Infinera Corporation

Amir Jafari

Steven Joseph Hand

Mohamed Osman

David F Welch

Kuang-Tsan Wu

A transmitter can include a laser operable to output an optical signal; a digital signal processor operable to receive user data and provide electrical signals based on the data; and a modulator operable to modulate the optical signal to provide optical subcarriers based on the electrical signals. A first one of the subcarriers carriers carries first TDMA encoded information and second TDMA encoded information, such that the first TDMA encoded information is indicative of a first portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a first time slot, and the second TDMA encoded information is indicative of a second portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a second time slot. The first TDMA encoded information is associated with a first node remote from the transmitter and the second TDMA encoded information is associated with a second node remote from the transmitter. A second one of the subcarriers carries third information that is not TDMA encoded, the third information being associated with a third node remote from the transmitter. A receiver and system also are described.

Time division multiple access optical subcarriers

Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an optical communication system includes a primary transceiver, a component, and secondary transceivers. The primary transceiver is operable to supply first optical subcarriers to an optical communication path, the first optical subcarriers being amplitude modulated at a first frequency to carry first control information and amplitude modulated at a second frequency to carry second control information. The component is operable to be coupled to the optical communication path and includes circuitry operable to detect the first control information. The secondary transceivers are coupled to a terminal end of the optical communication path. At least one of the secondary transceivers is operable to detect the second control information and block the first control information.

Out-of-band communication channel for sub-carrier-based optical communication systems

Consistent the present disclosure, a network or system is provided in which a hub or primary node may communication with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity that may be greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed that receive data carrying optical signals from and supply data carrying optical signals to the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Consistent with an aspect of the present disclosure, optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced. In addition, the subcarriers may be employed using multiple access techniques, such as frequency division multiplexing (FDM), code-division multiple access (CDMA), and time-division multiple access so that the primary node can communicate with a relatively large number of secondary nodes. In addition, an out-of-band control channel may be provided to carry OAM information from the primary node to the secondary nodes, as well as from the secondary nodes to the primary nodes.

Code division multiple access optical subcarriers

A transmitter can include a laser operable to output an optical signal; a digital signal processor operable to receive data and provide a plurality of electrical signals based on the data; and a modulator operable to modulate the optical signal to provide a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the plurality of electrical signals. One of the plurality of subcarriers carries first information indicative of a first portion of the data in a first time slot and second information indicative of a second portion of the data in a second time slot. The first information is associated with a first node remote from the transmitter and the second information is associated with a second node remote from the transmitter. A receiver as well as a system also are described.

Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an apparatus includes laser operable to supply an optical signal, a digital signal processor operable to supply digital signals, a digital to analog circuitry operable to provide analog signals based on the digital signals, and driver circuitry is coupled to the digital to analog circuitry and operable to supply at least one drive signal. The apparatus also includes a modulator operable to receive said at least one drive signal, modulate the optical signal based on said at least one drive signal to provide a plurality of optical subcarriers, amplitude modulate the plurality of optical subcarriers at a first frequency to carry first control information, and modulate the plurality of subcarriers at a second frequency to carry second control information.

Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, a transmitter includes a laser operable to supply an optical signal, a digital signal processor operable to supply first electrical signals based on first data input to the digital signal processor and second data input to the digital signal processor, digital-to-analog conversion circuitry operable to output second electrical signals based on the first electrical signals, modulator driver circuitry is operable to output third electrical signals based on the second electrical signals, and an optical modulator operable to supply first and second modulated optical signals based on the third electrical signals. The first modulated optical signal includes a plurality of optical subcarriers carrying user data. The second modulated optical signal is polarization modulated based on the second data.

Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an apparatus includes an optical tap coupled to an optical communication path carrying a modulated optical signal carrying a plurality of optical subcarriers. The optical tap has a first output configured to supply a first portion of the modulated optical signal and a second output configured to supply a second portion of the modulated optical signal. The plurality of optical subcarriers are amplitude modulated based on control data at a first frequency, and each of the plurality of optical subcarriers is modulated to carry user data at a second frequency greater than the first frequency. The apparatus is configured to supply the control based on the first portion of the modulated optical signal.

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Ottawa, Canada

Amir Jafari