Pluggable ROADM in Photonic Integrated Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (OADMs) are inflexible and bulky, making them expensive and unable to adapt to changing traffic demands, whereas reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) offer remote configuration but are typically built with discrete components, leading to large and costly implementations.
Innovation Solution
A pluggable reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) is integrated into a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), allowing it to be implemented in smaller, hot-pluggable modules such as SFP or QSFP, with a co-packaged optics system that includes a WDM filter and computing system to manage channels dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ROADMs are built with discrete optical components, then reconfigurability and adaptability are improved, but device size and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple discrete optical components (WDM filter, ROADMs, lasers) into a single co-packaged module, merging their functions while maintaining individual reconfigurability. This consolidation reduces overall device size while preserving the adaptability benefits of discrete components.
Solution Approach 2:
The co-packaged module design creates a universal platform that can perform multiple functions (WDM filtering, ROADM operations, laser generation) within a single device footprint, allowing one module to replace multiple separate components and reduce overall system volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ROADMs are built with discrete optical components, then reconfigurability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By co-packaging multiple optical functions into a single module, the patent reduces the number of separate manufacturing processes and assembly steps required, thereby lowering overall manufacturing costs while maintaining the reconfigurability of individual components within the module.
Solution Approach 2:
The module includes integrated control logic that enables self-configuration and monitoring, reducing the need for external configuration equipment and manual setup, which simplifies deployment and reduces operational costs.
3Volume of moving object
If OADMs are used instead of ROADMs, then device size and cost are reduced, but adaptability to changing traffic demands is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamically reconfigurable ROADMs within the co-packaged module, allowing the optical paths and channel configurations to be changed in real-time based on traffic demands, transforming a static OADM into an adaptive system that maintains small form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The module includes monitoring and control mechanisms that detect traffic patterns and automatically adjust ROADM configurations accordingly, enabling the system to adapt to changing traffic demands without manual intervention while maintaining a compact design.
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 solution enables flexible adjustment of channel addition and dropping based on traffic patterns without the need for extensive reconfiguration, reducing manufacturing costs and enabling smaller, more efficient optical networking solutions.
Implementation Method 1
A WDM filter is configured to separate a received optical signal into a plurality of wavelength channels
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein describe a pluggable module that includes a ROADM implemented in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). By implementing the ROADM in a PIC, the ROADM can be placed on smaller, pluggable modules (e.g., a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) which can be a hot-pluggable network interface module).