Patent ID: 7415174
Filing Date: 2008-08-19
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical channel monitor assembly for simultaneously measuring the optical power levels of multiple series of dense wavelength division multiplexed channels traveling on separate optical fibers in an optical communications system, the optical channel monitor assembly comprising: an arrayed waveguide grating router comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising a first plurality of ports and the second side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising a second plurality of ports, the first plurality of ports in optical communication with the second plurality of ports, wherein the first side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising the first plurality of ports comprises a first input port for collectively receiving a first series of optical channels, wherein the second side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising the second plurality of ports comprises a first plurality of output ports for individually delivering the first series of optical channels, wherein the second side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising the second plurality of ports comprises a second input port for collectively receiving a second series of optical channels, and wherein the first side of the arrayed waveguide grating router comprising the first plurality of ports comprises a second plurality of output ports for individually delivering the second series of optical channels; and a first photodetector power monitoring array and a second photodetector power monitoring array each coupled to the arrayed wave guide grating router, wherein a first set of the first plurality of output ports are routed within the arrayed waveguide grating router to the first photodetector power monitoring array and a second set of the first plurality of output ports are routed within the arrayed waveguide grating router to the second photodetector power monitoring array such that each of the first plurality of output ports is connected to one of the first photodetector power monitoring array and the second photodetector power monitoring array, wherein a first set of the second plurality of output ports are routed within the arrayed waveguide grating router to the first photodetector power monitoring array and a second set of the second plurality of output ports are routed within the arrayed wave guide grating router to the second photodetector power monitoring array such that each of the second plurality of output ports is connected to one of the first photodetector power monitoring array and the second photodetector power monitoring array, and wherein there is no crossover of optical channels within the arrayed waveguide grating router based on the routing to the first photodetector power monitoring array and the second photodetector power monitoring array.