Frequency-Domain Signal Path Combination for Optical Receivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical communications systems face challenges in efficiently recombining parallel signal paths to recover a high-bandwidth digital signal from lower-bandwidth analog signals, which can increase the complexity and cost of digital signal processing.
Innovation Solution
A receiver module with multiple analog-to-digital converters and transform blocks that calculate spectral components, combined using a summation block to reconstruct a high-bandwidth signal, allowing for accurate data recovery without the need for extensive digital processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If parallel signal paths are used to distribute high-bandwidth analog signals, then bandwidth requirements of individual paths are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a high-bandwidth analog signal into multiple parallel lower-bandwidth signal paths using frequency decimation blocks. Each path processes a subset of the total bandwidth, reducing the bandwidth requirements of individual components while maintaining the overall high-bandwidth capability through parallel processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from time-domain parallel processing to frequency-domain parallel processing by applying Fast Fourier Transforms. This dimensional change allows spectral components from different parallel paths to be combined in the frequency domain, simplifying the recombination process and reducing overall system complexity
2Measurement precision
If extensive digital signal processing is used to recombine parallel paths, then accurate data recovery is achieved, but processing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex time-domain digital signal processing operations with simpler frequency-domain operations. By performing the recombination in the frequency domain using Fast Fourier Transforms, the system achieves accurate data recovery with reduced computational complexity and lower processing costs
3Speed
If parallel analog signal paths are processed individually, then bandwidth requirements per path are reduced, but recombination difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent solves the recombination difficulty by transforming the problem from the time domain to the frequency domain. Individual parallel paths are processed independently in the frequency domain, and their spectral components are easily combined through simple addition operations, making the recombination process straightforward despite the reduced bandwidth per path
Data Source
AI summary
A receiver of an optical communications system includes a set of two or more analog-to digital A/D converters, a respective transform block connected to an output of each A/D converter, and a summation block. Each A/D converter samples a respective low-bandwidth analog signal comprising a respective portion of a high-bandwidth data signal. Each transform block calculates a set of spectral components of the respective low-bandwidth analog signal. The summation block combines respective spectral components calculated by each transform block to construct spectral terms of a combined signal having a spectrum corresponding to that of the high-bandwidth data signal.