Patent US5745271A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5745271A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Attenuation device for wavelength multiplexed optical fiber communications
Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-07-31
•
Granted: 1998-04-28
•
Expires: 2016-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An optical signal attenuation device and associated method for selectively attenuating the signal strengths of different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed optical transmission. The attenuation device includes a diffracting element that diffracts the multiplexed optical system and directs the different wavelength signals onto separate optical paths. A modulator array is provided that contains a plurality of optical modulators spaced at a pitch so that each modulator receives one of the different wavelength signals. Each optical modulator causes a signal to be produced that correspond to the signal it receives, except that the signal strength of the emitted signal is altered to fall within a desired range. Each signal emitted by the optical modulators is again directed toward a diffraction element. The diffraction element combines the separate wavelength signals, thereby producing a multiplexed signal where each wavelength has a signal strength that falls within a common range.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Earl Ford
- 👤 David Andrew Barclay Miller
- 👤 Martin C. Nuss
- 👤 James Albert Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:06
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04J; H04J14/00; H04J14/02; H04J14/0221; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/264; G02B6/266; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4215; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B2006/12083; G02B2006/12123; G02B2006/12133; G02B2006/12142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; and a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; and a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device according to claim 1, wherein each signal produced by each said modulator is directed back through said first diffraction element, whereby said first diffraction element multiplexes each signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device according to claim 1, further including a second diffraction element, wherein each signal produced by each said modulator is directed through said second diffraction element and said second diffraction element multiplexes each signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device according to claim 1, further including a first collimator for substantially collimating the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, prior to the light being diffracted by said first diffraction element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device according to claim 1, further including a focusing lens arrangement disposed between said first diffraction element and each said modulator for focusing each wavelength signal onto a corresponding modulator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein the multiplexed transmission travels along an optical input fiber and said first collimator collimates the light, associated with the multiplexed transmission, emitted by the optical input fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device according to claim 6, further including a second collimator for focusing each signal emitted by each said modulator at an optical output fiber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device according to claim 1, wherein said first diffraction element is a diffraction grating.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
101 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each wavelength signal received by each said modulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
101 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each wavelength signal received by each said modulator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device according to claim 9, further including an optical element disposed between each said modulator and said first diffraction element for directing a portion of each wavelength signal emitted by said first diffraction element toward one of said plurality of optical power detectors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each signal produced by each said modulator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each signal produced by each said modulator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device according to claim 11, further including a partially reflective surface disposed between each said modulator and said first diffraction element for reflecting a portion of each signal produced by each said modulator toward one of said plurality of optical power detectors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
124 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a first plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each wavelength signal received by each said modulator and a second plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each signal produced by each said modulator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
124 words
An optical signal attenuation device for selectively attenuating different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed transmission, comprising: a first diffraction element for diffracting the light associated with the multiplexed transmission, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed transmission is directed along a separate optical path; a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said diffraction element and causes a corresponding signal to be produced at a selective optical signal strength; and a first plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each wavelength signal received by each said modulator and a second plurality of optical power detectors for detecting the optical power associated with each signal produced by each said modulator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
The device according to claim 13, wherein each modulator includes a control circuit that controls the selective optical signal strength of the signal produced by each said modulator, wherein said control circuit maintains the selective optical signal strength at a value that is a function of a ratio between the optical power of each wavelength signal received by each said modulator and the optical power each signal produced by each said modulator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device according to claim 13, wherein said first plurality of optical power detectors, said second plurality of optical power detectors and each said modulator are disposed on a common semiconductor device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
148 words
In an optical network containing a plurality of optical fibers and at least one optical switch for selectively optically connecting at least some of said optical fibers together into one of a plurality of configurations, wherein each of the configurations disproportionately effects the signal strengths of the different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed optical signal and causes the different signal strengths to vary in relation to one another outside an acceptable range, an attenuation device for correcting the optical signal, comprising: a first plurality of detectors for detecting the signal strength corresponding to each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed optical signal; and an attenuator, coupled to said first plurality of detectors, for selectively attenuating the signal strength for each wavelength signal in the multiplexed optical signal to produce a corrected wavelength signal, wherein the signal strength for each corrected wavelength signal falls within said acceptable range.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
148 words
In an optical network containing a plurality of optical fibers and at least one optical switch for selectively optically connecting at least some of said optical fibers together into one of a plurality of configurations, wherein each of the configurations disproportionately effects the signal strengths of the different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed optical signal and causes the different signal strengths to vary in relation to one another outside an acceptable range, an attenuation device for correcting the optical signal, comprising: a first plurality of detectors for detecting the signal strength corresponding to each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed optical signal; and an attenuator, coupled to said first plurality of detectors, for selectively attenuating the signal strength for each wavelength signal in the multiplexed optical signal to produce a corrected wavelength signal, wherein the signal strength for each corrected wavelength signal falls within said acceptable range.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
The device according to claim 16, wherein said attenuator includes a first diffraction grating for diffracting the multiplexed optical signal, wherein each wavelength signal contained within the multiplexed optical signal is directed along a separate optical path; and a modulator disposed along each separate optical path, wherein each modulator receives a wavelength signal from said first diffraction grating and produces said corrected wavelength signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device according to claim 17, wherein each signal produced by each said modulator is directed back through said first diffraction element, whereby said first diffraction element multiplexes each signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device according to claim 17, further including a second diffraction element, wherein each signal produced by each said modulator is directed through said second diffraction element and said second diffraction element multiplexes each signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device according to claim 16, further including a second plurality of detectors for detecting the signal strength corresponding to each corrected wavelength signal.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of equalizing the signal strengths of the different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed optical signal, comprising the steps of: separating each of said wavelength signals from said multiplexed optical signal; correcting the signal strength associated with each of said wavelength signals so that the signal strength of each of said wavelength signals falls within a compatible range; and multiplexing each of said wavelength signals to produce a corrected multiplexed optical signal wherein all the wavelengths contained within the corrected multiplexed optical signal have a signal strength within said compatible range.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of equalizing the signal strengths of the different wavelength signals contained within a multiplexed optical signal, comprising the steps of: separating each of said wavelength signals from said multiplexed optical signal; correcting the signal strength associated with each of said wavelength signals so that the signal strength of each of said wavelength signals falls within a compatible range; and multiplexing each of said wavelength signals to produce a corrected multiplexed optical signal wherein all the wavelengths contained within the corrected multiplexed optical signal have a signal strength within said compatible range.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of separating each of said wavelength signals includes directing the light corresponding to said multiplexed optical signal onto a first diffraction grating, wherein the first diffraction grating directs each of said wavelength signals along a separate optical path.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of correcting the signal strength includes providing a modulator on each of said separate optical paths, wherein each modulator receives one of said wavelength signals and produces a corresponding corrected signal that has a signal strength that falls within said compatible range.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of multiplexing includes directing each said corresponding corrected signal toward said first diffraction grating, wherein said first diffraction grating combines each said corresponding corrected signal and produces said corrected multiplexed optical signal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of multiplexing includes directing each said corresponding corrected signal toward said second diffraction grating, wherein said second diffraction grating combines each said corresponding corrected signal and produces said corrected multiplexed optical signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 22, further including the step of collimating the light of said multiplexed signal prior to the light being diffracted by said first diffraction grating.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 21, further including the step of focusing each of said wavelength signals on each of said separate optical paths onto said modulator.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 21, further including the step of detecting the signal strength of each of said wavelength signals in said multiplexed optical signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 28, further including the step of detecting the signal strength of said wavelength signals after said wavelength signals have been corrected.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5526155A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-27 | 2001-10-27 | 2002-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-27 | 2005-10-27 | 2006-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-27 | 2009-10-27 | 2010-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |