Optical fiber system

Abstract

The optical fiber system includes a connector that is adapted to selectively communicate with an external pump system. The connector communicates with an onboard pump multiplexer which also receives input from an on-board pump via a connector. The on-board pump may be hot swapped by connecting an external pump system to the connector and coordinating the power up of the external pump system with the power down of the on-board pump to replace a failed on-board pump with a new pump.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical fiber system, said system capable of providing both pump and signal light to another system comprising: 
 a first, internal optical pump;    a pump multiplexer in communication with said first, internal optical pump;    an external connector in communication with said pump multiplexer    a pump/signal multiplexer in communication said pump multiplexer and a signal line; and    at least one external optical pump, optically and mechanically independent from said first, internal optical pump and, detachably connectable to said external connector so that said first, internal optical pump can be replaced with another pump without interrupting output from said optical fiber system.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a switch through which said first, internal optical pump may selectively communicate with said first pump multiplexer.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gain control system in communication with said first, internal optical pump and said external pump, said gain control system coordinates a shut down of said first pump with a powering up of said external pump.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said optical fiber system includes a gain medium.  
     
     
         5 . The optical fiber system of  claim 1 , wherein said gain control system includes a first gain controller in communication with said first, internal optical pump, and a second gain controller in communication wherein said external optical pump and said first gain controller.  
     
     
         6 . An external pump system adapted to communicate with an optical fiber system that includes a first, internal optical pump, a pump multiplexer in communication with said first internal, optical pump, and an external connector in communication with said pump multiplexer, said external pump system comprising: 
 a second optical pump;    a connector in communication with said second optical pump, wherein said connector is adapted to detachably connect to said external connector on said optical fiber pumping system; and    a gain control system in communication with said first and second pumps that coordinate a shutdown of said first, internal optical pump with a powering up of said second pump, such as to enable continued provision of multiplexed signal and pump light from an output port of said pump signal multiplexer.    
     
     
         7 . A method for replacing an optical pump in an optical fiber system that includes a first optical pump, a pump multiplexer in communication with said first optical pump, and an external connector in communication with said pump multiplexer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing an external pump system that includes a second optical pump;    (ii) detachably connecting said external pump system to said external connector;    (iii) powering up said second optical pump;    (iv) removing the power from said first optical pump;    (v) removing said first optical pump from said optical fiber system;    (vi) providing a third optical pump;    (vii) installing said third optical pump in said optical fiber system; wherein said powering up said second optical pump is done while said first pump is powered down such that a selected gain level is maintained; removing the power from said second optical pump is done while said third optical pump is powered up such that said selected gain level is maintained; and    (viii) disconnecting said external pump system from said external connector, such that said first optical pump is removed without interrupting operation of said optical fiber system.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of switching said first optical pump out of communication with said pump multiplexer before removing said first optical pump and switching said third optical pump into communication with said pump multiplexer before powering said third optical pump.  
     
     
         9 . The optical fiber system accordingly to  claim 4 , wherein said gain medium is Raman gain medium.  
     
     
         10 . The optical fiber system according to  claim 4 , wherein said gain medium is rare earth doped gain medium.  
     
     
         11 . The optical fiber system according to  claim 10 , wherein said rare earth is erbium.