Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically configuring a muxponder. One exemplary system may be provided with a muxponder module deployed in an optical network, the muxponder having an optical receiver, a first and a second electrical port, a demultiplexer having a built-in digital cross-connect, and a processor accessing a mapping table to assign traffic streams associated with a first service identification code to a first and a second host lane of the first electrical port, traffic streams associated with a second service identification code to a third and a fourth host lane of the second electrical port, and having logic to control the digital cross-connect to route a first and a second traffic stream to the first electrical port based on the first service identification code, and a third and a fourth traffic stream to the second electrical port based on the second service identification code.

Abstract: A transmitter for a communications link is tested by using a (software) simulation of a reference channel and/or a reference receiver to test the transmitter. In one embodiment for optical fiber communications links, a data test pattern is applied to the transmitter under test and the resulting optical output is captured, for example by a sampling oscilloscope. The captured waveform is subsequently processed by the software simulation, in order to simulate propagation of the optical signal through the reference channel and/or reference receiver. A performance metric for the transmitter is calculated based on the processed waveform.

Abstract: A transmitter subsystem generates an optical signal which contains multiple subbands of information. The subbands have different polarizations. For example, in one approach, two or more optical transmitters generate optical signals which have different polarizations. An optical combiner optically combines the optical signals into a composite optical signal for transmission across an optical fiber. In another approach, a single optical transmitter generates an optical signal with multiple subbands. The polarization of the subbands is varied, for example by using a birefringent crystal. In another aspect of the invention, each optical transmitter generates an optical signal containing both a lower optical sideband and an upper optical sideband (i.e., a double sideband optical signal). An optical filter selects the upper optical sideband of one optical signal and the lower optical sideband of another optical signal to produce a composite optical signal.

Abstract: A reciever for a communications link includes a receiver module and a host receiver. These two components can be tested independently. In one embodiment, the receiver module is characterized with respect to noiseand distortion. The noise performance can be determined by comparing input and output signals of the reciever module, to determine the relative noise of the reciever module. The disortion performance can be determined by comparing the distortion of input and output signals of the reciever module, using a reference host receiver that includes an equalizer. The host reciever can be tested by using a reference receiver module.

Abstract: A transmitter subsystem generates an optical signal which contains multiple subbands of information. The subbands have different polarizations. For example, in one approach, two or more optical transmitters generate optical signals which have different polarizations. An optical combiner optically combines the optical signals into a composite optical signal for transmission across an optical fiber. In another approach, a single optical transmitter generates an optical signal with multiple subbands. The polarization of the subbands is varied, for example by using a birefringent crystal. In another aspect of the invention, each optical transmitter generates an optical signal containing both a lower optical sideband and an upper optical sideband (i.e., a double sideband optical signal). An optical filter selects the upper optical sideband of one optical signal and the lower optical sideband of another optical signal to produce a composite optical signal.

Abstract: Frequency peaking is used in the transmitter to improve link performance. In one example, frequency peaking improves the PIED or TWDP. The frequency peaking can result in pulse shapes that have more electrical energy in the receiver (and therefore higher received SNR) than uncompensated pulses. In addition, due to the response of typical fibers, boosting the high frequencies typically will flatten the received spectrum, which will improve the performance of the equalizer in an EDC receiver.

Abstract: A transmitter for a communications link is tested by using a (software) simulation of a reference channel and/or a reference receiver to test the transmitter. In one embodiment for optical fiber communications links, a data test pattern is applied to the transmitter under test and the resulting optical output is captured, for example by a sampling oscilloscope. The captured waveform is subsequently processed by the software simulation, in order to simulate propagation of the optical signal through the reference channel and/or reference receiver. A performance metric for the transmitter is calculated based on the processed waveform.

Abstract: An optical communication link is disclosed. In one embodiment, the link includes an optical transmitter including an electrical-to-optical converter for converting electrical signals into optical signals at the system data rate and launching said signals onto an extended length of optical fiber. The link also includes an optical receiver including an optical-to-electrical converter for converting received optical signals into electrical signals. In a preferred embodiment, either of the optical transmitter or optical receiver may include at least one low speed device designed to operate at a data rate less than the system data rate, and the receiver includes an equalizer coupled to the optical-to-electrical converter for compensating for signal distortions introduced by low speed devices.