Optical Branching Unit Bypass Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing submarine optical branching units face challenges in reliability, complexity, and flexibility due to the need for complex marine operations and inefficient wavelength allocation, particularly when dealing with breaks in cables and varying traffic patterns.
Innovation Solution
An optical communications apparatus with a branching unit and optical switches that can switch between branch and bypass configurations, allowing signal wavelengths to be routed directly between the first and second optical cables without passing through a potentially broken third optical cable, using wavelength-insensitive switches to manage traffic efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wavelength selective filters are used to divert second range of wavelengths to the third location, then flexibility in spectral allocation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for OADM components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wavelength selective filtering function from the main branching unit and places it in a separate remote box located at the third location. This allows the branching unit itself to remain simple while still providing flexible spectral allocation through the remote filtering components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote box as an intermediary component that contains the wavelength selective filters. This mediator allows the branching unit to provide flexible spectral allocation without directly incorporating complex OADM components, thus resolving the contradiction between flexibility and complexity.
2Device complexity
If fixed wavelength filters are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability in spectral allocation is worsened due to fixed wavelength assignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the wavelength allocation dynamic by allowing operators to reconfigure which wavelengths are dropped at the third location through the remote box, rather than using fixed wavelength filters. This enables the system to adapt to changing traffic requirements while keeping the main branching unit simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter dynamically by allowing different wavelength ranges to be assigned to the third location based on traffic needs. The remote box contains filters that can be reconfigured to drop different wavelength bands, providing adaptability without increasing complexity at the branching unit.
3Ease of manufacture
If one or more fiber pairs are diverted to provide connectivity between first and third locations, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability is worsened because traffic between first and second locations must route through the third location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical signals by wavelength, allowing different wavelength ranges to be routed differently. Traffic between the first and second locations can remain on wavelengths not dropped at the third location, while traffic to/from the third location uses dropped wavelengths. This segmentation maintains reliability by preventing single-point failures from affecting all traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by selectively dropping only the second range of wavelengths at the third location while allowing the first range of wavelengths to pass through to the second location. This ensures that traffic between the first and second locations is not disrupted by issues at the third location, improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical communications apparatus is configured to be connected to first, second, and third optical cables. In a branch connecting configuration, a branch optical path is enabled so that (i) signal wavelengths received over the first cable are routed to the third cable and (ii) signal wavelengths received over the third cable are routed to the second cable. The signal wavelengths received over the third cable include at least one of the signal wavelengths routed from the first cable to the third cable and returned via a loop connection at a distal portion of the third cable. In a bypass configuration, a connection via the branch optical path to the distal portion of the third cable is bypassed so that the signal wavelengths received over the first cable are routed to the second cable without first being routed through the distal portion of the third cable.