OPTICAL PERFORMANCE MONITORING BETWEEN TERMINAL EQUIPMENT AND AN OPTICAL INTERFACE TO AN OPTICAL SUBMARINE TRANSMISSION LINE

摘要

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring optical signal quality between land-based terminal equipment and an undersea optical transmission path. The method begins by receiving an analog optical signal in which information is embodied in digital form from either of the terminal equipment or the undersea optical transmission path. The method continues by measuring a parameter such as the Q-factor, which reflects signal quality by analysis of the analog optical signal and not the information digitally embodied therein.