Optical Signal Synchronizer Using Tunable Delay Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical packet routers with synchronous optical switch fabrics face issues with synchronization errors leading to transmission errors and reduced network throughput due to inadequate synchronization of incoming data packets, resulting in skew and jitter.
Innovation Solution
An optical signal synchronizer system comprising optical channel synchronizers and a multiplex synchronizer, which demultiplexes and remultiplexes WDM signals through tunable delay paths to synchronize data packets across different carrier wavelengths, using optical all-pass filters and a delay controller to align signals with an external reference clock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synchronous optical switch fabric is used to enhance bandwidth and reduce network latency, then network throughput is improved, but synchronization errors cause transmission errors and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer divides the WDM signal into multiple individual wavelength components using a demultiplexer, processes each component separately through dedicated delay lines, and then recombines them. This segmentation allows independent synchronization control for each wavelength channel, improving overall transmission accuracy without compromising network throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary synchronization by adjusting the delay of individual wavelength components before they are multiplexed back together. By pre-aligning the packets at the channel level and maintaining a running estimate of relative delays, the system prevents synchronization errors from propagating through the optical switch fabric, ensuring reliable transmission while maintaining high throughput.
2Reliability
If guard time is increased between packets to accommodate poor alignment, then transmission errors are reduced, but network throughput is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer dynamically adjusts the delay parameter for each wavelength channel based on measured packet arrival times and running delay estimates. By continuously optimizing the delay parameter to achieve precise packet alignment, the system minimizes the guard time required between packets, thereby maximizing network throughput while maintaining transmission accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If demultiplexing and remultiplexing is performed to synchronize individual WDM components, then packet alignment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer uses a single set of delay lines and control mechanisms that can process multiple wavelength components simultaneously. The demultiplexer separates wavelengths, each channel uses the same delay line structure with electronically controlled delay adjustment, and the multiplexer recombines them. This universal approach achieves precise synchronization for all channels without requiring separate complex synchronization systems for each wavelength.
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
The system effectively synchronizes optical data packets across different carrier wavelengths, reducing transmission errors and enhancing network throughput by ensuring accurate alignment and reducing the need for large guard times.
Implementation Method 1
The optical multiplex synchronizer has a plurality of optical all-pass filters (OAPFs), each adapted to apply continuously tunable group delay to the WDM signal received from a corresponding optical channel synchronizer
Implementation Method 2
a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the input WDM signal into a plurality of individual WDM components
Implementation Method 3
a multiplexer that receives the individual WDM components from the tunable delay paths and multiplexes them back to form the output WDM signal
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the invention provides an optical signal synchronizer having a plurality of optical channel synchronizers. Each optical channel synchronizer receives a respective input wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) signal and processes it to produce a corresponding output WDM signal, in which optical data packets corresponding to different carrier wavelengths are synchronized to each other regardless of the presence or absence of such synchronization in the input WDM signal. The optical signal synchronizer further has an optical multiplex synchronizer that receives the output WDM signals from the optical channel synchronizers and synchronizes them to each other and to an external reference clock without demultiplexing any of them into individual WDM components.