Photonic transceiver architecture with loopback functionality
AssigneeAurrion, Inc.
InventorsJohn M. Garcia, Anand Ramaswamy, Gregory Alan Fish
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments describe transceiver architectures to enable ‘loopback’ operation, thereby allowing or on-chip or intra module characterization of the transceiver. This includes but is not limited to tests such as bit error rate (BER) characterization, received power characterization and calibration of filters (MUX, DMUX etc.) present in the transceiver. Embodiments may also describe architectures for superimposing low-speed data on to the signal coming out of a transmitter, which in turn enables low frequency communication between network elements in the external link.
Claims19
A transmission component, comprising:
- a plurality of lasers configured to produce single-wavelength light at different wavelengths;
- a multiplexer configured to combine the single-wavelength light from the plurality of lasers into a multi-wavelength light signal;
- a switch configured to selectively pulse the multi-wavelength light signal according to received data to impose the received data on the multi-wavelength light signal to form a pulsed multi-wavelength light signal;
- and
- an output port configured to output the pulsed multi-wavelength light signal.
A method, comprising:
- producing, by a plurality of lasers, single-wavelength light at a plurality of different wavelengths;
- combining, using a multiplexer, the single-wavelength light from the plurality of lasers into a multi-wavelength light signal;
- selectively pulsing the multi-wavelength light signal according to received data to impose the received data on the multi-wavelength light signal to form a pulsed multi-wavelength light signal;
- and
- outputting the pulsed multi-wavelength light signal.
A transmission component, comprising:
- a plurality of lasers configured to produce single-wavelength light at different wavelengths;
- a multiplexer configured to combine the single-wavelength light from the plurality of lasers into a multi-wavelength light signal;
- an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer configured to selectively switch the multi-wavelength light signal between an output channel and a loopback path;
- a detector configured to detect a portion of the multi-wavelength light signal directed into the output channel;
- a controller configured to control the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer synchronously with the received data in response to a signal from the detector, the controller further configured to control the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer to maximize the signal from the detector when the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer directs the multi-wavelength light signal into the output channel, and minimize the signal from the detector when the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer directs the multi-wavelength light signal into the loopback path, the controller and the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer forming a pulsed multi-wavelength light signal;
- and
- an output port configured to output the pulsed multi-wavelength light signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.