Locally powered optical communication network

摘要

An optical system for a locally powered optical communication network includes a first trunk terminal emitting an optical signal, a second trunk terminal receiving the optical signal, a communication trunk, an intermediate unit and a power source. The communication trunk is disposed along a floor of a body of water and couples the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal. The communication trunk transmits the optical signal from the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal. The intermediate unit is connected to the communication trunk between the first and second trunk terminals. The intermediate unit receives the emitted optical signal from the first trunk terminal, amplifies the received optical signal and sends the amplified optical signal to the second trunk. The power source is connected to and powers the intermediate unit and is located at or near a surface of the body of water.

主权项

1. An optical system comprising:
a first trunk terminal emitting an optical signal; a second trunk terminal receiving the optical signal; a communication trunk disposed along a floor of a body of water and coupling the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal, the communication trunk transmitting the optical signal from the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal; an intermediate unit connected to the communication trunk between the first and second trunk terminals, the intermediate unit receiving the emitted optical signal from the first trunk terminal, amplifying the received optical signal, and sending the amplified optical signal to the second trunk; a power source connected to and powering the intermediate unit, the power source located at or near a surface of the body of water; and a branching unit disposed along the communication trunk and coupling a branch terminal to the communication trunk, the branching unit comprising an optical add-drop multiplexer comprising:
a first filter filtering a first band of wavelengths of a communication spectrum for a first communication segment; anda second filter filtering a second band of wavelengths of the communication spectrum for a second communication segment, the second band of wavelengths overlapping the first band of wavelengths in an overlap band of wavelengths with no guard band between the first band and the second band, the overlap band having a variable size,wherein the first band of wavelengths includes a first fraction of the overlap band of wavelengths for the first communication segment and the second band of wavelengths includes a remaining fraction of the overlap band of wavelengths for the second communication segment.