Patent ID: 6028697
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: H04B,H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
An optical amplifier, comprising:an optical amplifying unit, having an input port and an output port, for receiving an incoming light signal at said input port and emitting an amplified outgoing light signal at said output port;an optical filter, coupled to said output port and having an adjustable central wavelength, for receiving said outgoing light signal and removing therefrom a noise component introduced by said optical amplifying unit; anda wavelength control unit in communication with said optical filter, said wavelength control unit includingan intensity detector for detecting an intensity of said outgoing light signal at each one of a plurality of discrete control levels within a control level range,an intensity comparator for comparing a first intensity signal representative of a first intensity detected at a first one of said plurality of control levels to a second intensity signal representative of a second intensity detected at a second one of said plurality of control levels, anda storage unit for storing a value representative of said first intensity when said first intensity is not less than said second intensity and storing a value representative of said second intensity when said first intensity is less than said second intensity.