Transmitter, receiver, transmission chain and associated information transmission process

Abstract

Transmitter, receiver, transmission chain and associated information transmission method The present invention relates to a transmitter (4), comprising: an optical modulator (14), configured to modulate an electrical signal (Sel) into an optical signal (S) comprising a first polarization along a first polarization axis and a second polarization along a second polarization axis; an optical rotation module (16), configured to generate a rotated optical signal (St) by rotating the first and second polarizations; an amplifier module (18), comprising: a polarization beam splitter, configured to separate the rotated optical signal into a first optical component along the first polarization axis and a second optical component along the second polarization axis; a first optical amplifier, configured to amplify the first optical component;a second optical amplifier, configured to amplify the second optical component; and a polarization beam combiner. Figure for the abstract: Figure 2;

Description

Title of the invention: Transmitter, receiver, transmission chain and associated information transmission method

[0001] The present invention relates to a transmitter, a receiver, a transmission chain, and an associated information transmission method.

[0002] The development of new telecommunication services, requiring high bandwidth, competition from terrestrial networks with the deployment of 400 Gbit / s technology and beyond, as well as the desire to reduce the digital divide by enabling every citizen, wherever they are, to benefit from the same quality of service, have caused a considerable increase in the transmission capacity needs of satellite operators, requiring the deployment of additional systems.

[0003] Faced with such a demand for capacity, traditional radio frequency technologies are reaching their limits. In this context, optical technologies, capitalizing on developments in terrestrial telecommunications using very high-speed fiber optics, constitute an alternative for very high-speed data transmission. In particular, free-space optical communications from the edge to the ground are a promising solution for the next generation of very high-speed satellites.

[0004] However, the satellite optical channel has several drawbacks. In particular, significant signal degradation is observed due to the composition of atmospheric layers and turbulence. These phenomena cause deep fading, thus interrupting transmission between a transmitter and a receiver for several milliseconds.

[0005] To compensate for this problem, very high-power optical amplifiers are used at the transmitter to amplify the optical signal before free-space transmission. Furthermore, the optical signal is transmitted with two polarizations per wavelength to increase spectral efficiency. In this case, the use of one optical amplifier per polarization is common. However, unequal amplification between the two amplifiers leads to a disparity in the amplification of the two polarizations, which compromises the quality of the optical signal and, consequently, the quality of the transmission.

[0006] More generally, optical fibers, polarization beam splitters (PBS) and polarization beam combiners (PBC) used in optical fiber telecommunications systems can also cause disparities in the amplitude of the two signal polarizations, and decrease the quality of transmission.

[0007] To correct the unequal amplification of the polarizations, various approaches have been explored, such as the use of signal processing algorithms, digital pre-coding at the transmitter and decoding at the receiver, for example via a polarization time code (PTC), interleaving on the two polarizations, or analog servo control of the amplifier gains. However, these solutions tend to increase the complexity of the algorithms required for processing the optical signal on both the transmitter and receiver sides, or to increase the complexity of an optical front end (also known as an air interface module), present in the transmitter to send the optical signal to the receiver and in the receiver to receive the optical signal sent by the transmitter.

[0008] Other solutions such as mixing polarizations using a polarization mixer are known, but require active control which increases the electrical power consumed by the transmitter.

[0009] The aim of the invention is therefore to improve the transmission of an optical signal, in a simple way and by limiting the electrical power consumed.

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to a transmitter, configured to convert input digital data into an amplified optical signal and to transmit the amplified optical signal, the transmitter comprising: - an optical modulator, configured to modulate an electrical signal representative of the input digital data into an optical signal comprising a first polarization along a first polarization axis and a second polarization along a second polarization axis, the optical signal being representative of the input digital data; - an optical rotation module, configured to generate a rotated optical signal by rotating the first and second polarizations of the optical signal by a predefined rotation angle, strictly between 0+kir / 2 and jr / 2+kjr / 2, where k is an integer; and - an amplifier module, comprising: • a polarization beam splitter, configured to separate the rotated optical signal into a first optical component along the first polarization axis and a second optical component along the second polarization axis; • a first optical amplifier, configured to amplify the first optical component according to a first predefined gain; • a second optical amplifier, configured to amplify the second optical component according to a second predefined gain; and • a polarization beam combiner, configured to receive the first and second optical components, amplified respectively by the first and second optical amplifier, and to combine them into an amplified optical signal.

[0011] Thanks to this invention, when the polarization splitter separates the rotated optical signal, it divides the signal into two optical components by first inserting the rotation at an angle strictly between 0+kir / 2 and ir / 2+kjr / 2, where k is an integer. Each of these components comprises both polarizations of the optical signal. Thus, the amplification differences caused by the disparities between the first and second optical amplifiers are applied equally to both optical components. This limits the amplification variations between the two polarizations of the optical signal. In summary, this invention provides balanced amplification of the two polarizations of the optical signal.

[0012] It is not necessary to apply complex algorithmic or digital processing to compensate for a difference in amplification between optical amplifiers. Thus, the transmitter allows the transmission of the amplified optical signal in a simple manner. Furthermore, the rotation module is a passive element that does not consume electricity. The electrical power consumed by the transmitter is therefore limited.

[0013] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the transmitter comprises one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: - A digital processing module, configured to convert the input digital data into an electrical signal, representative of the input digital data. - An optical head comprising at least one of the following devices: a collimation device, a pointing device and a turbulence compensation device. - The optical modulator is configured to transmit the optical signal to the rotation module, and the rotation module is configured to transmit the rotated optical signal to the amplifier module via a polarization-maintaining fiber. - The optical rotation module includes a birefringent crystal. - The angle of rotation is between ir / 6+kjr / 2 and ir / 3+kjr / 2, preferably approximately equal to ir / 4+kjr / 2 with k an integer.

[0014] The invention also relates to a receiver adapted to receive the amplified optical signal emitted by the transmitter and to convert it into digital output data.

[0015] The reception and conversion of the amplified optical signal do not require complex digital or algorithmic processing.

[0016] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the receiver comprises the following feature: - an optical head, configured to receive the amplified optical signal, the received amplified optical signal being called the received optical signal; - an amplifier module, configured to amplify the received signal into an amplified received optical signal; - an optical demodulator, configured to convert the amplified received optical signal into a received electrical signal; and - a digital processing module, configured to implement an adaptive equalization algorithm and convert the received electrical signal into digital output data.

[0017] The invention also relates to a transmission chain comprising the transmitter and the receiver.

[0018] The invention also relates to a method of transmitting information, implemented by a transmission chain described above, the method comprising at least the following steps: - modulation of the electrical signal representing the input digital data into the optical signal, by the optical modulator; - rotation of the first and second polarizations of the optical signal by the optical rotation module to generate the rotated optical signal; - amplification of the optical signal rotated by the amplifier module to generate the amplified optical signal; - emission of the optical signal amplified by the transmitter; - reception of the optical signal amplified by the receiver, the optical signal The amplified signal received by the receiver is called the received optical signal; - conversion of the received optical signal into digital output data by the receiver.

[0019] The invention will become clearer upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which: - [Fig. 1] [Fig. 1] is a representation of a transmission chain according to the invention, - [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a block diagram of the transmission chain of [Fig.1], - [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a diagram of part of the transmission chain of [Fig.2], - [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a logic diagram of a transmission process information according to the invention, the method being implemented by the transmission chain of the [Fig.1].

[0020] Fig. 1 represents a transmission chain 1 according to the invention.

[0021] The transmission chain 1 comprises a transmitter 4 and a receiver 6.

[0022] The transmitter 4 is advantageously located on the ground, for example in a telecommunications station.

[0023] The receiver 6 is advantageously carried on board an aircraft or a satellite.

[0024] Alternatively, the transmitter 4 is carried on board an aircraft or satellite and the receiver 6 is on the ground, for example in a telecommunications station. Alternatively still, both the transmitter 4 and the receiver 6 are on the ground.

[0025] As shown in [Fig. 2], the transmitter 4 advantageously comprises a digital processing module 12. The digital processing module 12 is, for example, implemented as a programmable logic component, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or as an integrated circuit, such as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In an alternative variant not shown, the digital processing module 12 is implemented as software, stored in memory and executable by a processor associated with the memory. Also in an alternative variant not shown, the digital processing module 12 is implemented using optical analog components.

[0026] The transmitter 4 further includes an optical modulator 14, advantageously connected to the digital processing module 12. The optical modulator 14 is advantageously a double-polarized Mach-Zehnder interferometer, comprising a laser source.

[0027] The transmitter 4 also includes an optical rotation module 16, connected to the optical modulator 14. The optical rotation module 16 is passive and includes, for example, a birefringent crystal, one or more quarter-wave plates, or one or more Faraday rotators. Passive means that it does not require an electrical power source to operate, unlike an active device or module, which requires an electrical power source to operate.

[0028] The transmitter 4 further includes an amplifier module 18, connected to the optical rotation module 16.

[0029] With reference to [Fig. 3], the amplifier module 18 includes a polarization beam splitter 20, also called a PBS. Advantageously, the polarization beam splitter 20 is a passive optical device. The polarization beam splitter 20 is configured to divide an optical signal into two components, advantageously into two components whose polarization axes are orthogonal to each other.

[0030] The amplifier module 18 comprises two optical amplifiers 21 and 22. The optical amplifiers 21 and 22 are advantageously very high-power optical amplifiers. The optical amplifiers 21 and 22 are configured to amplify an optical signal passing through them with a gain G1 and a gain G2, respectively. The gains G1 and G2 are advantageously predefined and chosen by a manufacturer of the amplifier module 18. In theory, the gains G1 and G2 are chosen to be equal. However, due, for example, to imperfections in the optical amplifiers 21 and 22, material constraints, or the spatial environment, in practice, the gains G1 and G2 are different.

[0031] The amplifier module 18 further comprises a polarization beam combiner 24, also called a PBC. The PBC 24 is advantageously a passive optical device. The PBC 24 advantageously combines two components whose axes are orthogonal into a single optical signal.

[0032] Advantageously, the optical modulator 14, the rotation module 16, and the amplifier 18 are connected together by polarization-maintaining fibers 23, also called PMF, from the English "Polarization-Maintaining Fibre".

[0033] Advantageously, the transmitter 4 comprises an optical head 26, also called an air interface module, and also known by its English name, "optical front end" or OFE. The optical head 26 advantageously comprises one or more of the following devices: an optical device, a pointing device, a collimation device, a coupling device, or devices for compensating or pre-compensating for atmospheric turbulence. These devices are active or passive, and are, for example, formed from arrangements of lenses and / or mirrors.

[0034] With reference to [Fig.2], the receiver 6 advantageously comprises an optical head 32. This optical head 32 is advantageously configured to receive an optical signal and to focus it into an optical fiber 34 which advantageously connects the optical head 32 and an amplifier module 36, also included in the receiver 6. The amplifier module 36 is advantageously a low-noise amplifier.

[0035] The receiver 6 advantageously comprises an optical demodulator 38 and a digital processing module 42. Advantageously, the amplifier module 36 and the optical demodulator 38 are also connected to each other by an optical fiber 34.

[0036] The optical demodulator 38 is configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal, representative of the optical signal. Advantageously, the digital processing module 12 and the optical modulator 14, on the one hand, and the optical demodulator 38 and the digital processing module 42, on the other hand, are compatible with each other. For example, the digital processing module 12 and the optical modulator 14 are configured to generate an optical signal using coherent modulation, and the Optical demodulator 38 and digital processing module 42 are configured to perform operations that enable the demodulation of a coherent optical signal.

[0037] The digital processing module 42 is, for example, implemented as a programmable logic component, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or as an integrated circuit, such as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In an alternative variant not shown, the digital processing module 42 is implemented as software, stored in memory and executable by a processor associated with that memory. Similarly, in another alternative variant not shown, the digital processing module 42 is implemented using analog optical components.

[0038] An information processing method will now be explained, with reference to Figures 3 and 4. This method is implemented by the transmission chain 1.

[0039] The digital processing module 12 advantageously receives digital input data De during a reception step 102. The digital input data De are, for example, in the form of one or more electrical signals, which encode information, for example, bits of information.

[0040] The digital processing module 12 converts the input digital data De into an electrical signal Sei during a conversion step 104. The electrical signal Sei is representative of the input digital data De. Advantageously, during the conversion step 104, the digital processing module 12 implements, for example, error correction, pre-coding, or signal frame shaping functions or algorithms. This makes it possible, for example, to improve the transmission of the electrical signal Sd and to limit errors in the electrical signal Sei, which may be due, for example, to poor or partial reception of the input digital data De.

[0041] The electrical signal Sei is transmitted to the optical modulator 14, which performs a modulation step 106. The modulation step 106 consists of generating a modulated optical signal S, representative of the electrical signal Sei and thus of the input digital data De. Advantageously, in the case where the optical modulator 14 includes a dual-polarization Mach-Zehnder interferometer comprising a laser source, the electrical signal Sei is applied to the laser source in order to obtain, at the output of the optical modulator 14, the optical signal S. The modulation step 106 is a so-called dual-polarization modulation step, that is to say, the optical signal S comprises two polarizations along two polarization axes X and Y, called respectively pX polarization and pY polarization. The X and Y polarization axes are advantageously orthogonal.

[0042] The optical signal S is advantageously transmitted by the optical modulator 14 to the rotation module 16 via the polarization-maintaining fiber 23. This makes it possible in particular to prevent unintentional rotation or mixing of the pX and pY polarizations with each other during the transmission of the optical signal S to the rotation module 16.

[0043] During a rotation step 108, the optical signal S transmitted to the rotation module 16 is rotated by the latter, thus generating a rotated optical signal St. More precisely, the polarizations pX and pY are rotated by the rotation module 16 by a rotation angle strictly between 0 + kir / 2 and ir / 2 + kjr / 2, where k is an integer. The integer k can be positive, negative, or zero. The rotation angle is expressed here in radians. The rotation angle is predefined by a manufacturer of the emitter 4 and depends on the optical device included in the rotation module 16, for example, the type of birefringent crystal or the Faraday rotator. Advantageously, the rotation angle of the polarizations pX and pY is between ir / 6 + kjr / 2 and ir / 3 + kjr / 2, preferably substantially equal to ir / 4 + kjr / 2, where k is an integer. By "approximately equal to a value," we mean equal to that value plus or minus 10%.The rotated pX and pY polarizations are denoted pX' and pY'. A rotation approximately equal to ir / 4+kjr / 2 is obtained, for example, using a quarter-wave plate, within the rotation modulus 16. Thus, the rotated optical signal St comprises a pX' polarization and a pY' polarization, advantageously rotated by ir / 4+kjr / 2 with respect to the pX and pY polarizations of the optical signal S, respectively.

[0044] The rotated optical signal St is transmitted to the amplifier module 18, advantageously via the polarization-maintaining fiber 23, in order to prevent an unintentional rotation of the polarizations pX' and pY'.

[0045] An amplification step 110 is carried out by the amplifier module 18, in order to generate an amplified optical signal Sa from the rotated optical signal St. The amplification step 110 advantageously comprises substeps 112 to 116.

[0046] Substep 112 is a separation substep. The rotated optical signal St is separated by the polarization beam splitter 20 into two optical components along two polarization axes of the splitter 20. The polarization axes of the splitter advantageously coincide with the polarization axes X and Y of the optical signal S, as shown in [Fig. 3]. In the following, the polarization axes X and Y will be referred to, including, the polarization axes of the splitter 20. Thus, in the separation substep 112, the rotated optical signal St is separated into an optical component St x along the polarization axis X and an optical component St y along the polarization axis Y. The optical component St x comprises the components of the polarizations pX' and pY' along the polarization axis X, and the optical component St y includes the components of the polarizations pX' and pY' along the polarization axis Y, as shown in [Fig.3].

[0047] If, in step 108, the polarizations pX' and pY' are rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the polarization axes X and Y, then during the separation substep 112, the components of the polarizations pX' and pY' projected onto the polarization axes X and Y are of the same magnitude. Thus, in this case, the optical components St x and St y are of the same magnitude.

[0048] The polarization splitter 20 transmits the optical components St x and St y to the amplifiers 21 and 22.

[0049] Amplifiers 21 and 22 respectively amplify the optical components St x and St y during the component amplification substep 114. More specifically, amplifier 21 amplifies the St x component according to the gain Gl, thus generating an amplified component Sa x and amplifier 22 amplifies the St y component according to the gain G2, thus generating an amplified component Sa y.

[0050] The polarization beam combiner 24 performs substep 116, which is a combination substep. During the combination substep 116, the components Sa x and Sa y are transmitted to the polarization beam combiner 24, which combines them to form the amplified optical signal Sa. This transmission takes place via an optical fiber or, alternatively, in free space. The amplified optical signal Sa is representative of the digital signal Sei and therefore of the input data De.

[0051] The amplified optical signal Sa is then advantageously transmitted to the optical head 26, for example via an optical fiber, or alternatively, in free space. The optical head 26 performs an emission step 118 of the amplified optical signal Sa into a propagation medium 44, also called a propagation channel. Advantageously, during the emission step 118, the optical head performs one or more of the following operations, depending on the devices included in the optical head 26: a pointing, collimation, compensation, or pre-compensation operation, to improve the quality of the amplified signal Sa and limit the losses or distortion caused by the amplified signal Sa emitted into the propagation medium 44.

[0052] The propagation medium 44 is, for example, an optical fiber, or the atmosphere in the case of optical transmission in free space, as shown in [Fig.1].

[0053] The amplified optical signal Sa is received by the receiver 6 during a reception stage 120, advantageously, by the optical head 32.

[0054] The optical signal received by the receiver 6 is called the received optical signal Sr. During the transmission of the amplified optical signal Sa in the propagation medium 44, the amplified optical signal Sa is attenuated and its components Sax and Say are mixed due, for example, to inhomogeneities in the propagation medium 44, or in the case of the atmosphere, turbulence or variations in the composition of the layers of the atmosphere. Thus, the amplified optical signal Sa as emitted by the emitter 4 and the optical signal received Sr by the receiver 6 are not identical, as shown in [Fig.3].

[0055] The receiver 6 performs a conversion step 122 of the received optical signal Sr into digital output data Ds. Advantageously, for this purpose, the receiver 6 performs the following substeps 124 to 130.

[0056] Advantageously, the optical head 32 focuses the received optical signal Sr during the focusing substep 124 and transmits it to the amplification module 36 via the optical fiber 34. The amplification module 36 amplifies the received optical signal Sr to form an amplified received optical signal Sa' during the amplification substep 126.

[0057] The amplification module 36 transmits the amplified received optical signal Sa' to the optical demodulator 38, which converts the amplified received optical signal Sa' into the received electrical signal Sei' during the conversion substep 128. The received electrical signal Sei' is transmitted to the digital processing module 42, which performs the processing substep 130, during which it generates digital output data Ds, representative of the digital input data De. In the case where the received optical signal Sr is a coherent optical signal, the digital processing module 42 advantageously implements an adaptive equalization algorithm, such as, for example, the constant modulus algorithm, or CMA, a carrier and frame synchronization algorithm, or decoding algorithms, in order to generate the digital output data Ds.

[0058] In an alternative not shown, the optical signal comprises several wavelengths. The transmission chain is then modified as follows. The transmitter includes a digital processing module and an optical modulator 14 per wavelength, as well as a multiplexer, linking the optical modulators 14 and the rotation module 16. Thus, an optical signal composed of several wavelengths is received by the rotation module 16. In this case, advantageously, the rotation module 16 is a Faraday rotator whose operating wavelength band is several nanometers, in order to rotate all the multiplexed wavelengths.

[0059] Alternatively, the multiplexer connects the amplifier 18 and the optical head 26. In this case, the transmitter further comprises a rotation module 16 and an amplifier 18 for each wavelength. Thus, in this case, each wavelength is rotated and amplified separately before being multiplexed.

[0060] The receiver 6 then also includes a demultiplexer, which is connected to the optical head 32. In this case, the receiver 6 includes a plurality of amplifiers 36, optical demodulators 38 and digital processing modules 42, a An amplifier 36 is connected to a single optical demodulator 38, which is itself connected to a single digital processing module 42, and configured to receive and process a given wavelength. Alternatively, the demultiplexer is connected to the amplifier 36, and the receiver 6 comprises only a plurality of optical demodulators 38 and digital processing modules 42, with each optical demodulator 38 connected to a single digital processing module 42 to receive and process a given wavelength.

[0061] The process described above is then implemented by this processing chain for each wavelength.

[0062] In practice, a given wavelength corresponds to an optical signal whose spectral width is, for example, less than Inm.

[0063] Thus, the transmission chain 1 improves the quality of data transmission by optical signals, by limiting the amplification differences between the two optical components St x and St y of the rotated optical signal St, in a simple way and without increasing the power consumption of the transmitter 4.

[0064] Any feature described for an embodiment or variant in the foregoing may be implemented for the other embodiments and variants described above, provided that it is technically feasible.

Claims

1. Demands Transmitter (4), configured to convert digital input data (De) into an amplified optical signal (Sa) and to transmit the amplified optical signal (Sa), the transmitter (4) comprising: - an optical modulator (14), configured to modulate an electrical signal (Sei) representative of the input digital data (De) into an optical signal (S) comprising a first polarization (pX) along a first polarization axis (X) and a second polarization (pY) along a second polarization axis (Y), the optical signal (S) being representative of the input digital data (De); - an optical rotation module (16), configured to generate a rotated optical signal (St) by rotating the first and second polarizations (pX, pY) of the optical signal (S) by a predefined rotation angle, strictly between 0+kir / 2 and ir / 2+kjr / 2, with k an integer; and - an amplifier module (18), comprising: • a polarization beam splitter (20), configured to separate the rotated optical signal (St) into a first optical component (St x ) along the first polarization axis (X) and into a second optical component (St y) along the second polarization axis (Y); • a first optical amplifier (21), configured to amplify the first optical component (St x) according to a first predefined gain (Gl); • a second optical amplifier (22), configured to amplify the second optical component (St y) according to a second predefined gain (G2); and • a polarization beam combiner (24), configured to receive the first and second optical components (St x, St y), amplified respectively by the first and second optical amplifier (21, 22), and to combine them into an amplified optical signal (Sa).

2. Transmitter (4) according to claim 1, further comprising a digital processing module (12), configured to convert the input digital data (De) into the electrical signal (Sd), representative of the input digital data (De).

3. Transmitter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising an optical head (26) comprising at least one of the following devices: a collimation device, a pointing device and a turbulence compensation device.

4. Transmitter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the optical modulator (14) is configured to transmit the optical signal (S) to the rotation module (16), and the rotation module (16) is configured to transmit the rotated optical signal (St) to the amplifier module (18) via a polarization-maintaining fiber (23).

5. Emitter (4) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the optical rotation module (16) comprises a birefringent crystal.

6. Emitter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the angle of rotation is between ir / 6+kjr / 2 and ir / 3+kjr / 2, preferably substantially equal to ir / 4+kjr / 2 with k an integer.

7. Receiver (6), adapted to receive the amplified optical signal (Sa) emitted by the transmitter (4) of any one of claims 1 to 6, and to convert it into digital output data (Ds).

8. Receiver (6) according to claim 7, comprising: - an optical head (32), configured to receive the amplified optical signal (Sa), the received amplified optical signal being referred to as the received optical signal (Sr); - an amplifier module (36), configured to amplify the received signal (Sr) into the amplified received optical signal (Sa'); - an optical demodulator (38), configured to convert the amplified received optical signal (Sa') into a received electrical signal (Sei'); and - a digital processing module (42), configured to implement an adaptive equalization algorithm and convert the received electrical signal (Sei') into the digital output data (Ds).

9. Transmission chain (1) comprising the transmitter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the receiver (6) according to any one of claims 7 and 8.

10. A method for transmitting information, implemented by a transmission chain (1) according to claim 9, the method comprising at least the following steps: - modulation (106) of the electrical signal (Sei) representing the digital input data (De) into the optical signal (S), by the optical modulator (14); - rotation (108) of the first and second polarizations (pX, pY) of the optical signal (S) by the optical rotation module (16) to generate the rotated optical signal (St); - amplification (110) of the rotated optical signal (St) by the amplifier module (18) to generate the amplified optical signal (Sa); - transmission (118) of the amplified optical signal (Sa) by the transmitter (4); - reception (120) of the amplified optical signal (Sa) by the receiver (6), the amplified optical signal received by the receiver (6) being said to be the received optical signal (Sr);and - conversion (122) of the received optical signal (Sr) into digital output data (Ds) by the receiver (6).;

Images