Abstract: A method is provided for detecting the skew between parallel light signals generated from a serial data stream. The method can be used with polarization multiplexed signal, as well as with wavelength division multiplexed signals, spatial division multiplexed signals, phase modulated signals, or intensity modulated signals. The method can be used with direct detection schemes as well as with coherent detection schemes. The method is provided with: imprinting dips between a fixed number of transmitted symbols of the parallel signals; detecting an electrical signal related to the dips for each parallel signal; and comparing the electrical signals in delay.

Abstract: An optical disk drive for recording data in accordance with a recording strategy determines a recording strategy of an unknown optical disk through comparatively-simple processing. When a loaded optical disk is an unknown disk, a control section reads a recommended recording strategy from a predetermined area on the loaded optical disk and reads correction parameters corresponding to the loaded optical disk from memory. The control section makes a correction to the read, recommended recording strategy in accordance with the correction parameters, and converts a recording pattern into a recording pulse in accordance with the corrected, recommended recording strategy. After conversion of the recording pattern into the recording pulse, the control section performs OPC and subsequently commences recording of actual data.

Abstract: An optical communication system in which optical transmitter 101 that modulates an electric signal to an optical signal and transmits the optical signal and optical receiver 108 that receives the optical signal are connected via transmission path 107, wherein, when a change in the dispersion amount of chromatic dispersion caused by the optical signal passing through transmission path 107 is nearly eliminated, optical transmitter 101 and optical receiver 108 decrease the absolute value of a receiver-side dispersion compensation amount while keeping the total value of a transmitter-side dispersion compensation amount for compensating for the dispersion amount by optical transmitter 101 and the receiver-side dispersion compensation amount for compensating for the dispersion amount by optical receiver 108 substantially constant.

Abstract: An evaluation method of an optical receiver of an optical communication system, including a DPSK (Differential Phase Shift Keying) signal modulated by a specific data series, a delay interferometer for performing delay detection on the DPSK signal, an optical receiver for receiving each of two optical outputs of the delay interferometer and outputting a difference signal, and a spectrum analyzer for measuring a spectrum of an output electrical signal of the optical receiver, comprising monitoring a specific frequency component of the spectrum analyzer and detecting a delay difference and a deviation in optical reception level between the two outputs of the delay interferometer and the optical receiver.

Abstract: A wavelength path communication node apparatus includes a wavelength path demultiplexer (321) which demultiplexes branched optical signals input to wavelength multiplexing ports into wavelength path signals, and outputs the wavelength path signals from wavelength demultiplexing ports corresponding to the respective wavelengths, a wavelength path multiplexer (322) which outputs wavelength path signals input to wavelength demultiplexing ports from wavelength multiplexing ports corresponding to the wavelengths of the wavelength path signals, a plurality of transponders (331) each of which converts a wavelength path signal input to a wavelength path transmission port into a client transmission signal to transmit the client transmission signal, and converts a received client reception signal into a wavelength path signal of a wavelength to output the wavelength path signal from a wavelength path reception port, a demultiplexing system optical matrix switch (323) which switches and connects the wavelength demultipl

Abstract: Transmission-side communication apparatus 100 using a DQPSK (differential quadrature phase-shift keying) scheme is provided with: optical carrier generation section 102 which generates an optical carrier the frequency of which switches among a plurality of different frequencies within one symbol period; and modulation section 103 with which DQPSK-modulates the optical carrier generated by the optical carrier generation means in accordance with a modulation signal at an interval of the symbol period. There are provided: single delay interference section 121 which receives an optical signal obtained by DQPSK-modulating an optical carrier the frequency of which switches among a plurality of different frequencies within one symbol period and outputs an output light obtained by causing the optical signal 104 and a delay optical signal thereof to interfere with each other; and photoelectric conversion section 124 which converts the output light outputted by the delay interference means to an electric signal.

Abstract: The optical modulator comprises an optical branching unit branching incident light into a first signal light and a second signal light; a first Mach-Zehnder modulator modulating the first signal light; a second Mach-Zehnder modulator modulating the second signal light; a phase shifter giving a fixed phase shift to the phase of the output light from the second Mach-Zehnder modulator; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the output light from the first Mach-Zehnder modulator and the output light from the phase shifter. The phase shifter gives the phase shift so that the two input lights to the optical multiplexer have a phase difference of 60 degrees, and the first and second Mach-Zehnder modulators are driven by three-level signals.

Abstract: The present invention converts each of the optical differential signals from DPSK demodulator from an optical signal into an electrical signal by using optical-electrical signal converters. Thereafter, each electrical signal is subjected to amplification adjustment at an appropriate amplification factor by variable amplifier, and an appropriate delay amount is added to each electrical signal by variable delay line, and thereafter data discrimination is performed by discriminator. Since two differential signals after DPSK demodulation are subjected to amplitude and delay adjustments, the need for optical parts is obviated enabling the use of electric circuits which can be integrated. Thus, the cost of the optical reception device will be reduced. Moreover, the since electric signals whose phases and amplitudes are equalized are inputted to discriminator, erroneous determination of data at discriminator will be reduced.

Abstract: A receiver includes wavelength demultiplexer for demultiplexing a received WDM light into light signals at respective central frequencies thereof, delay interferometer for converting a light signal output from wavelength demultiplexer into an intensity signal, and light detector for converting an output signal from delay interferometer into an electric signal. The interval between interferential frequencies of delay interferometer is 2/(2n+1) times the interval between the central frequencies of the WDM light. Logic inverting circuit outputs the output signal from the light detector while non-inverting or inverting the logic level thereof depending on the received central frequency.

Abstract: In the optical communication device and the optical communication system using DPSK modulation whose cost is low, whose size is small and whose power consumption is low, the N:1 multiplexer 125 generates a serial signal by multiplexing a parallel signal coded by the DPSK modulation coding units 115˜117 bit by bit on a time division basis. The electric-phase modulation optical converter 127 converts a serial signal into a phase modulation light. The N-bit delay interferometer 132 executes DPSK decoding with respect to a phase modulation light by comparison with an N-bit preceding optical signal. The optical-electric signal converter 134 converts a decoded intensity modulation light into an electric signal. The N:1 demultiplexer 136 divides an electric signal converted by the optical-electric signal converter 134 into a number N of signals bit by bit on a time division basis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light receiving apparatus using the DQPSK demodulation method. The light receiving apparatus comprises: one Mach-Zehnder interferometer for branching a received light signal into light signals at two arms to allow the branched two light signals to interfere with each other; one balanced photoelectric converter for converting the two interfered light signals, by using the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, into an electric signal corresponding to a difference between light intensities of the two light signals; and a phase adjuster for dynamically shifting the phase of a light signal passed through one of the two arms at the Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

Abstract: An evaluation method of an optical receiver of an optical communication system, including: a DPSK (Differential Phase Shift Keying) signal modulated by a specific data series; a delay interferometer for performing delay detection on the DPSK signal; an optical receiver for receiving each of two optical outputs of the delay interferometer and outputting a difference signal; and a spectrum analyzer for measuring a spectrum of an output electrical signal of the optical receiver, comprising: monitoring a specific frequency component of the spectrum analyzer and detecting a delay difference and a deviation in optical reception level between the two outputs of the delay interferometer and the optical receiver.

Abstract: An optical disk drive for recording data in accordance with a recording strategy determines a recording strategy of an unknown optical disk through comparatively-simple processing. When a loaded optical disk is an unknown disk, a control section reads a recommended recording strategy from a predetermined area on the loaded optical disk and reads correction parameters corresponding to the loaded optical disk from memory. The control section makes a correction to the read, recommended recording strategy in accordance with the correction parameters, and converts a recording pattern into a recording pulse in accordance with the corrected, recommended recording strategy. After conversion of the recording pattern into the recording pulse, the control section performs OPC and subsequently commences recording of actual data.

Abstract: Transmission delay time measurement is performed on a signal propagation path between respective points of two printed circuit boards connected by a coaxial cable. Measurement is made of a frequency-domain response of the cable and a first time-domain response of the propagation path at its sending point and a second time-domain response of the propagation path at its receiving point. From the first time-domain response and the frequency-domain response, estimation is made of a third time-domain response of the propagation path that would be observed at the receiving point if there is no waveform distortion on the surface of the printed circuit boards. Time-domain correlation is calculated between the second and third time-domain responses. A first delay time is determined from the estimated time-domain response and a second delay time is determined from the correlation. The first and second delay times are summed to yield the transmission delay time of the propagation path.

Abstract: Transmission delay time measurement is performed on a signal propagation path between respective points of two printed circuit boards connected by a coaxial cable. Measurement is made of a frequency-domain response of the cable and a first time-domain response of the propagation path at its sending point and a second time-domain response of the propagation path at its receiving point. From the first time-domain response and the frequency-domain response, estimation is made of a third time-domain response of the propagation path that would be observed at the receiving point if there is no waveform distortion on the surface of the printed circuit boards. Time-domain correlation is calculated between the second and third time-domain responses. A first delay time is determined from the estimated time-domain response and a second delay time is determined from the correlation. The first and second delay times are summed to yield the transmission delay time of the propagation path.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus for recording test data onto an optical disk while changing the level of recording power and determines the optimum recording power with reference to the quality of a reproduced signal of the test data. A modulation degree or a ? value is calculated from a reproduced signal of the test data, and the gradient of a change of the modulation degree or the ? value relative to the recording power Pw is calculated. Further, a target recording power is determined utilizing an area where the gradient of the change is relatively sharp, and the optimum recording power is determined based on the target recording power.

Abstract: An optical wavelength-multiplexing system allowing long distance transmission with reducing effects of noise and fiber nonlinealities is disclosed. First wavelength-multiplexing light and second wavelength-multiplexing light within a wavelength bandwidth of 100 nm or more are propagated in opposite directions through the same optical fiber. The wavelength band of the first wavelength-multiplexing light is set to a shorter wavelength side as compared to that of the second wavelength-multiplexing light. In addition, excitation light having a wavelength shorter than the wavelength band of the first wavelength-multiplexing light is propagated through the optical fiber in the same direction as the second wavelength-multiplexing light. The excitation light is shorter in wavelength than the first wavelength-multiplexing light by an amount determined depending on Raman scattering characteristic of the optical fiber.

Abstract: From a transmitter to a transmission line, a baseband signal is transmitted together with a replica signal created by superposing the baseband signal onto Carrier Frequency C1. Similarly, from a transmitter to a transmission line, a baseband signal is transmitted together with a replica signal created by superposing the baseband signal onto Carrier Frequency C2. At a receiver, the receive signal is branched into two. From one of the branched signals, the baseband signal is extracted by passing the signal through a filter. From the remaining signal, the replica signal on Carrier Frequency C2 is converted into the baseband, which is also extracted. The resultant signals are input to an adaptive equalizer. The output signal from the adaptive equalizer now has the same waveform as the crosstalk signal that has crossed into the baseband signal. The crosstalk can be suppressed by subtracting these two signals from each other by use of a subtracter.

Abstract: An optical disk recording apparatus for recording information onto a write-once or erasable optical disk has a memory component including a table of prerecorded correction curves consisting of recording power correction values corresponding to radial positions for each type of a variety of different optical disks, a correction component for correcting the recording power in an optimum power control operation (OPC) operation using the appropriate correction value, and a recording component for recording information onto the optical disk using the corrected recording power.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus for recording test data onto an optical disk while changing the level of recording power and determines the optimum recording power with reference to the quality of a reproduced signal of the test data. A modulation degree or a &ggr; value is calculated from a reproduced signal of the test data, and the gradient of a change of the modulation degree or the &ggr; value relative to the recording power Pw is calculated. Further, a target recording power is determined utilizing an area where the gradient of the change is relatively sharp, and the optimum recording power is determined based on the target recording power.