Fast, continuously variable automatic gain control for optical amplifiers

1. An Automatic Gain Controller (AGC) for controlling a gain of an optical amplifier, the AGC comprising:

a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller, having proportional and integral control coefficients K p and K i respectively, that are dynamically adjusted, the controller connectable to the optical amplifier to provide the optical amplifier with a bias condition that controls the gain provided by the optical amplifier;

an output power monitor connectable to the optical amplifier for taking at least one output power measurement from the optical amplifier; and

a dynamic control block that dynamically adjusts at least one of the control coefficients in relation to the at least one power measurement.

2. The AGC of claim 1 in combination with said optical amplifier.

3. The AGC of claim 1 whereby the controller further controls the gain of the optical amplifier by taking into consideration an average output power measurement of the outputted power of the optical amplifier.

4. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic control block dynamically adjusts the proportional control coefficient K p in relation to the at least one output power measurement.

5. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic control block dynamically adjusts the integral control coefficient K i in relation to the at least one output power measurement.

6. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic control block dynamically adjusts both the proportional and integral control coefficients K p and K i in relation to the at least one output power measurement.

7. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the optical amplifier is Fiber Amplifier (FA).

8. The AGC of claim 1 further comprising:

an input power monitor connectable to the optical amplifier for taking at least one input power measurement from the optical amplifier;

a multiplier for combining the at least one input power measurement with a gain target to produce a target output power;

a subtractor for generating an error signal by taking a difference of the target output power and the at least one output power measurement; and

wherein the difference is coupled into the controller.

9. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic control block adjusts K p according to K p =K i ×τ p , where τ p is the time constant of a dominant pole in a transfer function of the PI controller.

10. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein each time an output power measurement is taken the dynamic control block computes K p .

11. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein each time an output power measurement is taken the dynamic control block selects the values for K p from a look-up table.

12. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the bias condition provided by the PI controller is a pump driver voltage.

13. The AGC of claim 1 , wherein the optical amplifier is an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA).

14. The AGC of claim 2 further comprising a laser driver coupled between the optical amplifier and the PI controller.

15. The AGC of claim 2 , wherein the optical amplifier is comprised of an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) and a laser driver, wherein the laser driver is connected to receive the bias condition and coverts the bias condition to an optical pump power that in tun drives the EDFA.

16. The AGC of claim 9 , wherein τ p is related to the at least one output power measurement by a function that approximates a characteristic response of the optical amplifier.

17. A method of controlling an optical amplifier comprising:

i) measuring input and output power levels with respective input and output power monitors to obtain at least one input power measurement and at least one output power measurement;

ii) multiplying the at least one input power measurement by a gain target to produce a target output power;

iii) subtracting the at least one output power measurement from the target output power to produce an error signal; and

iv) applying the error signal to a Proportional-Integral (I) controller having a proportional coefficient K p that is continuously updated according to output power measurements such that K p is adjusted to substantially cancel a varying cut-off frequency of the optical amplifier, which in turn drives the optical amplifier.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the PI controller's proportional coefficient K p is updated according to K p =K i ×τ p , where τ p is a time constant of a dominant pole in a transfer function of the PI controller and K i is an in control coefficient of the PI controller.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the optical amplifier is an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) that is nominally controlled by the AGC to provide an output signal with a tilted spectrum.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the optical amplifier is a Fiber Amplifier (FA) that is nominally controlled by the AGC to provide an output signal with a tilted spectrum to combat SRS-based transients.

21. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the optical amplifier is an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) that is nominally controlled by the AGC to provide an output signal with a tilted spectrum to combat SRS-based transients.

22. The method according to claim 18 , wherein τ p is related to the at least one output power measurement by a function that approximates a characteristic response of the optical amplifier.

23. The method according the claim 20 , wherein the tilted spectrum is generated by use of a combination of a static gain shaping filter and design gain tilt properties of the FA and a Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA).

24. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the tilted spectrum is generated by use of a combination of a static gain shaping filter and design gain tilt properties of the EDFA and a Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA).