METHOD OF POWER CONTROL IN AN OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

An optical communication system (10) and a method of operating the system (10) to reduce non-linear phenomena in optical fibre waveguides (60, 70) included within the system (10) are discribed. The communication system (10) comprises a plurality of nodes (20, 40) coupled together by optical fibre waveguides (60, 70) for guiding communication traffic bearing radiation between the nodes. The system (10) further comprises: an attenuator and associated optical amplifier (110, 120) for regulating radiation power of the communication bearing radiation at the first node to generate corresponding output radiation; an a coupler (130) for emitting the output radiation into the optical fibre waveguide (60) to propagate to a second node (70). A power monitor (210) is provided for measuring radiation power of the output radiation received at the second node after it has been conveyed through the waveguiding means and for generating corresponding power indicative data. A power controller (160) for receiving the power indicative data is operable to regulate the radiation power measured at the second node to a predetermined level by generating corresponding error data and communication the error data to the attenuator (110) for controlling the attenuator (110) so that the radiation power measured at the second node is stabilized substantially at the predetermined level at which optical non-linearities are reduced to less than a predetermined threshold in the optical fibre waveguide (60).