Patent ID: 7155124
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
1. A node for an optical network, comprising: a demultiplexer operable to separate an ingress wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal into a plurality of ingress channels; an ingress amplifier array coupled to the demultiplexer, the ingress amplifier array including a plurality of channel amplifiers, the channel amplifiers each operable to independently amplify one of the ingress channels while maintaining a channel power variation between the channels within an operational limit of the network; a switch element coupled to the ingress amplifier array, the switch element operable to add and drop channels to generate a set of egress channels; an egress amplifier array coupled to the switch element, the egress amplifier array comprising a plurality of channel amplifiers, the channel amplifiers each operable to independently amplify one of the egress channels while maintaining a channel power variation within the operational limit of the network; and a multiplexer coupled to the ingress amplifier array and operable to combine the egress channels into an egress WDM signal.