Apparatuses and methods for digital subcarrier parameter modifications for optical communication networks

A node comprising:

• an optical transmitter comprising a digital signal processor, comprising:
• forward error correction circuitry that provides encoded first electrical signals based on input data;
• and
• power adjusting circuitry that receives second electrical signals indicative of the first electrical signals, the power adjusting circuitry supplying third electrical signals, wherein each of the third electrical signals corresponds to an optical power level of a corresponding one of a plurality of optical subcarriers output from the optical transmitter;
• and
• a control circuit that receives fourth electrical signals indicative of received power level of one or more of the plurality of optical subcarriers, provided by a receiver that detects one or more of the plurality of optical subcarriers output from the optical transmitter, whereby the control circuit adjusts the power adjusting circuitry based on the received fourth electrical signals.

A transmitter, comprising:

• a digital signal processor receiving a plurality of independent data streams, the digital signal processor supplying outputs based on the plurality of independent data streams, the outputs including a first digital subcarrier having a first frequency bandwidth and a second digital subcarrier having a second frequency bandwidth different than the first frequency bandwidth;
• one or more digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the outputs of the digital signal processor to voltage signal outputs;
• a laser configured to output an optical light beam;
• and
• a modulator configured to modulate the optical light beam, based on the voltage signal outputs, to output a modulated optical signal including a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the outputs of the digital signal processor, wherein a first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a first one of the plurality of independent data streams, and a second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a second one of the plurality of independent data streams, wherein the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first optical bandwidth and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second optical bandwidth different than the first optical bandwidth, and the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first level of optical power and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second level of optical power different than the first level of optical power.

An optical network system, comprising:

• a hub, comprising:
• a transmitter, comprising:
• a digital signal processor receiving a plurality of independent data streams, the digital signal processor supplying outputs based on the plurality of independent data streams, the outputs including a first digital subcarrier having a first frequency bandwidth and a second digital subcarrier having a second frequency bandwidth different than the first frequency bandwidth;
• one or more digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the outputs of the digital signal processor to voltage signal outputs;
• a laser configured to output an optical light beam;
• and
• a modulator configured to modulate the optical light beam, based on the voltage signal outputs, to output a modulated optical signal including a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the outputs of the digital signal processor, wherein a first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a first one of the plurality of independent data streams, and a second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a second one of the plurality of independent data streams, wherein the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first optical bandwidth and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second optical bandwidth different than the first optical bandwidth, and the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first level of optical power and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second level of optical power different than the first level of power;
• a first edge node comprising a receiver configured to receive one or more of the plurality of optical subcarriers;
• a second edge node comprising a receiver configured to receive one or more of the plurality of optical subcarriers;
• a first transmission path between the hub and the first edge node;
• and
• a second transmission path between the hub and the second edge node, wherein the second transmission path differs from the first transmission path.

An optical network system, comprising:

• two or more edge nodes, each edge node comprising:
• a transmitter, comprising:
• a digital signal processor receiving a plurality of independent data streams, the digital signal processor supplying outputs based on the plurality of independent data streams, the outputs including a first digital subcarrier having a first frequency bandwidth and a second digital subcarrier having a second frequency bandwidth different than the first frequency bandwidth;
• one or more digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the outputs of the digital signal processor to voltage signal outputs;
• a laser configured to output an optical light beam;
• and
• a modulator configured to modulate the optical light beam, based on the voltage signal outputs, to output a modulated optical signal including a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the outputs of the digital signal processor, wherein a first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a first one of the plurality of independent data streams, and a second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers carries data indicative of a second one of the plurality of independent data streams, wherein the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first optical bandwidth and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second optical bandwidth different than the first optical bandwidth, and the first one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a first level of optical power and the second one of the plurality of optical subcarriers has a second level of optical power different than the first level of optical power;
• a hub comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive one or more of the plurality of optical subcarriers;
• and
• a transmitter;
• a first transmission path between a first one of the two or more edge nodes and the hub;
• and
• a second transmission path between a second one of the two or more edge nodes and the hub, wherein the second transmission path differs from the first transmission path.