Patent ID: 6748179
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
A system for monitoring the performance of optical communications channels comprising:an optical splitter positioned along an optical communications path for receiving a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communications signal on the optical communications path and splitting a portion of the WDM optical communications signal into a low power WDM signal onto a back-up path; a tunable filter that receives the low power WDM optical signal and selects a desired optical wavelength; a controller operatively connected to said tunable filter for controlling the selection of a desired wavelength corresponding to an optical communications channel; an optical amplifier for receiving the low power WDM signal after splitting and amplifying same, said amplifier including an injection laser diode and circuit for converting inductively a supply voltage, to a forward biasing voltage to the injection laser diode, a current source control loop circuit connected to said injection laser diode that establishes a fixed current through the injection laser diode, and a voltage switcher circuit connected to said injection laser diode and current source control loop circuit; and an optical channel monitoring circuit operatively connected to said controller for monitoring the optical communications channels for performance by sweeping the tunable filter and processing data for optical signal analysis.