US 11,863,295 B2
Identifying and monitoring connections in an optical system
Lifu Gong, San Jose, CA (US); Chao Xiang Shi, Saratoga, CA (US); Bichang Huang, Shenzhen (CN); and Frank Liu, Union City, CA (US)
Assigned to Molex, LLC, Lisle, IL (US)
Filed by Molex, LLC, Lisle, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,049.
Claims priority of application No. 202110075711.5 (CN), filed on Jan. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0231780 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. H04J 14/02 (2006.01); H04B 10/077 (2013.01); H04B 10/50 (2013.01); H04B 10/60 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01)
CPC H04J 14/0268 (2013.01) [H04B 10/0771 (2013.01); H04B 10/0779 (2013.01); H04J 14/023 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01); H04B 10/50 (2013.01); H04B 10/60 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical system comprising:
a first direction device that is a source optical device for an OADM node;
a plurality of add-drop group devices that are remote optical devices in the OADM node, the plurality of add-drop group devices being configured to communicatively couple with the first direction device by a plurality of optical links;
in the first direction device, at least one light source that generates monitor signals of a reference wavelength;
in the first direction device, at least one optical element configured to direct the monitor signals into transmission paths from the first direction device to one or more of the remote optical devices over the plurality of optical links;
in each add-drop group device of the plurality of add-drop group devices, one or more optical elements that return the monitor signals to the source optical device over a corresponding optical link;
in the first direction device, a photodetector and at least one optical element configured to direct returned monitor signals received over the plurality of optical links to the photodetector;
in the first direction device, at least one microprocessor configured to execute control instructions to generate the monitor signals and process one or more outputs of the photodetector in response to the returned monitor signals to determine connectivity of the plurality of optical links.