Microring Resonator Partitioning for DWDM Interference and Energy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical communication systems face limitations in direct modulation due to power constraints and wavelength shifting, and indirect modulation requires precise thermal tuning to avoid interference between microring resonators, leading to inefficiencies in energy usage and manufacturing precision.

Innovation Solution

The system employs partitioning of microring resonators into groups to prevent interference, allowing for selective activation and thermal tuning of only operational partitions, reducing energy consumption and enhancing fault-tolerance by isolating non-interfering partitions and optimizing bandwidth usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If indirect modulation with microring resonators is used to avoid wavelength shifting, then wavelength stability is improved, but thermal tuning interference between resonators occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewavelength stabilityVSAvoidthermal tuning interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the array of microring resonators into multiple partitions or groups. Each partition can be independently thermally tuned and activated, preventing thermal interference between resonators by isolating them into separate controllable groups. This segmentation allows wavelength stability to be maintained while eliminating the harmful thermal tuning interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If all microring resonators are thermally tuned to prevent interference, then wavelength stability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewavelength stabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By partitioning the resonator array into multiple groups, the system enables selective thermal tuning of only those partitions that are currently active or need adjustment. This reduces the total number of resonators requiring simultaneous thermal tuning, thereby lowering overall energy consumption while maintaining wavelength stability for operational channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic or selective activation of different partitions rather than continuous tuning of all resonators. Only the necessary partitions are thermally tuned at any given time, creating a periodic pattern of activation that reduces average energy consumption while maintaining system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If dense wavelength division multiplexing is implemented to increase transmission capacity, then data transmission rate is improved, but interference between channels increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission rateVSAvoidchannel interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The partitioning of microring resonators enables independent control and tuning of each partition's resonant wavelengths. This allows for precise wavelength allocation and spacing between different data channels, reducing spectral overlap and interference while maintaining high transmission capacity through dense wavelength division multiplexing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables efficient power management, reduces interference, and supports both energy efficiency and fault-tolerance by ensuring only necessary partitions are actively tuned, thereby improving the performance of dense wavelength division multiplexing systems.

Implementation Method 1

Each resonator is configured to independently modulate a respective one of the optical channels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

allowing for selective activation and thermal tuning of only operational partitions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal tuning: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS8705972B2Energy-efficient and fault-tolerant resonator-based modulation and wavelength division multiplexing systems

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for modulating, channels in dense wavelength division multiplexing (“DWDM”) systems. In one aspect, a modulation and wavelength division multiplexing system includes a channel source and a waveguide tree structure disposed on a substrate. The tree structure includes waveguides branching from a root waveguide. The waveguides include two or more terminus waveguides coupled to the channel source. The system also includes one or more modulator arrays disposed on the substrate. Each modulator array is optically coupled to one of the two or more terminus waveguides and is configured to modulate channels injected into a terminus waveguide from the channel source to produce corresponding optical signals that propagate from the terminus waveguide along one or more of the waveguides to the root waveguide.