratings, and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers to amplify channels traveling in opposite directions in a WDM system and to filter unwanted ASE and back reflection noise between the channels. Interface circulators positioned at opposite ends of the apparatus respectively receive odd and even channels traveling in opposite directions in the WDM system and pass the channels through an erbium-doped fiber amplifier. Other circulators direct the amplified channels to two series of Bragg gratings that respectively reflect only the odd channels and pass only the even channels or vice versa, thereby filtering ASE and other noise located between the channels. An additional amplifier may boost the channels before they exit the apparatus via the interface circulators.