EP0474426A2
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EP
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Optical star coupler utilizing fiber amplifier technology
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-08-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-08-28
Abstract
Abstract An MxN optical star coupler is disclosed which utilizes fiber amplifier technology to provide amplification of message signals. The input signals to the star comprise at least one message signal (S) and at least one pump signal (P₁ -P M-1 ). The message signals and pump signals combine in an amplifier coupling region (16) to form as an output the amplified message signals (A₁-A N ). The amplified message signals are then coupled into the plurality of N output waveguides (18₁-18 N ). In one embodiment, a plurality of fiber amplifiers are coupled in a one-to-one relationship to the plurality of output waveguides. Since the amplifier is reciprocal in nature, the star may be utilized as a bidirectional device. The couplers may also be connected together to form a cascaded arrangement capable of providing re-amplification of the message signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest Eisenhardt Bergmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:20
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03F; H03F3/00; H03F3/04; H03F3/08; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/06754; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/2804; H01S3/06787
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
An optical star coupler comprising a plurality of M input waveguides (e.g., 12, 14), with L (1 ≦ L<M) waveguides (e.g., 12) coupled to receive a plurality of L message signals and at least one of the remaining M-L waveguides (e.g., 14) coupled to receive optical pump signals; a plurality of N output waveguides (e.g., 18); and a doped fiber amplifier coupling region (e.g., 16) disposed between the plurality of M input waveguides and the plurality of N output waveguides to provide the mixing of the message signals and the pump signals such that a plurality of N amplified message signals are generated and coupled into the plurality of N output waveguides.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the doped fiber amplifier coupling region comprises a signal combiner (e.g., 20) attached to the plurality of M input waveguides for providing the optical combining of the various message and pump input signals; and a doped fiber amplifying section (e.g., 22) attached to the output of the signal combiner for providing the amplification of the plurality of L message signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the doped fiber amplifier coupling region comprises a signal combiner (e.g., 36) attached to the plurality of M input waveguides for providing the optical combining of the various message and pump input signals; and a plurality of N doped fiber amplifying sections (e.g., 32) disposed between the signal combiner and the plurality of N output waveguides such that the plurality of N amplifying sections are coupled in a one-to-one relationship with said plurality of N output waveguides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the doped fiber amplifier coupling region comprises a signal combiner (e.g., 42) attached to the plurality of M input waveguides for providing the optical combining of the various message and pump input signals; a plurality of N interconnecting waveguides (e.g., 44) attached to the output of said signal combiner, and at least one doped fiber amplifying section (e.g., 46) coupled between at least one interconnecting waveguide and at least one output waveguide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 4 wherein the at least one doped fiber amplifying section comprises a plurality of N amplifying sections coupled in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of N output waveguides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the coupler further comprises wavelength selective means (e.g., 66) disposed at the output of the doped fiber amplifier coupling region for essentially removing the pump signal from the amplified message signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 6 wherein the wavelength selective means comprises a plurality of N wavelength selective elements disposed along each output waveguide of the plurality of N output waveguides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the coupler further comprises at least one wavelength division multiplexer (e.g., 34) for receiving as separate inputs a message signal and a pump signal and providing as an output to the amplifier coupling region, on a single waveguide, the combination of the message signal and the pump signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the star operates as a bidirectional coupler (e.g., 50) with at least one output waveguide coupled to receive a return message signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical bidirectional star coupler as defined in claim 9 wherein the coupler further comprises a plurality of K optical isolators disposed along a selected plurality of K input waveguides associated with a selected plurality of K message signals, said isolators capable of essentially blocking the propagation of the return message signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical bidirectional star coupler as defined in claim 9 wherein the coupler comprises a plurality of J return message signals coupled to a plurality of J output waveguides and at least one return pump source coupled to at least one of the remaining N-J output waveguides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein the optical pump signals operate at a wavelength within the range of approximately 1.47 µm -1.49µm, and the doped fiber amplifier coupling region comprises an erbium-doped fiber amplifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein L=1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein 1 ≦ L ≦ M.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of M input waveguides and the plurality of N output waveguides comprises an optical fiber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 15 wherein the plurality of M input waveguides comprises a plurality of M optical fibers and the plurality of N output waveguides comprises a plurality of N optical fibers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical star coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of M input waveguides and the plurality of N output waveguides comprises a thin-film optical waveguide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical amplifying arrangement comprising a plurality of star couplers as defined in claim 1, the plurality of couplers disposed so as to form a cascaded arrangement capable of providing subsequent re-amplification of the transmitted message signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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