Method and apparatus for local optimization of an optical transmitter

摘要

Consistent with the present disclosure, an optical receiver is paired with an optical transmitter in a transceiver card or module, for example. During normal operation, the optical transmitter supplies optical signals for downstream transmission on a first optical communication path, and the optical receiver receives additional optical signals from a second optical communication path. During a transmitter monitoring mode (or “loopback”), however, when monitoring of transmitter parameters is desired, an optical switch directs the output or portion thereof from the transmitter to the receiver. The receiver may then supply monitoring data or information to a control or processor circuit, which, in turn, may supply control signals to the transmitter. In response to such control signals, the performance of the transmitter may be optimized, for example, by reducing BER and/or OSNR to a desired level. The switch is then configured to block transmission of the transmitter output or portion and normal operation is commenced. Thus, consistent with the present disclosure, an optical receiver is provided to detect optical signals inbound on one optical communication path during normal operation is also used to receive optical signals directly from the transmitter during the monitoring mode. Accordingly, a dedicated monitoring receiver is not required and the system is rendered less expensive, power consumption may be minimized and space may be conserved.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first optical transmitter transmitting a first optical signal; an optical tap having an input that receives the first optical signal, and first and second outputs, the first output supplying a first portion of the first optical signal to a first optical communication path and the second output supplying a second portion of the first optical signal; an optical component having an input and an output, the input of the optical component receiving the second portion of the first optical signal and the optical component selectively supplying the second portion of the first optical signal to the output of the optical component; an optical combiner having first and second inputs and an output, the first input of the optical combiner being coupled to a second optical communication path; an optical receiver configured to receive the second portion of the first optical signal via the optical component and the optical combiner when the optical component selectively supplies the second portion of the first optical signal to the output of the optical component; and a second optical transmitter transmitting a second optical signal, the second optical signal being supplied to the first input of the optical combiner via the second optical communication path, such that the output of the optical combiner supplies the second optical signal to the optical receiver when the optical component does not selectively supply the second portion of the optical signal to the output of the optical component, wherein the optical tap is a first optical tap, the optical component is a first optical component, the optical combiner is a first optical combiner, the optical receiver is a first optical receiver, the first optical transmitter transmits the first optical signal during a first time interval and a third optical during a second time interval, and the second optical transmitter transmits the second optical signal during a third time interval and a fourth optical signal during a fourth time interval, the apparatus further including: a second optical tap having an input that receives the fourth optical signal during the fourth time interval, and first and second outputs, the first output supplying a first portion of the fourth optical signal to the second optical communication path and the second output supplying a second portion of the fourth optical signal; a second optical component having an input and an output, the input of the second optical component receiving the second portion of the fourth optical signal and the second optical component selectively supplying the second portion of the fourth optical signal to the output of the second optical component; a second optical combiner having first and second inputs and an output, the first input of the second optical combiner being coupled to the first optical communication path; and a second optical receiver configured to receive the second portion of the fourth optical signal via the second optical component and the second optical combiner when the optical component selectively supplies the second portion of the fourth optical signal to the output of the second optical component, wherein the third optical signal is supplied to the first input of the second optical combiner via the first optical communication path, such that the output of the second optical combiner supplies the third optical signal to the second optical receiver when the second optical component does not selectively supply the second portion of the fourth optical signal to the output of the second optical component.