Claims
- 1. A method of amplifying optical signals, comprising the steps of:
routing a first plurality of signals through a first combiner to form a first combined plurality of signals; routing a second plurality of signals through a second combiner to form a second combined plurality of signals; routing said first combined plurality of signals and said second combined plurality of signals through a third combiner to form a further combined signal; and routing said further combined signal through an amplifier to generate an amplified signal.
- 2. The method of amplifying according to claim 1, further comprising the step of routing said amplified signal through a first de-combiner.
- 3. The method of amplifying according to claim 2, further comprising the step of routing said amplified signal through a second de-combiner and a third de-combiner.
- 4. The method of amplifying according to claim 1, further comprising the step of routing said first and second plurality of channels through distinct fibers in a channel spacing configuration of about 200 GHz.
- 5. The method of amplifying according to claim 1, further comprising the step of routing said first and second plurality of channels through distinct fibers in a channel spacing configuration of greater than about 200 GHz.
- 6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of routing said further combined signals through at least one dispersion compensation module.
- 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of routing said further combined signals through a variable optical attenuator.
- 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a multiplexor as at least one of said first, second, and third combiners.
- 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an interleaver as at least one of said first, second, and third combiners.
- 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a demultiplexor as at least one of said first, second, and third de-combiners.
- 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an interleaver as at least one of said first, second, and third de-combiners.
- 12. An optical amplifier node, comprising:
a first combiner; a first and second input in communication with said first combiner; a first amplifier in communication with said first combiner; a first de-combiner in communication with said first amplifier; and a first and second output in communication with said first de-combiner.
- 13. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, wherein said first and second inputs each support signal traffic originating in one of two different fibers.
- 14. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, wherein a first variable optical attenuator is in communication with one of said first input and said first output.
- 15. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, wherein a second variable optical attenuator is in communication with one of said second input and said second output.
- 16. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, further comprising at least one dispersion compensation module in communication with said at least one of first and second outputs.
- 17. The optical amplifier node of claim 16, further comprising at least one channel drop device in communication with one of said first de-combiner and said at least one dispersion compensation module.
- 18. The optical amplifier node of claim 16, further comprising at least one channel add device in communication with one of said first de-combiner and said at least one dispersion compensation module.
- 19. The optical amplifier node of claim 16, further comprising a second combiner in communication with said first and second dispersion compensation modules.
- 20. The optical amplifier node of claim 19, further comprising a second amplifier in communication with said second combiner.
- 21. The optical amplifier node of claim 20, further comprising a second de-combiner in communication with said second amplifier.
- 22. The optical amplifier node of claim 21, further comprising at least one variable optical attenuator in communication with said second de-combiner.
- 23. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, further comprising a second amplifier in communication with an L/C/S splitter and an L/C/S combiner.
- 24. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, further comprising a multiplexor in communication with said first combiner.
- 25. The optical amplifier node of claim 24, further comprising a dispersion compensation module positioned on the communication path between said multiplexor and said first combiner.
- 26. The optical amplifier node of claim 24, further comprising a dispersion compensation module positioned on the communication path between said first combiner and said first amplifier.
- 27. The optical amplifier node of claim 24, wherein said first amplifier is a mid-stage access amplifier having a dispersion compensation module.
- 28. The optical amplifier node of claim 12, further comprising a first demultiplexor in communication with said first de-combiner.
- 29. The optical amplifier node of claim 28, further comprising a dispersion compensation module positioned on the communication path between said first demultiplexor and said first de-combiner.
- 30. The optical amplifier node of claim 28, further comprising a dispersion compensation module positioned on the communication path between said first combiner and said first amplifier.
- 31. The optical amplifier node of claim 28, wherein said first amplifier is a mid-stage access amplifier having a dispersion compensation module.
- 32. The optical amplifier node of claim 28, further comprising a co-propagating Raman amplifier in communication with a plurality of fibers.
- 33. The optical amplifier node of claim 28, further comprising a counter-propagating Raman amplifier in communication with a plurality of fibers.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/820,266 filed Mar. 28, 2001 with the United States Patent Office, which is expressly and entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09820266 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Child |
09911926 |
Jul 2001 |
US |