SBIR Phase II: All-Optical Method to Detect and Diagnose Optical Faults in Advanced Optical Networks

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a prototype optical network monitoring system based on the enabling technology demonstrated in Phase I. Optical networks must be continuously supervised to ensure high availability and reliability. Advanced networks will use optical routing for cost savings and provisioning flexibility. This trend obsoletes current optical signal quality monitoring techniques. The proposed system, designed specifically for these advanced networks, utilizes an all-optical, in-channel detection method. It not only monitors performance but also performs on-line diagnosis of optical faults. This system operates in a real network environment including the presence of polarization mode dispersion, a phenomena which has frustrated other monitoring approaches. This technology is targeted to develop advanced networks that cost 50% less to deploy and maintain than existing systems. This represents an enormous cost savings for telecommunications carriers and ultimately all data communications consumers. The demand for telecommunications bandwidth continues to grow rapidly. The market for optical networking equipment and strong growth is predicted.