Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes an optical noise generator and a noise combiner. The noise generator is configured to produce an optical signal having a noise channel. The noise combiner is configured to combine an optical data channel with the noise channel received at one or more add ports to produce an optical output signal. A controller is configured to operate the noise generator or the noise combiner to provide a variable bandwidth of added noise combined with the optical data channel.

Abstract: An optical transmitter multiplexes multiple optical channels for transmission over an optical communication medium. The spectrum of modulated signal in each optical channel is lowpass filtered in the electrical (digital) domain at half the channel baud rate such that super Nyquist signal multiplexing can be achieved in the optical domain without having to perform optical filtering. An optical coupler may be used to multiplex the multiple optical channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selectable parallel optical fiber and WDM operation may include an optoelectronic transceiver integrated in a silicon photonics die. The optoelectronic transceiver may, in a first communication mode, communicate continuous wave (CW) optical signals from an optical source module to a first subset of optical couplers on the die for processing signals in optical modulators in accordance with a first communications protocol, and in a second communication mode, communicate the CW optical signals to a second subset of optical couplers for processing signals in the optical modulators in accordance with a second communications protocol. Processed signals may be transmitted out of the die utilizing a third subset of the optical couplers. First or second protocol optical signals may be received from the fiber interface coupled to a fourth subset or a fifth subset, respectively, of the optical couplers.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for feedback during optical communications are provided. In one embodiment, a system for optical communications comprises a predistortion module, a feedback subsystem, a transmit optical subsystem, and an external modulator. The predistortion module is operable to receive an input digital signal and modify the input digital signal to produce a digital predistorted signal. The transmit optical subsystem is operable to generate an optical signal from the digital predistorted signal. The modification of the input digital signal is dynamically controlled by the feedback subsystem according to one or more characteristics of the optical signal as determined by the feedback subsystem. The amplitude of the external modulator output is also dynamically controlled by the feedback subsystem.

Abstract: A skew compensation apparatus and method. In an optical system that uses optical signals, skew may be generated as the optical signals are processed from an input optical signal to at least two electrical signals representative of the phase-differentiated optical signals. A compensation of the skew is provided by including an optical delay line in the path of the optical signal that does not suffer the skew (e.g., that serves as the time base for the skew measurement). The optical delay line introduces a delay Tskew equal to the delay suffered by the optical signal that is not taken as the time base. The two signals are thereby corrected for skew.

Abstract: Example embodiments and methods of the present invention relate to utilizing optical transmitters and optical receivers embedded within reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers of optical nodes to identify problematic optical spans within an optical network.

Abstract: In an optical communication system, an optical transmitter changes operational physical layer parameters to meet future target throughput for the optical communication system. The optical transmitter communicates the upcoming change to the optical receiver in a message that used current physical layer parameters. The optical transmitter provides sufficient time to the optical receiver to adjust reception functions of the receiver, including polarization based demodulation scheme. In some implementations, the optical transmitter performs the transition to a new physical layer transmission format without waiting for an acknowledgement from the optical receiver.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments described a transmission scheme for use in a bi-directional Free Space Optical (FSO) communication system. Each node locally stores a transmitted data block until and acknowledgement is received that it was properly decoded. In the event that a decode was unsuccessful, the data is retransmitted. The receiving node may then add the received signals to then attempt a decode on a combined signal. The system may also include dynamic controls such that the retransmitted signal may be optimized to improve the probability of a successful decode.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical communication system in coherent optical transmissions for metro applications. Relative to conventional solutions, the optical communication system can be implemented with reduced cost and can operate with reduced power consumption, while maintaining high data rate performance (e.g., 100 G). Furthermore, a programmable transceiver enables compatibility with a range of different types of optical networks having varying performance and power tradeoffs. In one embodiment, the optical communication system uses 100 Gb/s dual-polarization 16-point quadrature amplitude modulation (DP-16QAM) with non-linear pre-compensation of Indium Phosphide (InP) optics for low power consumption.

Abstract: A method and system for high-precision two-way fiber-optic time transfer comprising pre-adjusting, including calculating a local timing signal adjustment amount for a first fiber-optic time synchronization unit and a second fiber-optic time synchronization unit, and the corresponding adjusting. and following steps including the two fiber-optic time synchronization units conducting two-way time transfer based on a time division multiplexing transmission over an optical fiber link. The present invention realizes high-precision fiber-optic time transfer by combining two-way time transfer and bidirectional time division multiplexing technique.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for feedback during optical communications are provided. In one embodiment, a system for optical communications comprises a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a driver, and a transmit optical subsystem. The DAC is operable to receive a digital code of a plurality of digital codes and output an analog current signal having an analog current level of a plurality of analog current levels. The driver is operable to condition the analog current signal output from the digital-to-analog converter. The transmit optical subsystem is operable to generate an optical signal from the conditioned analog current signal. A digital modification of an input digital signal is dynamically controlled by a feedback path according to one or more characteristics of the optical signal. The one or more characteristics comprise a nonlinearity that may be temperature dependent.

Abstract: A device is provided that mitigates the effects of an optical network unit (ONU) that is in a rogue state. A main processor is arranged as part of a monolithic semiconductor chip, the main processor configured to process signals from an optical telecommunication connection. A laser driver controls a laser coupled to the laser driver. Hardware logic is arranged as part of the monolithic semiconductor chip and arranged physically separate from the main processor. The hardware logic independently effects the laser driver to turn the laser off or reduce power output of the laser significantly to mitigate the effects of the ONU in the rogue state.

Abstract: A multiplexer/demultiplexer is provided comprising a capillary filter block, a capillary adhesive, a signal-routing block, and an index-matching adhesive. The capillary adhesive resides in the capillary interstices of the capillary filter block and the index-matching adhesive forms an optical and mechanical interface between the signal-routing block and the capillary filter block. The layer thickness of the index-matching adhesive accommodates for extra-planar surface irregularities in the bonding face of the signal routing block and extra-planar variations along the proximal ends of the component filter blocks of the capillary filter block. The capillary filter block can be formed from a plurality of component filter blocks by dicing multiple component filter blocks from a filter block substrate, placing the component filter blocks adjacent to one another, and using capillary force to draw adhesive between adjacent sidewalls of component filter blocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communications in a passive optical network (PON) system are provided. An optical line terminal (OLT) generates a PON downstream Physical Layer (PHY) frame comprising a downstream physical synchronization block (PSBd) that comprises a wavelength identification (ID) of at least one downstream wavelength of the plurality of downstream wavelengths. The OLT sends the PON PHY frame comprising the wavelength ID in the PSBd to ONU for confirming the at least one downstream wavelength.

Abstract: An optical transceiver for use in network device in a packet network is provided. The network device may not be capable of providing a ring topology without use of the apparatus. The network device is configured to support at least two optical interfaces and an electrical interface, and coupled to an optical link. The optical transceiver includes a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, and a scheduler coupled to the processor. The scheduler of the optical transceiver is configured to perform as an information base for forwarding and transferring of packets and to use an optical link as a packet buffer.

Abstract: A method, an optical node, and an optical network include a power controller configured to bring channels in-service in parallel over multiple cascaded optical nodes quickly, efficiently, and in a non-service affecting manner. The method, node, and network utilize multiple states of a control loop that maintains a stable response in downstream optical nodes as channels are added in parallel. Further, the power controller is configured to operate independently alleviating dependencies on other power controllers and removing the need for coordination between power controllers. The method, node, and network provide efficient turn up of dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) services which is critical to optical layer functionality including optical layer restoration.

Abstract: Methods and systems for optimizing the transmission of superchannels with different modulation formats may include pre-calculating different guardband (GB) values between superchannels and sets of power values for subcarriers to implement subcarrier power pre-emphasis (SPP). When a request for an optical path is received at a network management system, the spectral allocation of each superchannel, including a GB, is determined according to pre-specified rules based on co-propagation of the superchannels with different modulation formats.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing path protection for rate-adaptive optics is provided. As part of the method, an aggregate input bit stream is received. The aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted using a rate-adaptive optical transceiver when transmitting on a first optical path. When the first optical path has a fault, the aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted on a second optical path using the rate-adaptive optical transceiver and a fixed-rate optical transceiver.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for wavelength shift elimination during spectral inversion in optical networks. The method includes receiving an input optical signal, and generating a combined optical signal by combining, by Bragg scattering, the input optical signal having an input wavelength with a first pump signal having a first wavelength. The method further includes converting the combined optical signal into an output optical signal, by phase-conjugation, using a second pump signal having a second wavelength. The output optical signal has the same wavelength as the input optical signal.

Abstract: A first photodetector is interconnected with a control unit equipped with a communication interface and powered by a power supply module. An output of a first optical filter is connected to an input of a first photodetector via a second optical filter, while a second output of the second optical filter is connected to an input of a second photodetector. An output of the second photodetector is connected to a control unit. A split branch of a third directional coupler is connected to the input of a third photodetector, the output of which is connected to the control unit. A split branch of a fourth directional coupler is connected to the input of a fourth photodetector, the output of which is connected to the control unit.