Patent ID: 11876339
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. An optical amplifier comprising:
a multi-core optical fiber amplifier configured to encompass a plurality of cores in a clad;
a first pumping light source configured to output a plurality of first pumping lights for pumping the plurality of cores;
a second pumping light source configured to output a second pumping light for pumping the clad;
a first multiplexer configured to couple the first pumping light to the plurality of cores;
a second multiplexer configured to couple the second pumping light to the clad;
a first pumping light source drive unit configured to drive the first pumping light source;
a second pumping light source drive unit configured to drive the second pumping light source;
a monitoring unit configured to output a first monitoring signal indicating a monitoring result of the number of wavelengths used in each of the plurality of optical signals amplified by the plurality of cores of the multi-core optical fiber amplifier; and
a control unit configured to control power of the plurality of the first pumping lights by controlling the first pumping light source drive unit based on the first monitoring signal and to control power of the second pumping light by controlling the second pumping light drive source unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to
control the power of each of the plurality of the first pumping lights in accordance with the number of the wavelengths used in each of the plurality of the optical signals, and
control the power of the second pumping light so that signal qualities of the plurality of the optical signals fall within a prescribed range,
the monitoring unit is configured to further output a second monitoring signal indicating whether the signal qualities of the plurality of the optical signals fall within a desired range,
the control unit is configured to control power of the second pumping light based on the second monitoring signal,
the monitoring unit comprises:
a wavelength monitoring unit configured to monitor the number of wavelengths used in each of the plurality of optical signals amplified by the plurality of cores of the multi-core optical fiber amplifier and to output the first monitoring signal;
a determination unit configured to determine an optical signal that uses the least number of the wavelengths from among the plurality of the optical signals by referring to the first monitoring signal; and
a characteristic monitoring unit configured to compare a prescribed signal characteristic of the optical signal that uses the least number of the wavelengths with a first value and to output the second monitoring signal indicating a comparison result.