Optical Repeater Pump-Light Branching for Source Failure Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The fiber-type optical amplification apparatus has a complex wiring configuration and is vulnerable to failure of excitation light sources, as each Erbium-doped fiber unit receives excitation light from multiple sources, leading to increased complexity and risk of signal interruption.
Innovation Solution
An optical repeater configuration with three or more light sources and optical amplification units, where each unit receives branched lights from two different sources, simplifying the distribution and reducing the impact of a single light source failure by maintaining excitation light intensity through redundant pathways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the excitation light output from the excitation light source is equally branched by the number of the EDF units using many distributors, then each EDF unit receives excitation light from multiple sources for redundancy, but the wiring configuration becomes complicated and wiring work is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical amplification system into independent units, where each EDF unit has its own dedicated excitation light source. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex multi-way branching distributors and reduces wiring complexity while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the excitation light source and EDF unit into integrated pairs, where each unit operates independently. This merging approach simplifies the overall system architecture by eliminating the need for complex external wiring and distributors that would be required to connect multiple light sources to multiple EDF units.
2Reliability
If the excitation light output from the excitation light source is equally branched by the number of the EDF units, then a redundant configuration is achieved, but the failure of one excitation light source affects all EDF units
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into independent EDF units each with dedicated light sources, the patent isolates failures to individual units. When one light source fails, only its corresponding EDF unit is affected, while other units continue to operate normally, thereby reducing the harmful impact of failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple independent excitation light sources, where each source is dedicated to a specific EDF unit. This approach allows for easier replacement of individual failed light sources without affecting the entire system, improving reliability through modular redundancy.
3Reliability
If the number of the distributors through which the light output from the excitation light source passes increases as the number of the EDF units increase, then all EDF units can receive excitation light, but the wiring configuration becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the excitation light distribution into dedicated one-to-one connections between light sources and EDF units. This eliminates the need for multiple distributors and complex wiring paths, making the system easier to install and maintain while ensuring all units receive adequate excitation light.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the excitation light distribution function from a centralized multi-way branching system and implements it through independent dedicated connections. This extraction simplifies the wiring configuration by removing the need for complex distributors and their associated wiring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for a simpler and more robust optical repeater design that continues to relay optical signals even when a light source fails, reducing the complexity of optical wiring and minimizing the impact of light source failures on signal amplification.
Implementation Method 1
an Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) capable of directly amplifying the optical signal is used
Data Source
AI summary
The object is to provide an optical repeater, a manufacturing method of an optical repeater, and a relay method of an optical signal that can achieve a redundant configuration for a failure of a light source outputting an excitation light with a simple configuration. Light sources output lights. The optical amplification units amplify optical signals using excitation lights. An optical distribution unit branches the lights output from the light sources into two branched lights and distributes the branched lights in such a manner that each of the optical amplification units receives the branched light branched from the lights from two different light sources as the excitation light.