Tunable optical discriminator
AssigneeXtera Communications, Inc.
InventorsSteven Webb, David Winterburn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a method and apparatus for tuning an optical discriminator to the carrier frequency of an optical signal to allow superior reception of said signal. The carrier frequency of the signal is dithered during a test phase in order to provide information that allows a subsequent tuning phase to optimise the reception of the optical signal, as measured by a signal quality metric. The tuning phase may comprise adjustment of one or both of the carrier frequency and the optical discriminator.
Claims25
An optical transmission system comprising:
- an optical source for transmitting an optical signal at a carrier frequency;
- an optical discriminator for receiving the optical signal, the optical discriminator having an output;
- and,
- a controller adapted to dither the carrier frequency to obtain a relationship between a signal quality metric at the output and the carrier frequency, the controller being further adapted to tune the optical discriminator or the carrier frequency in dependence on the relationship.
A method for tuning components in an optical system, the method comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal to an optical discriminator having an output, the optical signal having a carrier frequency;
- dithering the carrier frequency to obtain a relationship between a signal quality metric at the output and the carrier frequency;
- and
- tuning the carrier frequency or the discriminator in dependence on the relationship.
An optical transmitter, comprising:
- an optical source for transmitting an optical signal at a carrier frequency to an optical discriminator having an output, and
- a controller adapted to dither the carrier frequency to obtain a relationship between a signal quality metric at the output and the carrier frequency, the controller being further adapted to tune the optical discriminator or the carrier frequency in dependence on the relationship.
An optical receiver, comprising:
- a discriminator having an output for receiving an optical signal having a carrier frequency, and
- a controller adapted to dither the carrier frequency to obtain a relationship between a signal quality metric at the output and the carrier frequency, the controller being further adapted to tune the optical discriminator or the carrier frequency in dependence on the relationship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.