Systems and methods for relative phase measurement and alignment of 66B encoded signals

An apparatus, at a receiver, configured for relative phase measurement and alignment of 66B encoded signals, the apparatus comprising:

• circuitry configured to receive a plurality of 66B encoded signals each comprising sync headers which are periodically converted;
• circuitry configured to determine a phase of each of the plurality of 66B encoded signals based on the periodically converted sync headers, wherein the periodically converted sync headers comprise changing one of a first bit and a second bit of the sync header;
• and
• circuitry configured to align the phase of each of the plurality of 66B encoded signals based on the determined phase of each of the plurality of 66B encoded signals.

An Optical Transport Network (OTN) mapper/demapper for relative phase measurement and alignment of 66B encoded signals, the OTN mapper/demapper comprising:

• sync header conversion process circuitry configured to receive a plurality of 66B encoded signals;
• a controller configured to periodically direct the sync header conversion process to concurrently convert sync headers for the plurality of 66B encoded signals, wherein the periodically converted sync headers comprise changing one of a first bit and a second bit of the sync header;
• sync header conversion lock process circuitry configured to measure a phase of each of the plurality of 66B encoded signals received based on the converted sync headers;
• delay elements configured to delay the plurality of 66B encoded signals based on the measured phase;
• and
• OTN mapping and framing circuitry configured to map/demap and frame/deframe the plurality of 66B encoded signals.