Method and apparatus for wavelength-channel tracking and alignment within an optical communications system

Claim 2

An optical apparatus comprising: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portion(s) from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting passbands of a plurality of channels of the splitter/combiner device.

Claim 3

The optical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wavelength selective device of the detecting device is selected from the group consisting of a single output filter and a wave division multiplexer.

Claim 4

The optical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the splitter/combiner includes an optical multiplexer having a relatively wide passband and the detecting device includes an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband.

Claim 5

The optical apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an input reference channel which carries a reference optical signal of a defined wavelength into the optical apparatus from an optical signal transmission source.

Claim 6

The optical apparatus of claim 4 wherein a portion of the reference optical signal on the input reference channel is diverted to the detecting device.

Claim 7

The optical apparatus of claim 5 wherein the control mechanism is activated via a feedback link from the detector to the optical/splitter device so as to increase the power of the optical reference signal.

Claim 8

The optical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of input channels of the splitter/combiner is equal to the number of output channels from the detecting device of the apparatus.

Claim 9

The optical apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a feedback link connecting each of the output channels from the detecting device to a corresponding receiving/input channel of the splitter/combiner of the apparatus.

Claim 10

The optical apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control mechanism is activated so as to shift the wavelength of at least one of the optical signals received by the splitter/combiner in a maimer that aligns it with a predetermined wavelength value.

Claim 11

The optical apparatus of claim 8 wherein the mechanism capable of controllably affecting the selected optical signal characteristic is activated so as to shift the wavelengths of each of the optical signals received by the splitter/combiner in a manner that aligns them with a predetermined series of wavelengths.

Claim 12

The optical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected characteristic of the optical signal tapped and diverted to be evaluated is selected from the group consisting of wavelength, power, and phase.

Claim 13

An optical apparatus comprising: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portion(s) from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and an input reference channel which carries a reference optical signal of a defined wavelength into the optical apparatus from an optical signal transmission source, wherein the wavelength selective device of the detecting device is selected from the group consisting of a single output filter and a wave division multiplexer; and wherein the splitter/combiner includes an optical multiplexer having a relatively wide passband and the detecting device includes an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband; and wherein a portion of the reference optical signal on the input reference channel is diverted to the detecting device; and wherein the mechanism capable of controllably affecting the selected optical signal characteristic is activated via a feedback link from the detecting device to the optical/splitter device so as to shift the wavelength of the reference signal in a manner that aligns it with a predetermined reference wavelength.

Claim 14

An optical apparatus comprising: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portion(s) from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and an input reference channel which carries a reference optical signal of a defined wavelength into the optical apparatus from an optical signal transmission source, wherein the wavelength selective device of the detecting device is selected from the group consisting of a single output filter and a wave division multiplexer; and wherein the splitter/combiner includes an optical multiplexer having a relatively wide passband and the detecting device includes an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband; and wherein a portion of the reference optical signal on the input reference channel is diverted to the detecting device; and wherein the mechanism capable of controllably affecting the selected optical signal characteristic is activated via a feedback link from the detecting device to the optical/splitter device so as to shift the wavelength of the reference signal in a manner that aligns it with a predetermined reference wavelength.

Claim 15

An optical apparatus which has an operating temperature that affects the various wavelengths of the optical signals within the apparatus comprising: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device of the optical apparatus which includes at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portion(s) from an output of the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector on at least one output of the detecting device of the apparatus for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on that channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting passbands of a plurality of channels of the splitter/combiner device.

Claim 16

An optical apparatus which has an operating temperature that affects the various wavelengths of the optical signals within the apparatus comprising: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device of the optical apparatus which includes at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portion(s) from an output of the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector on at least one output of the detecting device of the apparatus for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on that channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting passbands of a plurality of channels of the splitter/combiner device.

Claim 17

A point-to-point optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting passbands of a plurality of channels of the splitter/combiner device; and 2) a receiving unit for filtering the optical signal output from the transmitting unit.

Claim 18

A point-to-point optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and a feedback link between the detector and a control mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting passbands of a plurality of channels of the splitter/combiner device; and 2) a receiving unit for filtering the optical signal output from the transmitting unit.

Claim 19

The point-to-point optical system of claim 14 wherein the receiving unit comprises an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband.

Claim 20

A point-to-point optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and 2) a receiving unit for filtering the optical signal output from the transmitting unit; and wherein the receiving unit comprises an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband; and wherein the passband of the optical demultiplexer of the receiving unit may also be controllably shifted in a manner to align it with a predetermined wavelength grid.

Claim 21

A point-to-point optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at least one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; and 2) a receiving unit for filtering the optical signal output from the transmitting unit; and wherein the receiving unit comprises an optical demultiplexer having a relatively narrow passband; and wherein the passband of the optical demultiplexer of the receiving unit may also be controllably shifted in a manner to align it with a predetermined wavelength grid.

Claim 22

An Add-Drop optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; 2) a channel identification unit which has a plurality of output channels and provides information regarding a given optical signal on a selected channel; 3) a combining unit which has a plurality of input channels connected to the plurality of output channels from the channel identification unit; and 4) an optical switch on at least one of the channels between the channel identification unit and the combining unit which is capable of allowing optical signals to be added to or dropped from a selected channel.

Claim 23

An Add-Drop optical system that comprises: 1) a transmitting unit that comprises: an optical splitter/combiner device which includes at least one input channel which receives optical signals into the optical apparatus, and at least one output; a tap for diverting at least some portion of the optical signals propagating from an output of the splitter/combiner; a detecting device which includes a wavelength selective device having at one channel which receives the tapped or diverted signal portions from the splitter/combiner, and at least one output; a detector connected to at least one output of the detecting device for evaluating at least one selected characteristic of an optical signal on a predetermined channel; and a feedback link between the detector and a mechanism which is capable of controllably affecting the selected characteristic of at least one of the optical signals received into the optical apparatus; 2) a channel identification unit which has a plurality of output channels and provides information regarding a given optical signal on a selected channel; 3) a combining unit which has a plurality of input channels connected to the plurality of output channels from the channel identification unit; and 4) an optical switch on at least one of the channels between the channel identification unit and the combining unit which is capable of allowing optical signals to be added to or dropped from a selected channel.

Claim 24

The Add-Drop optical system of claim 17 wherein the passband of the channel identification unit may also be controllably shifted in a manner to align it with a predetermined wavelength grid.

Claim 25

The Add-Drop optical system of claim 17 wherein the combining unit provides the same operational features as the transmitting unit.

Claim 26

An optical apparatus comprising at least one feedback mechanism to align the passband of at least one wavelength division multiplexer within the optical apparatus to a predetermined wavelength grid and a second feedback mechanism to align at least one wavelength being generated by a source associated with the optical apparatus to a selected point on a predetermined wavelength grid.

Claim 27

An optical apparatus comprising at least one feedback mechanism to align the passband of at least one wavelength division multiplexer within the optical apparatus to a predetermined wavelength grid and a second feedback mechanism to align at least one wavelength being generated by a source associated with the optical apparatus to a selected point on a predetermined wavelength grid.