EP0247834A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical signal regenerator
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1987-05-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-05-26
Abstract
Abstract An optical signal regenerator comprises an optical coupler (1) having a first input (2) for an optical information signal, a second input (3) for optical clock pulses and an output (4) for a combined signal, and a resonant laser amplifier (5) downstream of the output (4) of the coupler (1) and arranged to receive the combined signal and, in use, output a regenerated optical information signal. The bias current applied to the laser amplifier (5), in use, biases the amplifier (5) to a level below its lasing threshold, and the power of the optical clock pulses is just below the bistable threshold of the amplifier, so that, when an optical information signal is fed into the first input (2) during the application of an optical clock pulse to the second input (3), the bistable threshold of the amplifier (5) is exceeded causing a sudden jump in the power of the optical output of the amplifier to provide a regenerated optical information signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Roderick Peter Webb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:06
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/29; H04B10/291; H04B10/299; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/50; H04B10/2912; H04B10/2914; H04L; H04L7/00; H04L7/0075; H04L7/02; H04L7/027; H01S5/06; H01S5/0607; H01S5/0608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An optical signal regenerator comprising an optical coupler having a first input for an optical information signal, a second input for optical clock pulses and an output for a combined signal, and a resonant laser amplifier downstream of the output of the coupler and arranged to receive the combined signal and, in use, output a regenerated optical information signal; the bias current applied to the laser amplifier, in use, biasing the amplifier to a level below its lasing threshold and the power of the optical clock pulses being just below the bistable threshold of the amplifier, so that, when an optical information signal is fed into the first input during the application of an optical clock pulse to the second input the bistable threshold of the amplifier is exceeded causing a sudden jump in the power of the optical output of the amplifier to provide a regenerated optical information signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
An optical signal regenerator comprising an optical coupler having a first input for an optical information signal, a second input for optical clock pulses and an output for a combined signal, and a resonant laser amplifier downstream of the output of the coupler and arranged to receive the combined signal and, in use, output a regenerated optical information signal; the bias current applied to the laser amplifier, in use, biasing the amplifier to a level below its lasing threshold and the power of the optical clock pulses being just below the bistable threshold of the amplifier, so that, when an optical information signal is fed into the first input during the application of an optical clock pulse to the second input the bistable threshold of the amplifier is exceeded causing a sudden jump in the power of the optical output of the amplifier to provide a regenerated optical information signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An optical signal regenerator according to claim 1, whch also includes an optical clock signal generator which generates the optical clock pulses and applies them to the second input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An optical signal regenerator according to claim 2, in which the optical clock signal generator includes power control means which control the power of the optical clock pulses to a level just below the bistable threshold of the laser amplifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical signal regenerator according to any one of the preceding claims which also includes biasing means for providing a bias current to bias the laser amplifier to a level below its lasing threshold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical signal regenerator according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the resonant laser amplifier is formed by a semiconductor laser amplifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical signal regenerator according to claim 5, in which the semiconductor laser amplifier is a resonant Fabry-Perot amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical signal regenerator according to claim 5, in which the semiconductor laser amplifier is a distributed feedback laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
An optical signal regenerator according to any one of the preceding claims, which also includes filter means located downstream of the resonant laser amplifier to separate the regenerated information signal from the slightly amplified input information signal and any spontaneous emission generated by the laser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
An information transmission system including an optical signal regenerator in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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