Patent ID: 7362498

Claim:
An optical amplifier comprising: an amplifier having an input port and an output port, said amplifier disposed along a main signal line of said optical amplifier; a dummy laser generation circuit having an output coupled to said main signal line and operative for inputting a dummy signal into said amplifier; a first optical detector for detecting a power level of said dummy signal input into said amplifier and outputting a first power level signal; a second optical detector for detecting an amplified power level of said dummy signal output by said amplifier and outputting a second power level signal; a memory device for storing calibration data regarding the gain characteristics of said amplifier; a gain control circuit which receives inputs from said first optical detector and second optical detector, and having an output coupled to said amplifier; said gain control circuit operative for controlling the gain of said amplifier based on said first power level signal, said second power level signal and said calibration data; and a laser control circuit which is coupled to said dummy laser generation circuit and which receives an output signal from said first optical detector, said laser control circuit operative for generating a control signal for controlling the amplitude of the dummy signal.