JP2000310727A - Optical amplifying and distributing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid the danger to the human body of signal light leaking out when a light beam path is broken and to eliminate the influence on other light beam paths by cutting off only the signal light of the broken light beam path. SOLUTION: Signal light which is inputted to the optical amplifying and distributing device 1 is optical amplified by an optical amplification part 2, distributed by an optical distributor 3, and outputted from an optical output port 5 through a safety mechanism 4. The safety mechanism 4 has an optical coupler which branches reflected return light from a light beam path, an optical to electrical signal conversion part 5 which converts the branched light from the optical coupler into an electric signal, a light shield part, and a control part which cuts off the light by driving the light shield part according to the signal from the optical to electrical signal conversion part. If an optical connector is disconnected or the light beam path is cut to break the light beam path, the reflected return light of the light beam path abruptly increases. The reflected return light is demultiplexed by the optical coupler of the safety mechanism 4 and converted into an electric signal and the control part places the light shield part in operation to break the optical path.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for distributing signal light from a center station or the like to a plurality of subscriber units or the like, and to a plurality of optical amplifying and distributing devices installed on an optical line on the way.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical amplifier / distributor used in an optical fiber communication system amplifies a signal light and distributes the signal light to a plurality of optical paths, and outputs a high-level signal light amplified by an amplifier from each output port. Output. This high-level signal light is output to a plurality of optical lines and connected to the same type of optical amplifier / distributor or another optical communication device by an optical connector or the like.
In the optical amplifier / distributor, there is no problem when the optical connectors used for the respective output ports are normally connected, but when the optical connectors are detached for some reason,
High-level signal light leaks from the output port or the end face of the optical connector connected thereto. Similarly, when the optical line ahead of the output port is cut due to an accident or the like, high-level signal light leaks from the cut portion.

[0003] The high-level signal light described above is dangerous to the human body and may be seen by the human eye, and may cause blindness. As described above, there is a problem that light leaks at the time of disconnection of the optical line when the optical connector is attached / detached while the high-level signal light is output, or when the optical line ahead of the optical connector is cut. Becomes For this reason, appropriate protection measures are required. In the conventional means, when the optical connector of a certain optical line output from the optical amplification and distribution device is detached, it is detected, the amplification degree of the optical amplification unit is reduced, and the optical output from the optical amplification unit is weakened. On the other hand, there is a type in which signal light from the optical amplification unit is blocked by an optical circuit breaker provided at the output unit of the optical amplification unit when disconnection of the connector is detected.

[0004]

As described above, when the optical output from the optical amplifying unit of the optical amplifying / distributing apparatus is weakened or cut off, the output level of the optical output port to which the optical connector is not detached is also increased. As a result, the transmission signal quality of all the optical lines ahead of the optical amplifying / distributing device deteriorates. The present invention solves the above problems, and provides an optical amplification and distribution device that can block signal light only in a disconnected optical line, for example, when an optical connector is detached, and does not affect other optical lines. The purpose is to:

[0005]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved as follows. An optical amplifier that receives the signal light and amplifies it to a high-level signal light; an optical distributor for distributing the signal light transmitted from the optical amplifier to a plurality of optical paths; In the optical amplifying and distributing apparatus having a plurality of optical output ports for outputting the signal light, a plurality of optical paths between the optical distributor and the plurality of optical output ports are provided with safety mechanisms each having the following means. . Light blocking unit that blocks signal light that has entered the safety mechanism. An optical coupler that branches reflected light returning from an optical line connected to an optical output port. An optical / electrical signal converter for converting the reflected return light branched by the optical coupler into an electric signal. A control unit for transmitting a signal for driving the light blocking unit by an electric signal from the optical / electrical signal converter;

In the present invention, since the safety mechanism is provided in each of a plurality of optical paths between the optical distributor and the plurality of optical output ports, high-level output light leaks from the disconnected optical line, and is transmitted to the human body. Danger can be avoided, and signal light of other output ports in which the optical line is not broken can be prevented from being blocked or the output level can be prevented from being lowered.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an optical amplification / distribution apparatus according to the present invention. The optical amplification and distribution device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an optical amplification unit 2, an optical distributor 3, a safety mechanism 4 that operates when an optical line is disconnected, and an optical output port 5. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a safety mechanism 4 (hereinafter simply abbreviated as a safety mechanism 4) that operates when the optical line is broken, 6 is an optical coupler, 7 is an optical / electrical signal converter,
Reference numeral 8 denotes a light blocking unit control unit, and 9 denotes a light blocking unit. In FIG. 2, an optical coupler 6 branches the reflected return light from the optical line via the optical output port 5. The optical / electrical signal converter 7 converts the reflected return light split by the optical coupler 6 into an electric signal. The light blocking unit control unit 8 includes the optical / electrical signal conversion unit 7
Drives the light blocking unit 9 based on the signal converted into the electric signal.

1 and 2, the optical amplification / distribution apparatus of the present embodiment operates as follows. The signal light input to the optical amplifier / distributor 1 is optically amplified by the optical amplifier 2 and sent to the optical distributor 3. The optical distributor 3 distributes the high-level signal light amplified by the optical amplifier 2 to a plurality of optical paths. The signal light distributed by the optical distributor 3 is output from the optical output port 5 via the plurality of safety mechanisms 4 shown in FIG. When there is no disconnection in the optical line, there is little reflected return light from the optical line, so the light blocking unit 9 of the safety mechanism 4 does not block the light, and the signal light incident on the safety mechanism 4 is It is sent as it is.

Here, if the optical connector of a certain optical line on the output side is detached or the previous optical line is disconnected from the optical output port 5 for some reason, the optical connector in the optical line or the cut portion of the optical connector is disconnected. The reflected return light increases rapidly. This reflected return light is branched by the optical coupler 6, and is reflected at a higher level than normal.
It is incident on the electric signal converter 7. Optical / electrical signal converter 7
Converts the reflected return light into an electric signal and sends it to the light blocking unit control unit 8. The light blocking unit control unit 8 operates the light blocking unit 9 by receiving the electric signal from the light / electric signal conversion unit 7 to cut off the light path.

As described above, in the optical amplifying and distributing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the safety mechanism 4 connected to the optical line detects that the optical line on the output side is disconnected. Since the light blocking section 9 of the safety mechanism 4 is configured to be blocked, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of leakage light and to prevent the light output port where the optical line is not broken from being affected. The problem of deteriorating the transmission signal quality of all the optical lines ahead of the amplification and distribution device can be avoided.

[0011]

As described above, according to the optical amplifying and distributing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a high-level output light on a broken optical line from causing a danger to a human body. Also, since there is no need to block the signal light of another output port where there is no fear of leakage light or to lower the output level, it is possible to prevent the optical amplifier / distributor from affecting the preceding optical line. . Therefore, the reliability of the optical communication system can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an optical amplification and distribution device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a safety mechanism that operates when an optical line is disconnected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 optical amplification and distribution device 2 optical amplifier 3 optical distributor 4 safety mechanism that operates when optical line is disconnected 5 optical output port 6 optical coupler 7 optical / electrical signal conversion unit 8 optical cutoff control unit 9 optical cutoff unit

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission Date] May 6, 1999 (1999.5.6)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoko Itohara 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H037 AA01 BA31 DA37 5K002 AA06 BA04 BA21 CA13 EA03 EA05 FA01

Claims (2)

[Claims] An optical amplifier for receiving the signal light and amplifying the signal light; an optical distributor for distributing the signal light transmitted from the optical amplifier to a plurality of optical paths; An optical amplification / distribution device having a plurality of optical output ports for outputting respective divided signal lights, wherein the plurality of optical output ports are connected to the plurality of optical paths between the optical distributor and the plurality of optical output ports. An optical amplification / distribution device, comprising: a light blocking unit for blocking an optical path of signal light to the optical output port when a disconnection in a detected optical line is detected. 2. An optical coupler for branching reflected return light from the optical line, an optical / electrical signal converter for converting the reflected return light branched by the optical coupler into an electric signal, and the optical / electrical signal converter.
An optical amplification / distribution device comprising a control unit for transmitting a signal for driving the light blocking unit by an electric signal from an electric signal converter.