Optical bypass method and architecture

Abstract

This invention pertains to optical fiber transmission networks, and is particularly relevant to transmission of high volume of data and voice traffic among different locations. In particular, the improvement teaches improvements to an optical transport system to allow for efficient and flexible network evolution.

1 . An architecture for optically bypassing a terminal site comprising: 
 an optical de-coupler;    an optical bypass switch optically coupled to an output port of said optical decoupler;    an optical coupler optically coupled to an output port of said optical bypass switch.    
   
   
       2 . The architecture of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second optical decoupler,    a second optical bypass wavelength switch optically coupled to an output port of said second optical de-coupler,    a second optical coupler optically coupled to an output port of said second optical bypass switch.    
   
   
       3 . The architecture of  claim 1  wherein the optical decoupler is a thin film optical decoupler.  
   
   
       4 . The architecture of  claim 1  wherein the optical decoupler is a fused optical decoupler.  
   
   
       5 . The architecture of  claim 1  wherein the optical coupler is a thin film coupler.  
   
   
       6 . The architecture of  claim 1  wherein the optical coupler is a fused optical coupler.  
   
   
       7 . The architecture of  claim 1  wherein the bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       8 . A terminal for use in an optical bypass system comprising: 
 an optical splitter connected to an incoming optical fiber;    a first amplifier connected to the optical splitter;    at least one optical receiver connected to the optical amplifier;    an optical combiner connected to an outgoing optical fiber;    a second amplifier connected to the optical combiner;    at least one optical transmitter connected to the second amplifier.    
   
   
       9 . The terminal of  claim 8  wherein the first amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       10 . The terminal of  claim 9  wherein a dispersion compensation module is interposed in the first amplifier.  
   
   
       11 . The terminal of  claim 8  wherein the second amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       12 . The terminal of  claim 11  wherein a dispersion compensator module is interposed in the second amplifier.  
   
   
       13 . The terminal of  claim 8  wherein the optical splitter is connected to a first bypass switch.  
   
   
       14 . The terminal of  claim 13  wherein the first bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       15 . The terminal of  claim 8  wherein the optical combiner is connected to a second bypass switch.  
   
   
       16 . The terminal of  claim 15  wherein the second bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       17 . A terminal for use in an optical bypass system comprising: 
 a first amplifier connected an incoming optical fiber;    an optical splitter connected to the first amplifier;    at least one optical receiver connected to the optical splitter;    a second amplifier connected to an outgoing optical fiber;    an optical combiner connected to the second amplifier;    at least one optical transmitter connected to the optical combiner.    
   
   
       18 . The terminal of  claim 17  wherein the first amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       19 . The terminal of  claim 18  wherein a dispersion compensation module is interposed in the first amplifier.  
   
   
       20 . The terminal of  claim 17  wherein the second amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       21 . The terminal of  claim 20  wherein a dispersion compensator module is interposed in the second amplifier.  
   
   
       22 . The terminal of  claim 17  wherein the optical splitter is connected to a first bypass switch.  
   
   
       23 . The terminal of  claim 22  wherein the first bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       24 . The terminal of  claim 17  wherein the optical combiner is connected to a second bypass switch.  
   
   
       25 . The terminal of  claim 24  wherein the second bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       26 . A terminal for use in an optical bypass system comprising: 
 a first amplifier connected to an incoming optical fiber;    an optical splitter connected to the first amplifier;    at least one optical receiver connected to the optical splitter;    an optical combiner connected to an outgoing optical fiber;    a second amplifier connected to the optical combiner;    at least one optical transmitter connected to the second amplifier.    
   
   
       27 . The terminal of  claim 26  wherein the first amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       28 . The terminal of  claim 27  wherein a dispersion compensation module is interposed in the first amplifier.  
   
   
       29 . The terminal of  claim 26  wherein the second amplifier is a multi stage amplifier.  
   
   
       30 . The terminal of  claim 29  wherein a dispersion compensator module is interposed in the second amplifier.  
   
   
       31 . The terminal of  claim 26  wherein the optical splitter is connected to a first bypass switch.  
   
   
       32 . The terminal of  claim 31  wherein the first bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       33 . A terminal for use in an optical bypass system comprising: 
 an incoming multi stage amplifier having at least an incoming first stage and an incoming second stage connected to an incoming optical fiber;    a first dispersion compensation module connected to the incoming first stage;    an optical splitter connected to the first dispersion compensation module and to the incoming second stage;    at least one optical receiver connected to the incoming second stage;    an outgoing multi stage amplifier having at least an outgoing first stage and an outgoing second stage connected to an outgoing optical fiber;    an optical combiner connected to the outgoing second stage;    a dispersion compensator module connected to the optical combiner;    the outgoing first stage connected to the dispersion combiner;    at least one optical transmitter connected to the outgoing first stage.    
   
   
       34 . The terminal of  claim 33  wherein the optical splitter is connected to a first bypass switch.  
   
   
       35 . The terminal of  claim 34  wherein the first bypass switch is a dynamic spectral equalizer.  
   
   
       36 . A method for optically bypassing a terminal site comprising the steps of: 
 installing a terminal at an optical site in an optical network;    installing an optical splitter and an optical combiner in conjunction with the terminal;    adding one or more channels to the optical network;    deploying one or more optical bypass switches if economically justified;    recovering redundant hardware in the optical network.    
   
   
       37 . A method for adding splitters and combiners at a terminal site comprising the steps of: 
 installing a terminal at an optical site an optical network;    adding one or more channels to the optical network;    determining if the splitter and combiner are economically justified;    if adding the splitter and combiner are justified then taking traffic out of surface, installing the splitters and combiners, installing an optical bypass switch and recovering hardware in the optical network; and    if adding the splitter and combiner are not justified, continuing to add one or more channels to the optical network.