Claims
- 1. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system for transmitting a plurality of optical communication channels on an optical waveguide, each optical communication channel having a distinct channel wavelength, the optical communication system comprising:
- a plurality of optical transmitters, each optical transmitter transmitting an information-bearing optical signal having a transmission wavelength;
- a plurality of remodulators optically communicating with the plurality of optical transmitters for converting the transmitted information-bearing optical signal to an electrical signal and placing the information from each of the information-bearing optical signals onto separate optical channels in the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system;
- an optical combining element optically communicating with said plurality of remodulators for combining said separate optical channels, each having a unique wavelength, to form a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal;
- an optical waveguide optically communicating with each of the remodulators through said optical combining element, said optical waveguide receiving the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal from said combining element;
- a plurality of remodulating channel selectors optically communicating with the optical waveguide, each remodulating channel selector comprising:
- an optical input port for receiving the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal from the optical waveguide;
- a channel selecting element optically communicating with the optical input port for selecting a particular optical channel from the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal;
- an optical signal generator;
- means for placing the information from the selected optical channel onto an optical signal generated by the optical signal generator; and
- an output port for outputting the optical signal generated by the optical signal generator; and
- a plurality of optical receivers optically communicating with the output ports of the remodulating channel selectors such that each optical receiver receives an optical signal from a remodulating channel selector.
- 2. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for placing the information from the selected optical channel onto an optical signal generated by the optical signal generator comprises an optical-to-electrical converter for producing an electrical signal which communicates with modulating means for the optical signal generator.
- 3. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system as recited in claim 1 further comprising forward error correction encoders in the remodulators and forward error correction decoders in the remodulating channel selectors.
- 4. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the channel-selecting element includes a Bragg grating.
- 5. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the remodulating channel selector optical signal generator is a laser.
- 6. A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system as recited in claim 3 wherein the forward error correction encoder adds overhead bit streams to the optical channel for channel identification.
Parent Case Info
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/624,269, filed Mar. 29, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/438,844, filed May 11, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,609, issued Apr. 2, 1996, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
624269 |
Mar 1996 |
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Parent |
438844 |
May 1995 |
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