Optical module, control method and related equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an optical module, a control method and related equipment, relates to the technical field of optical communication, and aims to solve the problems that the cost is high and the networking difficulty is high when the optical module is applied to networking. The optical module comprises a first laser, a second laser, an optical switch, a coherent modulator and a coherent receiver; the first laser and the second laser have different wavelengths. The optical switch comprises a first input port connected with the first laser, a second input port connected with the second laser, a first output port connected with the coherent modulator and a second output port connected with the coherent receiver. The optical switch has a first switch state and a second switch state; in the first switch state, the first input port is communicated with the first output port, and the second input port is communicated with the second output port; and in the second switch state, the first input port is communicated with the second output port, and the second input port is communicated with the first output port. The optical module can be applied to optical communication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical module, control method, and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] An optical module is a bidirectional signal conversion device that can realize photoelectric and electro-optic conversion. At the transmitting end, it can convert electrical signals into optical signals and output them, and at the receiving end, it can convert input optical signals into electrical signals.

[0003] Optical modules can be categorized into two-fiber bidirectional optical modules and single-fiber bidirectional optical modules based on the number of optical fibers connected to them. A two-fiber bidirectional optical module connects to two optical fibers: one to the transmitter for sending optical signals, and the other to the receiver for receiving optical signals. Two-fiber bidirectional optical modules have no restrictions on the wavelength of the transmitted and received signals; they can use the same wavelength or different wavelengths. A single-fiber bidirectional optical module connects to a single optical fiber, with both transmission and reception occurring through the same fiber. To avoid signal quality degradation due to interference between the transmitted and received optical signals, single-fiber bidirectional optical modules require the use of different wavelengths for transmission and reception.

[0004] When optical modules using different wavelengths to transmit and receive signals are applied at both ends of an optical communication system, two different optical modules with matching transmit and receive wavelengths must be used in pairs for proper operation. This requires an A / B module design at both ends of the communication; specifically, the wavelength of the optical signal transmitted by module A should match the wavelength of the optical signal received by module B, and vice versa. This design increases costs in practical networking applications, and also leads to higher networking complexity and operation and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an optical module, a control method, and related equipment to improve the problems of high cost and difficulty in networking applications of optical modules.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, an optical module is provided, which includes a first laser, a second laser, an optical switch, a coherent modulator, and a coherent receiver; wherein the first laser and the second laser are used to generate laser beams with different wavelengths.

[0007] The optical switch includes a first input port, a second input port, a first output port, and a second output port; the first input port is connected to a first laser, the second input port is connected to a second laser, the first output port is connected to a coherent modulator, and the second output port is connected to a coherent receiver.

[0008] The optical switch has a first switching state and a second switching state; in the first switching state, the first input port is connected to the first output port, and the second input port is connected to the second output port; the first laser is used to provide an optical carrier signal for the coherent modulator, and the second laser is used to provide a local oscillator optical signal for the coherent receiver.

[0009] In the second switching state, the first input port is connected to the second output port, and the second input port is connected to the first output port; the second laser is used to provide an optical carrier signal for the coherent modulator, and the first laser is used to provide a local oscillator signal for the coherent receiver.

[0010] This design, by controlling the optical switch to switch between a first and a second switching state, allows the optical module to operate in either a first or second working mode. In the first working mode, the optical module can transmit a first wavelength optical signal and receive a second wavelength optical signal. In the second working mode, the optical module can transmit a second wavelength optical signal and receive a first wavelength optical signal. Therefore, by applying two identical optical modules to both ends of an optical communication and controlling their working modes—one in the first working mode and the other in the second—normal communication functionality can be achieved. Compared to related technologies, this design eliminates the need for different A / B modules and tunable lasers, reducing networking costs, complexity, and operation and maintenance costs.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the optical switch also has a third switching state and a fourth switching state; in the third switching state, the first output port is connected to both the first output port and the second output port; the first laser simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver.

[0012] In the fourth switching state, the second output port is connected to both the first and second output ports; the second laser simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver.

[0013] This design has two advantages. First, it enables the transmission and reception of optical signals of the same wavelength, and allows the optical switch to be controlled between the third and fourth switching states, thus changing the wavelength of the transmitted and received signals; thereby making it suitable for a wider range of applications. Second, by controlling the optical switch to either the third or fourth switching state, the optical module can be used for loopback testing or other special scenarios, such as for optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) testing.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the optical switch includes one of a single-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a multi-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a mechanical optical switch, an optical coupler, a microelectromechanical system optical switch, a thermo-optical switch, a liquid crystal optical switch, an electro-optical switch, or an acousto-optical switch. In the optical module provided in this application, various different types of optical switches can be used, offering flexible selection and good adaptability.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the optical switch is a discrete device, and the first laser, the second laser, the coherent modulator, and the coherent receiver are all connected to the optical switch via optical fibers; alternatively, the optical switch is integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator and the coherent receiver. In the optical module provided in this application, the optical switch can be designed either discretely or integrated; the design is flexible and adaptable.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the optical module includes multiple lasers with different wavelengths.

[0017] The optical switch includes multiple input ports that are connected one-to-one with multiple lasers; the optical switch has multiple switching states, in each switching state, the optical switch connects one of the multiple lasers to a coherent modulator, and connects one of the multiple lasers to a coherent receiver; in different switching states, the connection states of the coherent modulator and coherent receiver with the lasers among the multiple lasers are different.

[0018] The optical module provided in this application can achieve richer and more flexible working modes by setting more lasers and optical switches with more switching states, which is conducive to adapting to more application scenarios.

[0019] In some possible implementations, the optical module further includes a combiner / splitter, which includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the optical signal input at the first port is output through the second port, and the optical signal input at the second port is output through the third port.

[0020] The first port is connected to the output of the coherent modulator, the third port is connected to the signal optical input of the coherent receiver, and the second port is used to connect to the optical fiber.

[0021] This design allows the optical module to become a single-fiber bidirectional optical module. In networking applications, single-fiber bidirectional optical modules are beneficial for saving optical cable resources and port resources.

[0022] In some possible implementations, the combiner / splitter includes one of an optical circulator, a wavelength division multiplexer, or an optical coupler. In the optical module provided in this application, the combiner / splitter can employ various different types of combiners / splitters, offering flexible selection and good adaptability.

[0023] In some possible implementations, the combiner / splitter is a discrete device, with the coherent modulator and coherent receiver connected to it via an intermediate optical fiber; alternatively, the combiner / splitter is integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator and coherent receiver. In the optical module provided in this application, the combiner / splitter can be either a discrete or integrated design; it offers flexibility and good adaptability.

[0024] In some possible implementations, the first laser and the second laser employ any of the following wavelength combinations: 1530nm and 1550nm, 1310nm and 1330nm, 1310nm and 1490nm, and 1270nm and 1550nm. In the optical module provided in this application, the wavelengths for receiving and transmitting optical signals can be combined in various ways, offering flexible design and applicability to a wide range of optical communication scenarios.

[0025] In a second aspect, a control method for an optical module is provided, which is applied to the optical module described in any one of the first aspects.

[0026] The control method includes: Determine whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds a preset value; When the optical power is less than or equal to a preset value, the optical switch is controlled to switch the state and the above judgment steps are returned. When the optical power is greater than the preset value, the optical switch is controlled to maintain its current switching state.

[0027] By adopting the above control method, the wavelength alignment between the local optical module and the remote optical module can be automatically achieved, thereby further reducing the difficulty of networking.

[0028] In some possible implementations, when the optical power is less than or equal to a preset value, the control method further includes adding a random delay before re-determining whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds the preset value. By adding a random delay, the timing of the synchronous execution of the control method by the local and remote optical modules can be disrupted. This staggers the switching times of the local and remote optical modules when subsequent switching of operating modes is required, thereby helping to improve the problem of both modules being unable to escape the wavelength misalignment state for a long time due to synchronous switching of operating modes.

[0029] In some possible implementations, when the optical power exceeds a preset value, the control method further includes fine-tuning the frequency of the laser connected to the coherent receiver. This design facilitates higher precision alignment.

[0030] Thirdly, an optical communication device is provided, which includes a circuit board and an optical module as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0031] The optical module is electrically connected to the circuit board; or, the optical communication equipment also includes an optical module socket electrically connected to the circuit board, and the optical module and the optical module socket are pluggable.

[0032] Fourthly, an optical communication system is provided, comprising at least two optical communication devices as described in the third aspect; an optical module in one optical communication device is connected to an optical module in another optical communication device via an optical fiber.

[0033] Fifthly, an optical communication system is also provided, which includes an optical cross-connect unit and multiple optical communication devices as described in the third aspect; wherein the optical cross-connect unit is provided with multiple connection ports; and the optical modules in the optical communication devices are connected to the connection ports via optical fibers.

[0034] In some possible implementations, optical communication devices correspond one-to-one with connection ports, and optical modules are connected to the corresponding connection ports via a single optical fiber.

[0035] In some possible implementations, the optical module has a combiner / splitter, which is connected to a corresponding connection port via a single optical fiber; or, the optical module does not have a combiner / splitter, and the optical communication system further includes a combiner / splitter unit, which includes multiple combiners / splitters corresponding one-to-one with the optical module; the optical module is connected to the corresponding combiner / splitter via two optical fibers, and the combiner / splitter is connected to the corresponding connection port via a single optical fiber.

[0036] The technical effects achievable by the optical communication equipment and optical communication system provided in this application are the same as those achievable by the optical module in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical module provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure and status of the optical switch; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Structure and working principle diagram of the central splitter; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the state of an optical module applied at both ends of an optical communication, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the state of another optical module applied at both ends of optical communication, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a control method for an optical module provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the state of another optical switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another optical module provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the first part of the state of another optical switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the second part of the state of another optical switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical communication device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical communication system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 A schematic diagram of another optical communication system provided in this application embodiment. Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another optical communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them.

[0039] In the following embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive convenience only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0040] In the embodiments of this application, "upper", "lower", "left" and "right" are not limited to the orientation of the components in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms can be relative concepts, used for relative description and clarification, and can change accordingly depending on the orientation of the components in the accompanying drawings.

[0041] In the embodiments of this application, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "comprising" is interpreted as open and encompassing throughout the specification and claims, meaning "including, but not limited to." In the description of the specification, terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiment," "exemplarily," or "some examples" are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic associated with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics mentioned may be included in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0042] As used herein, “about,” “approximately,” or “approximately” includes the stated value and the average value within an acceptable range of deviation from the given value, wherein the acceptable range of deviation is determined by a person skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of the given quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0043] As used herein, “parallel,” “perpendicular,” and “equal” include the described situation and situations that are similar to the described situation, within an acceptable deviation range, which is determined by those skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, “parallel” includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate parallelism may be, for example, within 5°; “perpendicular” includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, within 5°; “equal” includes absolute equality and approximate equality, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate equality may be, for example, a difference between the two equals being less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0044] It should be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can mean that the layer or element is directly on the other layer or substrate, or that there is an intermediate layer between the layer or element and the other layer or substrate.

[0045] Exemplary embodiments are described in this application with reference to cross-sectional views and / or plan views and / or equivalent circuit diagrams, which are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions is enlarged for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings are contemplated due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Thus, exemplary embodiments should not be construed as being limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing processes. For example, etched regions shown as rectangular would typically have curved features. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to show the actual shapes of the regions of the device, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0046] This application provides an optical module, which is a coherent optical module, employing coherent modulation at the transmitting end and coherent detection at the receiving end.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the optical module 1 includes a first laser 2, a second laser 3, an optical switch 4, a coherent modulator 5, a coherent receiver 6, a combiner / splitter 7, and a control device. Figure 1 (Not shown in the diagram). The first laser 2 operates at a wavelength of λ1 and is electrically connected to the control device. Under the control of the control device, the first laser 2 generates a first laser beam with a wavelength of λ1. The first laser 2 can be a laser diode (LD), a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), or an edge-emitting laser (EEL), or any device capable of generating a laser beam; this application does not limit the type of the first laser 2. For example, the first laser 2 can be a distributed feedback (DFB) laser.

[0048] The second laser 3 has a wavelength of λ2 and is electrically connected to the control device. Under the control of the control device, the second laser 3 can generate a second laser beam with a wavelength of λ2. The second laser 3 can also be a device capable of generating a laser beam, such as an LD, VCSEL, or EEL; the type of the second laser 3 is not limited in this embodiment. The first laser 2 and the second laser 3 can be of the same or different types. For example, the second laser 3 can also be a DFB laser.

[0049] In the optical module 1 provided in this application embodiment, the first laser 2 and the second laser 3 have different wavelengths, that is, the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 are different. Different combinations of the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 can adapt to different optical communication scenarios. For example, the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 can be a combination of 1530nm and 1550nm, or a combination of 1310nm and 1330nm, or a combination of 1310nm and 1490nm, or a combination of 1270nm and 1550nm. Here, using two different wavelength combinations of the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 means that the first wavelength λ1 can be selected from either the former or the latter of the above wavelength combinations, and the second wavelength λ2 can be selected from the other of the above wavelength combinations accordingly.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 The optical switch 4 in the optical module 1 is a 2×2 optical switch with two input ports and two output ports, namely the first input port IN1, the second input port IN2, the first output port OUT1, and the second output port OUT2. The first input port IN1 is connected to the first laser 2, the second input port IN2 is connected to the second laser 3, the first output port OUT1 is connected to the coherent modulator 5, and the second output port OUT2 is connected to the coherent receiver 6.

[0051] The optical switch 4 is electrically connected to a control device, which is configured to send a control signal to the optical switch 4 to control its switching state. The optical switch 4 has a first switching state and a second switching state corresponding to different control signals. In the first switching state, such as... Figure 2 As shown in section (a), the first input port IN1 is connected to the first output port OUT1, and the second input port IN2 is connected to the second output port OUT2. In this case, the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4, and the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4.

[0052] In the second switch state, such as Figure 2 As shown in section (b), the first input port IN1 is connected to the second output port OUT2, and the second input port IN2 is connected to the first output port OUT1. In this case, the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4, and the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4.

[0053] The optical switch 4 can be one of various types, including a single-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), a multi-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical switch, a mechanical optical switch, an optocoupler, a thermo-optical switch, a liquid crystal optical switch, an electro-optical switch, and an acousto-optical switch. This application embodiment does not limit the type of optical switch 4; it can have two input ports and two output ports, and the connection state between the two input ports and the two output ports can be changed under the action of a control signal.

[0054] The optical switch 4 can be a discrete device, with the first laser 2, the second laser 3, the coherent modulator 5, and the coherent receiver 6 connected to it via optical fiber. Alternatively, the optical switch 4 can be integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator 5 and the coherent receiver 6; for example, the optical switch 4 can be integrated with the coherent modulator 5; another example, the optical switch 4 can be integrated with the coherent receiver 6; yet another example, the optical switch 4, the coherent modulator 5, and the coherent receiver 6 can be integrated. In this case, the optical switch 4 can be connected to the integrated device via an optical waveguide, and to the non-integrated device via optical fiber.

[0055] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 In the optical module 1 provided in this embodiment, the coherent modulator 5 has an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is connected to the optical switch 4. When the optical switch 4 is in a first switching state, the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted to the input terminal of the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4, and the first laser beam can be used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5. When the optical switch 4 is in a second switching state, the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted to the input terminal of the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4, and the second laser beam can be used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5.

[0056] The control device is electrically connected to the coherent modulator 5 and configured to transmit service data to be modulated to the coherent modulator 5. The coherent modulator 5 modulates the optical carrier signal according to the service data to be modulated, forming a modulated optical signal carrying the service data. This modulated optical signal is output from the coherent modulator 5 through its output terminal, thereby achieving the purpose of electro-optical conversion. For ease of distinction, this modulated optical signal is referred to as the transmitted optical signal herein. For example, the coherent modulator 5 can be a dual-polarization I / Q modulator.

[0057] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1In the optical module 1 provided in this embodiment, the control device is also electrically connected to the coherent receiver 6. The coherent receiver 6 includes two input terminals: a local oscillator input terminal and a signal input terminal. The local oscillator input terminal is connected to the optical switch 4. When the optical switch 4 is in the first switching state, the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted through the optical switch 4 to the local oscillator input terminal of the coherent modulator 5, and the second laser beam can be used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6. When the optical switch 4 is in the second switching state, the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted through the optical switch 4 to the local oscillator input terminal of the coherent modulator 5, and the first laser beam can be used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6.

[0058] The signal light input terminal of the coherent receiver 6 is used to receive the modulated optical signal input from the outside. For ease of distinction, this modulated optical signal is referred to as the received optical signal in this document. Based on the local oscillator optical signal, the coherent receiver 6 can perform coherent detection of the received optical signal, form an electrical signal corresponding to the received optical signal, and transmit the electrical signal to the control device, thereby achieving the purpose of photoelectric conversion.

[0059] In order to achieve coherent detection of the received optical signal in the coherent receiver 6, the wavelengths of the local oscillator optical signal and the received optical signal need to be the same or similar (hereinafter, the same is taken as an example). Therefore, the coherent receiver 6 can only receive received optical signals with wavelengths that are the same as (or similar to) the local oscillator optical signal. Since the wavelengths of the local oscillator optical signal and the transmitted optical signal are different, the optical module 1 provided in this embodiment can transmit and receive optical signals with different wavelengths. Specifically, when the optical switch 4 in the optical module 1 is in the first switching state, the wavelength of the transmitted optical signal that the optical module 1 can transmit is the first wavelength λ1, and the wavelength of the received optical signal that it can receive is the second wavelength λ2. When the optical switch 4 in the optical module 1 is in the second switching state, the wavelength of the transmitted optical signal that the optical module 1 can transmit is the second wavelength λ2, and the wavelength of the received optical signal that it can receive is the first wavelength λ1.

[0060] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 In the optical module 1 provided in this embodiment, the output of the coherent modulator 5 and the signal optical input of the coherent receiver 6 are both connected to the combiner / splitter 7. For example... Figure 3As shown, the combiner / splitter 7 is a three-port device that guides the optical signal to transmit along the designed path. The three ports are the first port P1, the second port P2, and the third port P3. The optical signal input at the first port P1 can be output through the second port P2, and the optical signal input at the second port P2 can be output through the third port P3. The combiner / splitter 7 can be one of the following types: an optical circulator, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) device, or an optical coupler. This application embodiment does not limit the type of combiner / splitter 7, as long as it can achieve the above-mentioned transmission purpose.

[0061] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the output of the coherent modulator 5 is connected to the first port P1, and the signal optical input of the coherent receiver 6 is connected to the third port P3. The second port P2 is used to connect to the external optical fiber 8. Here, the second port P2 in the combiner / splitter 7 can adopt a fiber optic connector structure that can be directly connected to the external optical fiber 8, or it can be connected to an optical fiber connector to connect the external optical fiber 8.

[0062] The combiner / splitter 7 can be a discrete device, with the coherent modulator 5 and coherent receiver 6 connected to the optical switch 4 via optical fiber. Alternatively, the combiner / splitter 7 can be integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator 5 and coherent receiver 6; for example, the combiner / splitter 7 can be integrated with the coherent modulator 5; another example, the combiner / splitter 7 can be integrated with the coherent receiver 6; yet another example, the combiner / splitter 7, coherent modulator 5, and coherent receiver 6 can be integrated. In this case, the combiner / splitter 7 can be connected to the integrated device via an optical waveguide, and to the non-integrated device via optical fiber.

[0063] During operation, the transmit optical signal generated by the coherent modulator 5 is input to the combiner / splitter 7 through the first port P1 and to the external optical fiber 8 through the second port P2, where it is transmitted from the local end to the other end. The receive optical signal transmitted from the other end to the local end through the external optical fiber 8 is input to the combiner / splitter 7 through the second port P2 and to the coherent receiver 6 through the third port P3.

[0064] Therefore, it can be seen that the optical module 1 provided in this embodiment is a single-fiber bidirectional optical module. In the external optical fiber 8 connected to the optical module 1, there are two types of signal light with different transmission directions: a transmit optical signal transmitted from the local end to the other end, and a receive optical signal transmitted from the other end to the local end. Furthermore, when the optical switch 4 is in the first switch state and the second switch state, the wavelengths of the transmit optical signal and the receive optical signal of the optical module 1 are different, thus forming different operating modes.

[0065] For ease of description, this document refers to the operating mode of optical module 1 when optical switch 4 is in the first switching state as the first operating mode, and the operating mode of optical module 1 when optical switch 4 is in the second switching state as the second operating mode. In the first operating mode, optical module 1 can transmit a transmitted optical signal of a first wavelength λ1 and receive a received optical signal of a second wavelength λ2. In the second operating mode, optical module 1 can transmit a transmitted optical signal of a second wavelength λ2 and receive a received optical signal of a first wavelength λ1. The optical module 1 provided in this application embodiment can control the switching of the operating mode between the first switching state and the second switching state by controlling optical switch 4.

[0066] Based on the aforementioned characteristics of optical module 1, by controlling the operating mode of optical module 1, two identical optical modules 1 can be applied to both ends of an optical communication system to achieve normal communication functionality. Specifically, for example... Figure 4 As shown, the optical modules 1 at both ends of the optical communication are referred to as local optical module 1a and remote optical module 1b, respectively. Both local optical module 1a and remote optical module 1b use the optical module 1 provided in the above embodiment, and their structures are identical. Local optical module 1a and remote optical module 1b can be directly connected by optical fiber, or they can be connected by optical fiber and an intermediate optical communication connection device (such as a wavelength division multiplexing device).

[0067] At work, such as Figure 4 As shown in section (a), the local optical module 1a is controlled to operate in a first working mode, and the remote optical module 1b is controlled to operate in a second working mode. As described above, the local optical module 1a can transmit a first wavelength λ1 optical signal and receive a second wavelength λ2 optical signal; the remote optical module 1b can transmit a second wavelength λ2 optical signal and receive a first wavelength λ1 optical signal. Therefore, it can be seen that the receiving wavelength of the local optical module 1a matches the transmitting wavelength of the remote optical module 1b, and vice versa. The local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength-aligned state, and the local optical module 1a can normally receive the transmitted optical signal transmitted by the remote optical module 1b, and the remote optical module 1b can normally receive the transmitted optical signal transmitted by the local optical module 1a. The local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b, located at both ends of the optical communication, can work normally to achieve the communication function.

[0068] Or, such as Figure 4As shown in section (b), the local optical module 1a is controlled to be in the second operating mode, and the remote optical module 1b is controlled to be in the first operating mode. As described above, the local optical module 1a can transmit a second wavelength λ2 optical signal and receive a first wavelength λ1 optical signal; the remote optical module 1b can transmit a first wavelength λ1 optical signal and receive a second wavelength λ2 optical signal. Therefore, it can be seen that the receiving wavelength of the local optical module 1a matches the transmitting wavelength of the remote optical module 1b, and vice versa. The local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength-aligned state, and the local optical module 1a can normally receive the transmitted optical signal transmitted by the remote optical module 1b, and the remote optical module 1b can normally receive the transmitted optical signal transmitted by the local optical module 1a. The local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b, located at both ends of the optical communication, can work normally to achieve the communication function.

[0069] As can be seen from the above description, by using the optical module 1 provided in the embodiments of this application, two identical optical modules 1 can be applied to both ends of the optical communication to achieve normal communication functions by controlling the working mode of the optical module 1. Compared with related technologies, there is no need to use different A / B modules or tunable lasers. This is beneficial to reducing the cost of networking and also to reducing the difficulty of networking and the cost of operation and maintenance.

[0070] As can be seen from the above description, when the two optical modules 1 provided in the embodiments of this application are used at both ends of an optical communication, it is necessary to control the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b to be in a specific working mode in order to achieve normal communication function; that is, wavelength alignment is required so that the wavelength of the optical signal sent by the local optical module 1a matches the wavelength of the optical signal that the remote optical module 1b can receive, and the wavelength of the optical signal sent by the remote optical module 1b matches the wavelength of the optical signal that the local optical module 1a can receive.

[0071] However, because the operating modes of the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are random in the initial stage of operation, they may be in a state of wavelength misalignment in addition to being in a state of wavelength alignment. For example, as Figure 5As shown in section (a), when both the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in the first operating mode, the local optical module 1a can transmit an optical signal with a first wavelength λ1 and receive an optical signal with a second wavelength λ2; similarly, the remote optical module 1b can transmit an optical signal with the first wavelength λ1 and receive an optical signal with the second wavelength λ2. It can be seen that the receiving wavelength of the local optical module 1a is mismatched with the transmitting wavelength of the remote optical module 1b, and vice versa. The local and remote optical modules 1b are in a state of wavelength misalignment; the local optical module 1a cannot normally receive the transmitted optical signal sent by the remote optical module 1b, and the remote optical module 1b cannot normally receive the transmitted optical signal sent by the local optical module 1a. Therefore, the local and remote optical modules 1b, located at opposite ends of the optical communication, cannot achieve normal communication functionality.

[0072] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown in section (b), when both local and remote optical modules 1b are in their second operating modes, local optical module 1a can transmit a second wavelength λ2 and receive a first wavelength λ1; remote optical module 1b can also transmit a second wavelength λ2 and receive a first wavelength λ1. This indicates a mismatch between the receiving wavelength of local optical module 1a and the transmitting wavelength of remote optical module 1b. Both are in a state of wavelength misalignment, preventing local optical module 1a from receiving the transmitted optical signal from remote optical module 1b, and vice versa. Consequently, local and remote optical modules 1a cannot achieve normal communication.

[0073] Based on this, the present application also provides a control method for an optical module 1, which is used to automatically align the wavelength of the optical module 1 with that of the peer optical module when the optical module 1 provided in the above embodiment is applied at both ends of an optical communication.

[0074] like Figure 6 As shown, the control method 100 includes: Step S10: Determine whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds a preset value.

[0075] When the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in wavelength alignment, the local optical module 1a can normally receive the transmitted optical signal from the remote optical module 1b. The coherent receiver 6 in the local optical module 1a can normally detect the transmitted optical signal from the remote optical module 1b (which is the received optical signal for the local optical module 1a). The optical power detected by the coherent receiver 6 is at a high level.

[0076] When the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a state of wavelength misalignment, the local optical module 1a cannot receive the transmitted optical signal from the remote optical module 1b normally. The coherent receiver 6 in the local optical module 1a cannot perform normal detection of the transmitted optical signal from the remote optical module 1b (which is the received optical signal for the local optical module 1a). The optical power detected by the coherent receiver 6 is at a low level.

[0077] Based on the above characteristics, a preset value of optical power can be selected to characterize the wavelength alignment status of the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b. When the optical power detected by the coherent receiver 6 is greater than the preset value, it can be determined that the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength aligned state. When the optical power detected by the coherent receiver 6 is less than or equal to the preset value, it can be determined that the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength misaligned state. The preset value here is related to the parameters of optical module 1, application scenarios, and other factors, and may vary under different circumstances.

[0078] Step S20: When the optical power is less than or equal to the preset value, control the optical switch to switch the state and return to the above judgment step.

[0079] When step S10 determines that the optical power is less than or equal to a preset value, it indicates that the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a state of wavelength misalignment. In this case, the local optical module 1a can be controlled to switch its operating mode. The switching of the operating mode can be achieved by switching the on / off state of the optical switch 4. After the operating mode switching is completed, return to step S10 above to re-detect the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b after the switching, until the optical power is greater than the preset value.

[0080] Since the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are the same optical module 1, they can execute the same control method 100. Therefore, when the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength misalignment state, both the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b can detect this through step S10 and can both execute the same step S20 to switch operating modes. This may result in the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b switching operating modes synchronously, causing both to be unable to escape the wavelength misalignment state for an extended period of time.

[0081] To address the aforementioned issues, in some embodiments, a random delay can be added before re-determining whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds a preset value. For example, this random delay can be added before or after the optical switch changes state. By adding a random delay, the synchronous execution of the control method 100 by the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b can be disrupted. This staggers the timing of the operating mode switching between the local and remote optical modules 1a when subsequent switching of operating modes is required, thereby mitigating the problem of prolonged wavelength misalignment caused by the synchronous switching of operating modes between the local and remote optical modules 1a.

[0082] Step S30: When the optical power is greater than the preset value, control the optical switch to maintain the current switching state.

[0083] When step S10 determines that the optical power is greater than the preset value, it indicates that the local optical module 1a and the remote optical module 1b are in a wavelength-aligned state. In this case, the local optical module 1a can be controlled to maintain its current working mode, that is, the optical switch 4 can be controlled to maintain its current on / off state.

[0084] By employing the aforementioned control method 100, wavelength alignment between optical modules 1 can be automatically achieved, thereby further reducing the difficulty of network setup. Furthermore, the optical switch 4 is a 2x2 optical switch with a relatively fast switching speed, and since the first laser 2 and the second laser 3 are not turned off or have their wavelengths adjusted over a large range, the switching process is even faster, thus reducing waiting time and improving communication efficiency.

[0085] In some embodiments, when the optical power exceeds a preset value, the frequency of the laser connected to the coherent receiver 6, i.e., the frequency of the local oscillator optical signal, is further fine-tuned, thereby facilitating higher-precision alignment. The reference for this fine-tuning frequency can be obtained from the detection results of the received optical signal.

[0086] This application also provides another optical module 1, in which, as shown in the embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, the optical switch 4 also has a third switching state and a fourth switching state corresponding to different control signals. In the third switching state, as... Figure 7 As shown in section (a), the first input port IN1 is connected to both the first output port OUT1 and the second output port OUT2, while the second input port IN2 is unconnected. The first laser 2 simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator 5 and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver 6. In this case, the wavelengths of both the optical carrier signal and the local oscillator signal are the first wavelength λ1. In the fourth switching state, as... Figure 7As shown in section (b), the first input port IN1 is empty, and the second input port IN2 is connected to both the first output port OUT1 and the second output port OUT2. The second laser 3 simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator 5 and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver 6. In this case, the wavelengths of both the optical carrier signal and the local oscillator signal are the second wavelength λ2.

[0087] The optical module 1 designed above can, on the one hand, realize the function of transmitting and receiving optical signals of the same wavelength, and can control the optical switch 4 to switch between the third and fourth switching states, thereby changing the wavelength of the transmitted and received optical signals; thus, it can be applied to more application scenarios. On the other hand, by controlling the optical switch 4 to be in the third or fourth switching state, the optical module 1 can be used for loopback testing or other special scenarios, such as for optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) testing.

[0088] This application also provides an optical module 1, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the difference between this optical module 1 and the optical module 1 in the above embodiment is that it does not have a combiner / splitter 7. In this case, the optical module 1 can be used as a single-fiber bidirectional optical module by externally connecting a splitter, or the coherent modulator 5 can be directly connected to one optical fiber and the coherent receiver 6 can be connected to another optical fiber to use the optical module 1 as a two-fiber bidirectional optical module.

[0089] When the aforementioned optical module 1 is used as a dual-fiber bidirectional optical module, the wavelength of the optical signal transmitted and received by the optical module 1 can be adjusted by controlling the optical switch 4 to switch between the first and second switching states. This allows two identical optical modules 1 to be used at both ends of an optical communication. Furthermore, the function of transmitting and receiving optical signals of the same wavelength can be achieved by controlling the optical switch 4 to be in the third or fourth switching state; and the function of changing the wavelength of the transmitted and received optical signals can also be achieved by controlling the optical switch 4 to switch between the third and fourth switching states.

[0090] In the above embodiments, the optical module 1 includes two lasers, namely a first laser 2 and a second laser 3, and the optical switch 4 adopts a 2×2 optical switch design. However, the embodiments of this application are not limited to this. For example, in some embodiments, the optical module 1 may include multiple lasers with different wavelengths, and the optical switch 4 has multiple input ports connected to all lasers one by one. The optical switch 4 has multiple switching states corresponding to different control signals. In each switching state, the optical switch 4 can realize the connection of one laser to the coherent modulator 5 and the connection of one laser to the coherent receiver 6. Furthermore, the connection states between the coherent modulator 5 and the coherent receiver 6 and the lasers are different between different switching states.

[0091] For example, the optical module 1 further includes a third laser electrically connected to the control device. The wavelength of the third laser is a third wavelength λ3, which differs from the first wavelength λ1, the second wavelength λ2, and the third wavelength λ3. Under the control of the control device, the third laser can generate a third laser beam with the wavelength of the third laser beam being the third wavelength λ3. The third laser can also be a device capable of generating a laser beam, such as an LD, VCSEL, or EEL. The embodiments of this application do not limit the type of the third laser.

[0092] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the optical switch 4 also includes a third input port IN3, and the third laser 9 is connected to the third input port IN3. The optical switch 4 also has a fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth switch states corresponding to different control signals.

[0093] In the fifth switch state, such as Figure 9 As shown in section (a), the third input port IN3 is connected to the first output port OUT1, and the first input port IN1 is connected to the second output port OUT2. In this case, the third laser beam generated by the third laser 9 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4, and the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4. The third laser beam is used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5, and the first laser beam is used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6.

[0094] In the sixth switch state, such as Figure 9 As shown in section (b), the third input port IN3 is connected to the second output port OUT2, and the first input port IN1 is connected to the first output port OUT1. In this case, the third laser beam generated by the third laser 9 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4, and the first laser beam generated by the first laser 2 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4. The first laser beam is used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5, and the third laser beam is used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6.

[0095] In the seventh switch state, such as Figure 9 As shown in section (c), the third input port IN3 is connected to the first output port OUT1, and the second input port IN2 is connected to the second output port OUT2. In this case, the third laser beam generated by the third laser 9 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4, and the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4. The third laser beam is used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5, and the second laser beam is used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6.

[0096] In the eighth switch state, such as Figure 10 As shown in section (a), the third input port IN3 is connected to the second output port OUT2, and the second input port IN2 is connected to the first output port OUT1. In this case, the third laser beam generated by the third laser 9 can be transmitted to the coherent receiver 6 through the optical switch 4, and the second laser beam generated by the second laser 3 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 through the optical switch 4. The second laser beam is used as the optical carrier signal of the coherent modulator 5, and the third laser beam is used as the local oscillator signal of the coherent receiver 6.

[0097] In the ninth switch state, such as Figure 10 As shown in section (b), the third input port IN3 is connected to both the first output port OUT1 and the second output port OUT2. In this case, the third laser beam generated by the third laser 9 can be transmitted to the coherent modulator 5 and the coherent receiver 6 via the optical switch 4. The second laser beam serves as the optical carrier signal for the coherent modulator 5 and simultaneously as the local oscillator signal for the coherent receiver 6.

[0098] The optical module 1 provided in this application embodiment can achieve richer and more flexible working modes by setting more lasers and more switching states of the optical switch 4, which is conducive to adapting to more application scenarios.

[0099] In the optical module 1 provided in this application embodiment, the control device may include only one integrated circuit chip, or it may include two or more integrated circuit chips capable of performing different functions. This application embodiment does not limit the specific form, type, and structure of the control device, as long as it can achieve the functions mentioned above.

[0100] The optical module 1 provided in this application embodiment can be used to realize the interconnection between optical communication devices in optical communication scenarios such as metropolitan area networks and long-distance stations, and can also be used to realize the interconnection of optical communication devices through optical cross connection (OXC) devices in optical communication scenarios such as data centers; here, optical communication devices are, for example, optical transmission devices, routers or switches.

[0101] Based on this, embodiments of this application also provide an optical communication device, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the optical communication device 200 includes a circuit board 210 and an optical module 1 as described in the above embodiment. Wherein, as... Figure 11 As shown in section (a), the optical module 1 and the circuit board 210 can be directly electrically connected, meaning that the optical module 1 adopts a carrier board design. Figure 11As shown in section (b), an optical module socket 220 electrically connected to the circuit board 210 can also be provided in the optical communication device 200, and the optical module 1 and the optical module socket 220 are connected in a pluggable manner. The optical communication device 200 can be an optical transmission device, a router, or a switch, etc.

[0102] This application also provides an optical communication system, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the optical communication system 300 includes at least two optical communication devices 200 as described in the above embodiments. An optical module 1 in one optical communication device 200 is connected to an optical module 1 in another optical communication device 200 via an optical fiber. It should be noted that, although... Figure 12 Only one optical fiber is shown between the two optical modules 1, but as described above, when optical module 1 is used as a dual-fiber bidirectional optical module, there can be two optical fibers between the two optical modules 1. Furthermore, the two optical modules 1 can be directly connected through optical fibers, or they can be connected through optical fibers and intermediate optical communication connection devices (such as wavelength division multiplexing devices).

[0103] This application also provides another optical communication system, such as... Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the optical communication system 300 includes multiple optical communication devices ( Figure 13 and Figure 14 (Only optical module 1 is shown in the diagram) and optical cross-connect unit 310. Optical cross-connect unit 310 includes multiple connection ports, multiple optical modules 1 from multiple optical communication devices ( Figure 13 and Figure 14 There are N optical modules 1 (where N is a positive integer greater than 2) connected to the connection ports in the optical cross-connect unit 310 via optical fibers. Depending on the type of optical module 1, an optical module 1 can be connected to one connection port via a single optical fiber, or it can be connected to two connection ports via two optical fibers.

[0104] The optical cross-connect unit 310 is used to establish connections between multiple optical modules 1, and the connection relationships can be flexibly switched according to the configuration. After the optical cross-connect unit 310 switches the relationship, the optical modules 1 may again experience wavelength misalignment due to wavelength configuration issues. In this case, the control method 100 provided in the above embodiment can be used to automatically re-connect them.

[0105] In some embodiments, the number of optical modules 1 is the same as the number of connection ports, and they correspond one-to-one. When the optical module 1 has a combiner / splitter 7, such as... Figure 13 As shown, optical module 1 can be connected to the connection port via a single optical fiber. In the absence of a combiner / splitter 7, as... Figure 14As shown, the all-optical switching device 300 also includes a combining and splitting unit 320, which includes a combining and splitting device 7 corresponding to each optical module 1. The optical module 1 is connected to the corresponding combining and splitting device 7 through two optical fibers, and the combining and splitting device 7 is connected to the corresponding connection port through a single optical fiber. The technical effects that the optical communication equipment and optical communication system provided in this application embodiment can achieve are the same as those that the optical modules in any of the above embodiments can achieve, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical module, characterized in that, The optical module includes a first laser, a second laser, an optical switch, a coherent modulator, and a coherent receiver; wherein the first laser and the second laser are used to generate laser beams with different wavelengths; The optical switch includes a first input port, a second input port, a first output port, and a second output port; the first input port is connected to the first laser, the second input port is connected to the second laser, the first output port is connected to the coherent modulator, and the second output port is connected to the coherent receiver. The optical switch has a first switching state and a second switching state; in the first switching state, the first input port is connected to the first output port, and the second input port is connected to the second output port; the first laser is used to provide an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator, and the second laser is used to provide a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver; In the second switch state, the first input port is connected to the second output port, and the second input port is connected to the first output port; the second laser is used to provide an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator, and the first laser is used to provide a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver.

2. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical switch also has a third switch state and a fourth switch state; in the third switch state, the first output port is connected to both the first output port and the second output port; the first laser simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver; In the fourth switching state, the second output port is connected to both the first output port and the second output port; the second laser simultaneously provides an optical carrier signal to the coherent modulator and a local oscillator signal to the coherent receiver.

3. The optical module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The optical switch includes one of the following: a single-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a multi-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a mechanical optical switch, an optical coupler, a microelectromechanical system optical switch, a thermo-optical switch, a liquid crystal optical switch, an electro-optical switch, or an acousto-optical switch.

4. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The optical switch is a discrete device, and the first laser, the second laser, the coherent modulator, and the coherent receiver are all connected to the optical switch via optical fibers; Alternatively, the optical switch may be integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator and the coherent receiver.

5. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The optical module includes multiple lasers, each with a different wavelength; The optical switch includes multiple input ports that are connected one-to-one with the plurality of lasers; The optical switch has multiple switching states. In each switching state, the optical switch connects one of the multiple lasers to the coherent modulator and connects one of the multiple lasers to the coherent receiver. In different switching states, the connection states of the coherent modulator and the coherent receiver with the lasers among the plurality of lasers are different.

6. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The optical module also includes a combiner / splitter, which includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the optical signal input to the first port is output through the second port, and the optical signal input to the second port is output through the third port. The first port is connected to the output of the coherent modulator, the third port is connected to the signal optical input of the coherent receiver, and the second port is used to connect to the optical fiber.

7. The optical module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The combiner / splitter includes one of an optical circulator, a wavelength division multiplexer, or an optical coupler.

8. The optical module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The combiner / splitter is a discrete device, and the coherent modulator and the coherent receiver are connected to the combiner / splitter via an intermediate optical fiber. Alternatively, the combiner / splitter may be integrated with at least one of the coherent modulator and the coherent receiver.

9. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first laser and the second laser employ any of the following wavelength combinations: 1530nm and 1550nm; 1310nm and 1330nm; 1310nm and 1490nm; and 1270nm and 1550nm.

10. A control method for an optical module, characterized in that, The optical module applied to any one of claims 1 to 9; The control method includes: Determine whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds a preset value; When the optical power is less than or equal to the preset value, the optical switch is controlled to switch the state and the above judgment steps are returned. When the optical power is greater than the preset value, the optical switch is controlled to maintain its current switching state.

11. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the optical power is less than or equal to a preset value, the control method further includes adding a random delay before determining again whether the optical power detected by the coherent receiver exceeds the preset value.

12. The control method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, When the optical power is greater than a preset value, the control method further includes: fine-tuning the frequency of the laser connected to the coherent receiver.

13. An optical communication device, characterized in that, The optical communication device includes: Circuit boards; and The optical module as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The optical module is electrically connected to the circuit board; or, the optical communication device further includes an optical module socket electrically connected to the circuit board, and the optical module and the optical module socket are pluggable.

14. An optical communication system, characterized in that, The optical communication system includes at least two optical communication devices as described in claim 13; The optical module in the optical communication device is connected to the optical module in another optical communication device via an optical fiber.

15. An optical communication system, characterized in that, The optical communication system includes: An optical cross-connect unit, wherein the optical cross-connect unit is provided with multiple connection ports; and Multiple optical communication devices as described in claim 13, wherein the optical modules in the optical communication devices are connected to the connection port via optical fibers.

16. The optical communication system according to claim 15, characterized in that, The optical communication equipment corresponds one-to-one with the connection port, and the optical module is connected to the corresponding connection port through a single optical fiber.

17. The optical communication system according to claim 16, characterized in that, The optical module has a combiner / splitter, which is connected to the corresponding connection port via a single optical fiber; Alternatively, the optical module may not have a combiner / splitter, and the optical communication system may further include a combiner / splitter unit, which includes multiple combiners / splitters corresponding one-to-one with the optical module; the optical module is connected to the corresponding combiner / splitter via two optical fibers, and the combiner / splitter is connected to the corresponding connection port via a single optical fiber.

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