System and method for automatic recovery from a control loop failure

1. An apparatus for automatic recovery from a control loop failure, comprising:

a feedback loop coupled to an optical amplifier and operable to produce a gain associated with the optical amplifier;

a pump laser included within the feedback loop and coupled to the optical amplifier, the pump laser operable to generate optical energy that is fed to the optical amplifier, the feedback loop operable to provide a current to the pump laser used to generate the optical energy at a selected one or more inputs of the optical amplifier;

a reprogramming element coupled to the feedback loop and operable to set the current that is provided to the pump laser; and

a recovery controller coupled to the feedback loop and operable to store one or more characteristics associated with the feedback loop that produce the gain, the recovery controller operable to communicate a signal to the reprogramming element that directs the reprogramming element to provide a selected current value of the current to the pump laser in response to a failure in the feedback loop.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical amplifier adjusts an output power value in response to the pump laser in response to a change in input power provided to the optical amplifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an automatic gain control included within the feedback loop and operable to compute an amplifier gain value associated with the optical amplifier, the automatic gain control operable to adjust one or more currents supplied to the pump laser in response to the amplifier gain value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a monitoring element coupled to the pump laser and the reprogramming element and operable to provide a signal to the recovery controller that reflects a current value associated with the pump laser, the monitoring element operable to ensure that a current supplied to the pump laser does not exceed a maximum threshold specified for the pump laser.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein notification of the failure is communicated by an error signal sent to the recovery controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a laser power monitoring element operable to monitor power values provided to the pump laser and to communicate the power values to the recovery controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical amplifier comprises a semiconductor material that is doped with erbium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the recovery controller is a selected one of a field programmable gate array, a digital signal processor, and a micro-controller.

9. A method for automatic recovery from a control loop failure, comprising:

controlling a current to a pump laser generating optical energy at a selected one or more inputs of an optical amplifier in order to produce a gain associated with the optical amplifier;

storing one or more characteristics associated with a feedback loop coupled to the optical amplifier that produce the gain;

communicating a signal to identify an occurrence of an error associated with the feedback loop; and

providing a selected current value associated with the current of the pump laser to an element such that the optical amplifier is restored to a state associated with the optical amplifier prior to the failure according to the stored characteristics associated with the feedback loop.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

computing an amplifier gain value associated with the optical amplifier comparing the amplifier gain value to a target gain;

adjusting one or more currents supplied to the optical amplifier in order to substantially conform to the target gain.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

communicating, by an error signal, a notification of an error in the feedback loop to a recovery controller; and

responding to the notification by implementing a protocol that provides a predetermined current to the optical amplifier in order to restore the optical amplifier to the state associated with the optical amplifier prior to the failure.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

monitoring power values provided to a pump laser coupled to the optical amplifier; and

communicating the power values to the recovery controller, wherein information associated with the power values may be used by the recovery controller to adjust the feedback loop in the event that the pump laser fails.

13. A system for automatic recovery from a control loop failure, comprising:

means for producing a gain associated with an optical amplifier;

means for controlling a current associated with optical energy provided at a selected one or more inputs of the optical amplifier;

means for generating optical energy for the optical amplifier;

means for storing one or more characteristics associated with producing the gain;

means for restoring the optical amplifier to a state associated with the optical amplifier prior to a failure according to the one or more stored characteristics.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for adjusting a power value to the optical amplifier in response to a change in input power at the optical amplifier.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for computing an amplifier gain value associated with the optical amplifier;

means for comparing the amplifier gain value to a target gain;

means for adjusting one or more currents in order to substantially conform to the target gain.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

means for providing a signal that reflects a current value associated with the pump valve;

means for ensuring that a current supplied does not exceed a maximum threshold.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for communicating an error signal in response to a failure in producing the gain.

18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for monitoring power values used in producing the gain;

means for communicating the power values;

means for adjusting gain in response to the power values.

19. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

storing a history of characteristics.

20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting one or more characteristics from the history;

restoring the optical amplifier according to the selected characteristics.