Hybrid Modulation Format Clock Tone Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical transmission networks face challenges in achieving high spectral efficiency due to intersymbol interferences and signal degradation caused by filtering, which can lead to loss of timing recovery and reduced data capacity when using small roll-off factors in Nyquist pulse shaping.

Innovation Solution

A digital modulation method employing a hybrid modulation format that combines different modulation formats, such as 4-QAM and 16-QAM, to produce clock tones at lower frequencies, allowing for timing recovery while using small roll-off factors, and dynamically allocating transmission power to maintain equivalent bit error rates across formats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If additional filtering with small roll-off factors is applied to reduce spectral bandwidth, then spectral efficiency is improved, but timing recovery fails due to loss of clock tones

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidtiming recovery
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameter of modulation format from uniform to hybrid (combining different formats like QPSK and 16-QAM), which shifts the clock tone frequencies to lower values that fall within the passband of small roll-off filters, thereby preserving timing recovery capability while maintaining spectral efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The bitstream is segmented and mapped to modulation symbols using different modulation formats in a hybrid scheme, where some symbols use robust formats (QPSK) and others use higher-order formats (16-QAM), allowing clock tones to be preserved at specific positions while maximizing data throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If pilot tones are transmitted for timing recovery, then timing recovery is enabled, but data capacity is reduced due to reserved spectral bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetiming recoveryVSAvoiddata capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The data symbols themselves serve the dual purpose of carrying information and providing timing recovery functionality through the hybrid modulation format structure, eliminating the need for separate dedicated pilot tones and maximizing spectral utilization for data transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If high order modulation formats are used to increase throughput, then data capacity is improved, but signal degradation increases due to intersymbol interferences

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidsignal quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different parts of the modulation symbol sequence are assigned different modulation formats based on their local requirements: positions requiring robustness against ISI use lower-order formats (QPSK), while positions prioritizing throughput use higher-order formats (16-QAM), achieving local optimization of signal quality and throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3382912B1Digital modulation method, transmission method and associated equipment
Publication Date: 2020.03.04 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP3382912B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2c
  • EP3382912B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3382912B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5c

AI summary

The present invention refers to a digital modulation method for signal transmission through an optical network comprising an encoding and mapping step (101) of producing a series of modulation symbols from a bitstream, wherein the series of produced modulation symbols can be divided into successive hybrid symbol sequences, a hybrid symbol sequence comprising symbols of at least two different modulation formats, such hybrid symbol sequences producing clock tones at frequencies corresponding to a shift of a fraction of the symbol rate on both sides of the carrier frequency, the said fraction being smaller than the fraction obtained with symbol sequences comprising a single modulation format, the said clock tones enabling timing recovery after transmission of the signal.