Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for adjusting slicing parameters, such as a voltage threshold and a phase sampling point, used in recovering 1's and 0's from a signal so as to reduce a bit error rate (BER) of the signal. The BER is modelled as a second order polynomial of the slicing parameters. The BER is repeatedly determined from a Forward Error Correction corrected bits counter. For each BER measurement the model is updated, using for example a recursive least squares fit. New values of the slicing parameters are then determined by carrying out an iteration of an optimization, such as a Levenberg-Marquardt optimization, using the model. The new values of the slicing parameters are passed to a Clock and Data Recovery module. Various conditions are checked before updating the model or determining the new values of the slicing parameters, such as changes in signal power or high BERs which exceed the error correction capabilities of the forward error correction.

Abstract: A system and method for spectral conditioning an optical signal. An optical filter has an input for receiving an emitted optical signal and an output providing a filtered optical signal. The filter has a corresponding filter profile which includes a high wavelength skirt at an upper wavelength region of the filter profile. A laser is optically coupled to the optical filter input and emits the emitted optical signal. The laser is controllable to emit the optical signal at a wavelength proximate to the optical filter high wavelength skirt.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for adjusting slicing parameters, such as a voltage threshold and a phase sampling point, used in recovering 1's and 0's from a signal so as to reduce a bit error rate (BER) of the signal. The BER is modelled as a second order polynomial of the slicing parameters. The BER is repeatedly determined from a Forward Error Correction corrected bits counter. For each BER measurement the model is updated, using for example a recursive least squares fit. New values of the slicing parameters are then determined by carrying out an iteration of an optimization, such as a Levenberg-Marquardt optimization, using the model. The new values of the slicing parameters are passed to a Clock and Data Recovery module. Various conditions are checked before updating the model or determining the new values of the slicing parameters, such as changes in signal power or high BERs which exceed the error correction capabilities of the forward error correction.

Abstract: A system and method for spectral conditioning an optical signal. An optical filter has an input for receiving an emitted optical signal and an output providing a filtered optical signal. The filter has a corresponding filter profile which includes a high wavelength skirt at an upper wavelength region of the filter profile. A laser is optically coupled to the optical filter input and emits the emitted optical signal. The laser is controllable to emit the optical signal at a wavelength proximate to the optical filter high wavelength skirt.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for efficiently regenerating an incoming data signal at a sampling point which is continually optimized independently of the regeneration process. While the incoming data signal is being regenerated in a regeneration unit, the invention uses a monitoring unit for concurrently optimizing the slicing threshold and sampling phase used in the regeneration unit without disturbing the on-going data regeneration. The invention uses a master-slave arrangement to regenerate the incoming data signal whereby the regenerating unit is updated with a new slicing threshold and sampling phase only after the new slicing threshold and sampling phase are fully optimized by the monitoring unit. In this way, the data regeneration can proceed unaffected by the optimization of the slicing threshold and sampling phase which, as a result can be continuously optimized without inducing any errors into the regenerated data.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for efficiently regenerating an incoming data signal at a sampling point which is continually optimized independently of the regeneration process. While the incoming data signal is being regenerated in a regeneration unit, the invention uses a monitoring unit for concurrently optimizing the slicing threshold and sampling phase used in the regeneration unit without disturbing the on-going data regeneration. The invention uses a master-slave arrangement to regenerate the incoming data signal whereby the regenerating unit is updated with a new slicing threshold and sampling phase only after the new slicing threshold and sampling phase are fully optimized by the monitoring unit. In this way, the data regeneration can proceed unaffected by the optimization of the slicing threshold and sampling phase which, as a result can be continuously optimized without inducing any errors into the regenerated data.