US 12,292,611 B2
Submarine optical cable system
Changwu Xu, Tianjin (CN); Liping Ma, Tianjin (CN); and Yan Wang, Tianjin (CN)
Assigned to HMN Technologies Co., Limited, Tianjin (CN)
Filed by HMN Technologies Co., Limited, Tianjin (CN)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/841,149.
Application 17/841,149 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CN2019/127132, filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308301 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/44 (2006.01); H04Q 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/4427 (2013.01) [G02B 6/4452 (2013.01); H04Q 11/0005 (2013.01); H04Q 11/0062 (2013.01); H04Q 2011/0052 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A submarine optical cable system, comprising: a first trunk station, a second trunk station, a branch station, first optical cross-connect equipment, second optical cross-connect equipment, a branching unit, a trunk fiber set and a branch fiber, wherein
one end of the first optical cross-connect equipment is connected with terminal equipment of the first trunk station by the trunk fiber set, the other end of the first optical cross-connect equipment is connected with one end of the second optical cross-connect equipment by the trunk fiber set, and the other end of the second optical cross-connect equipment is connected with terminal equipment of the second trunk station by the trunk fiber set;
the trunk fiber set at least comprises a first trunk fiber and a second trunk fiber, and the first trunk fiber and the second trunk fiber are paths for transmitting optical signals;
the first trunk station is configured for sending a first optical signal through the first trunk fiber, and the first trunk station is configured for sending a second optical signal through the second trunk fiber; the first optical signal and the second optical signal are service signals or dummy signals, wherein the service signals are signals that carry services, and the dummy signals are signals that do not carry services;
the first optical cross-connect equipment is configured for crossing the first optical signal and the second optical signal, so as to obtain a crossed first optical signal and a crossed second optical signal; the second optical cross-connect equipment is configured for crossing the crossed first optical signal and the crossed second optical signal, so as to restore the crossed first optical signal to the first optical signal and restore the crossed second optical signal to the second optical signal;
the second trunk station is configured for receiving the first optical signal through the first trunk fiber and receiving the second optical signal through the second trunk fiber; and
the branching unit is arranged on the trunk fiber set between the first optical cross-connect equipment and the second optical cross-connect equipment, and comprises an optical switch, wherein
the optical switch is arranged on the first trunk fiber such that the branch station is capable of downloading the crossed second optical signal from the first trunk fiber, or uploading an optical signal to the first trunk fiber, through the branch fiber, or
the optical switch is arranged on the second trunk fiber such that the branch station is capable of downloading the crossed first optical signal from the second trunk fiber, or uploading an optical signal to the second trunk fiber, through the branch fiber.