Hitless, Multi-Rate Optical Transmission And Reception

A method for use in an optical communication device, comprising:

• encoding a first portion of a data sequence according to a first modulation format that provides a first transmission data rate;
• generating rate change signaling information to indicate a rate change from the first transmission data rate to a second transmission data rate different from the first transmission data rate, wherein the second transmission data rate is provided by a second modulation format different from the first modulation format;
• encoding a second portion of the data sequence in a third modulation format to provide a continuous data transmission during the rate change;
• encoding a third portion of the data sequence according to the second modulation format;
• generating an optical signal based on the first portion, the rate change signaling information, the second portion, and the third portion;
• and
• transmitting the generated optical signal towards an optical receiver via an optical network.

A coherent optical receiver comprising:

• a frontend configured to:
• receive an optical signal that carries a multi-rate data signal associated with a first transmission data rate and a second transmission data rate;
• and
• convert the optical signal into one or more digital electrical signals;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to the frontend and configured to:
• decode a first portion of the digital electrical signals according to a first modulation format associated with the first transmission data rate;
• detect a rate change signaling block in the digital electrical signals that indicates a rate change from the first transmission data rate to the second transmission data rate associated with a second modulation format;
• and
• decode a second portion of the digital electrical signals received after the rate change signaling block according to the second modulation format.