Patent ID: 8792784

Claim:
An optical communication system comprising: an optical fiber connected to a first signal regeneration node located at a first end of the optical fiber and a second signal regeneration node located at a second end of the optical fiber; intermediary nodes located between the first signal regeneration node and the second signal regeneration node, wherein one or more pairs of adjacent intermediary nodes each define a span distance along the optical fiber, and wherein each intermediary node of the one or more pairs of intermediary nodes comprise: one or more optical amplifiers; and a power meter configured to measure signal power of optical signals propagating along the optical fiber; a communication logic to: generate a message that includes a signal power value; and transmit the message to another node; one or more Raman amplifiers located within each span distance along the optical fiber, wherein at least one of the one or more Raman amplifiers comprises: a case that encases: one or more lasers; and a temperature controller comprising: a temperature sensor to monitor a temperature of the one or more lasers; and a temperature regulator to control a temperature of the one or more lasers; and the other node comprising: a signal power calculating logic to: calculate a difference signal power value between signal power values; and determine whether the difference signal power value is within a signal power range, or above or below a threshold signal power value; and a communication logic to: generate a status message indicating that one of the at least one or more Raman amplifiers is not working properly when the difference signal power value does not fall within the signal power range, or is above or below the threshold signal power value.