Patent ID: 7379234
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting aging effects in components of an optical fiber amplifier, wherein a broadband signal is amplified by a pump source using at least one amplifying fiber, the method comprising: determining an input power at the input of the amplifying fiber; determining an output power at the output of the amplifying fiber; calculating a theoretically required pump power of the pump source based on characteristics of at least one component of the optical amplifier relative to a beginning of its component life, the theoretically required pump power including a photon balance based on the input and output powers or photon flows related to the input and output powers at a current pump power of the pump source; determining aging information related to the component of the optical fiber amplifier based on a difference between the current and the theoretically required pump powers; and generating a signal indicative of the determined aging information related to the component of the optical fiber amplifier.