Optical amplifier and optical transmission path

Abstract

The regulated optical amplifiers (V) for wavelength-division multiplex signal transmission respectively comprise a first control device (OE 1 , OE 2 , R 1 ) for regulating the gain and a second, dominating control device (OE 2 , R 2 , R 1 ) having a significantly slower control behavior for regulating the output level (P OUT ) in conformity with a supplied rated value (P OUT ). Both rapid level changes as well as slow changes in attenuation of the transmission path can be leveled given a transmission path equipped with these amplifiers.

1 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, V 1 , . . . ), particularly for wavelength-division multiplex signal transmission, comprising a first control device (V, OE 1 , OE 2 , R 1 ) for regulating the gain, characterized in that a second, dominating control device (V, OE, R 2 , R 1 ) having significantly slower control behavior is provided for regulating the output level (P OUT ) according to a supplied reference input (P RATED ).  
     
     
         2 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, V 1 , . . . ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the first control device is formed of an optical amplifier (PL, PK, VFA), a second opto electrical transducer (OE 2 ) connected to the output thereof and a first comparator (COM 1 ) to which a measured signal (p IN ) corresponding to the input level is supplied via a first opto electrical transducer (OE 1 ); and in that the second control device is essentially formed of the optical amplifier (PL, PK, VFA), the opto electrical transducer (OE 2 ) connected to the output thereof, a second comparator (COM 2 ) to whose second input a rated value (P SOLL ) is supplied, a multiplier (MU) inserted between the first opto electrical transducer (OE 1 ) and the first comparator (COM 1 ), the output signal of the second comparator being supplied to said multiplier, and of the first comparator (COM 1 ).  
     
     
         3 . Regulated optical amplifier (VV, VV 1 , . . . ), particularly for wavelength-division multiplex signal transmission, comprising a first control device (OE 1 , OE 2 , R 1 ) for regulating the gain, characterized in that a control device (DAW, IN, MU) is provided with which the output power (P OUT ) can be set by setting the gain according to a rated value (P RATED /G RATED ) supplied as reference input.  
     
     
         4 . Regulated optical amplifier (VV, VV 1 , . . ) according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the first control device is essentially composed of an optical amplifier (PL, PK, VFA), a second opto electrical transducer (OE 2 ) connected to the output thereof and of a first comparator (COM 1 ) to which a measured signal (p IN ) corresponding to the input level is supplied via a first opto electrical transducer (OE 1 ); and in that the control device (DAW, IN, MU) contains a multiplier (MU) to which a regulating signal (G RATED ) corresponding to the externally supplied rated value (p RATED ) is supplied.  
     
     
         5 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, VV) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said amplifier is implemented as a fiber amplifier (PL, PK, VFA); and in that the pump current (I PUMP ) is controlled by the control devices.  
     
     
         6 . Transmission path comprising a plurality of amplifiers (V, VV 1 , . . . ) connected in cascade, characterized in that a rated value (P RATED ) determining the respectively desired output level (P OUT ) is supplied to the amplifiers (V, VV 1 , . . . ) as reference input.  
     
     
         7 . Transmission path comprising a plurality of optical amplifiers (VV) according to  claim 3 ,  4  or  4  and  5  connected in cascade, characterized in that a reception terminal (T 2 ) is provided that monitors both the aggregate level at the reception side as well as the plurality of active WDM channels and, given variation of the aggregate level and a constant plurality of WDM channels, readjusts the gain of the optical amplifiers (VV 1 , . . . , VVn) as part of the second control device.  
     
     
         8 . Transmission path according to  claim 6  or  7 , characterized in that a digital rated value (P RATED ) that contains the plurality of active WDM signals is transmitted as reference input.  
     
     
         9 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, VV) according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3  or  4 , characterized in that the second control device )OE, R 2 , R 1 ; RE, DAW, MU, COM 1 , PL, VFA) comprises an integral part or is fashioned as integral regulator.  
     
     
         10 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, V 1 , . . . ) according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3  or  4 , characterized in that the second control devices comprises a dead time part.  
     
     
         11 . Regulated optical amplifier (V, V 1 , . . . ) according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3  or, [sic] characterized in that the time constant of the second control device (OE, R 2 , R 1 ; RE, DAW, IN, MU, COM 1 , PL, VFA) can be switched.