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:
Aug. 13, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1999
Richard A. Barry, Brookline, MA (US);
Naimish Patel, North Andover, MA (US);
Sycamore Networks, Inc., Chelmsford, MA (US);
Abstract
A wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) system includes an optical communications link with one or more optical amplifiers cascaded from an input end to an output end. Each amplifier has a predetermined optical gain throughout a pass band, and passes optical signals in the pass band along the link. Transmitting optical communications equipment is coupled to the input end of the link and provides a WDM optical communications signal to the link. The WDM optical signal includes a number of spaced-apart optical signals, including data optical signals and at least one management optical signal, that reside in the pass band of the optical amplifiers. Receiving optical communications equipment coupled to the output end of the link receives the WDM optical communications signal, separates the management optical signal from the data optical signals, recovers management information from the separated management optical signal, and uses the recovered management information to carry out management functions. In one case, the management optical signal resides at an edge of the pass band of the optical amplifiers, for example at nm or nm in a system having optical amplifiers specified to operate from to nm.