The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 27, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1998
Nortel Networks Limited, St-Laurent, CA;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for embedding control information in an optical signal transporting optical data, consisting of encoding the control information as a control signal having an amplitude proportional to a controllable modulation depth. The optical signal is then optically modulated in accordance with the amplitude of the control signal. The control signal is subsequently detected and the control information is decoded. A major feature of the invention lies in determining a level of similarity between the encoded and decoded control information and varying the modulation depth according to this level of similarity. Hence, the modulation depth yielding a given bit-error rate (BER) or signal-to-noise ration (SNR) can be minimized, in order to reduce the degradation of the optical channel data. The invention also provides a means for modulating the control information about a carrier frequency, and varying this carrier frequency if the SNR is below a certain tolerance value. This is useful in countering the periodic interference spectrum of framed data signals, which may be unknown or time-varying. Furthermore, the bit rate of the control signal can be adjusted to carry a required amount of information, so as to meet the system's evolving control requirements.