MetroPhotonics unveils high-speed controller for optical power monitoring
June 10, 2004 Ottawa, Canada -- MetroPhotonics Inc., developer of photonic integrated circuits, has announced general availability of the SurePath Monitor Controller module, a high speed hardware/firmware solution developed for embedding the SurePath Monitor optical power monitor directly into network elements.
The high-speed controller is designed to leverage the speed of the SurePath Monitor, a monolithic InP-based optical power monitor. The controller allows easy integration of the SurePath Monitor into modules and systems and provides complete control, interfacing, and network reporting for all 43 channels in under 5 ms, claim company representatives. It is offered to customers as a physical controller with the optical circuitry or as a reference design.
"Given the commercial success of our SurePath Monitor, we are pleased to now offer our customers an easily integrated controller that provides accurate and reliable network information," reports Adrian O'Donnell, chief technology officer of MetroPhotonics. "The high speed controller is a significant element in simplifying and accelerating a customer's product development."
Ideal for rapid module development, the SurePath Monitor Controller solution is equipped with either RS232 or I2C serial communications ports, features a wide dynamic range of -40 dBm to 0 dBm, and maintains accuracy even at 15-dB channel power excursion. Applications for the controller include power monitoring, direct integration with network elements such as EDFAs and ROADMs, and high-speed control of network elements such as dynamic gain equalizers, dynamic channel equalizers, variable multiplexers, reconfigurable add-drop, and optical cross-connects.