Optical Receiver LLR Segmentation for Multidimensional Symbols

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Solution Overview

Problem

The calculation of log likelihood ratios for multidimensional symbols in optical communication systems is computationally intensive due to the need to calculate Euclidean distances for all candidate symbols, which increases the complexity and resource requirements for error correction.

Innovation Solution

An optical receiver is designed with separate calculation units for M-dimensional and N-dimensional log likelihood ratios, where M is less than N, allowing for reduced calculation by using feedback from soft determination error correction decoding to update and combine log likelihood ratios, thereby reducing the number of necessary calculations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multi-leveling modulation (DP-64QAM or higher) is used to increase transmission capacity, then frequency utilization efficiency is improved, but minimum Euclidean distance between symbols reduces and noise resistance properties decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission capacityVSAvoidnoise resistance properties
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from traditional 2D signal point arrangement (I-Q plane) to N-dimensional space arrangement. By expanding the design dimension from 2 dimensions to N dimensions (where N≥3), the system can arrange signal points in higher-dimensional space, increasing the minimum Euclidean distance between symbols while maintaining high frequency utilization efficiency. This dimensional expansion allows simultaneous achievement of high transmission capacity and improved noise resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If log likelihood ratio calculation for multidimensional symbols is performed using conventional methods, then soft decision error correction is achieved, but calculation complexity increases due to Euclidean distance computation for all candidate symbols

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror correction performanceVSAvoidcalculation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the N-dimensional symbol calculation into multiple stages: first calculating log likelihood ratios for lower-dimensional symbols (M-dimension where M<N), then progressively combining these results to obtain the final N-dimensional log likelihood ratio. This segmentation avoids the need to calculate Euclidean distances for all candidate N-dimensional symbols simultaneously, significantly reducing calculation complexity while maintaining error correction performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complete Euclidean distance calculations for all candidate N-dimensional symbols, the patent performs partial calculations by first computing log likelihood ratios for subsets of dimensions and then combining these partial results. This partial action approach achieves the necessary error correction performance without the excessive computational burden of complete calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3451539B1Optical receiver, optical transmission device, and method for optical receiver
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP
  • EP3451539B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3451539B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3451539B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An optical receiver includes: a first calculation unit that obtains a log likelihood ratio for each M-dimension (M is a natural number), based on a received signal; and a second calculation unit that obtains a log likelihood ratio of an N dimensional symbol (N is a natural number), based on the log likelihood ratio for each M-dimension.