Optical Transceiver Direct OTU4 to FlexO Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Optical transceivers are not optimized for transporting legacy OTN traffic, and existing solutions require large aggregation devices that consume significant electrical power and are not efficient in using available bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
An optical transceiver that maps OTU4 signals directly into flexible optical transport network (FlexO) frames without interleaving them into optical data unit-C signals, communicating these frames over a FlexO electrical interface to a coherent digital signal processor, thereby converting OTU4 signals to PAM4 signals without using an aggregation device, reducing circuit size and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If aggregation devices are used to convert NRZ signals from QSFP28 to PAM4 signals from coherent DSP, then signal conversion is achieved, but device size and electrical power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the aggregation device from the signal conversion path. Instead of using a separate aggregation device to convert NRZ signals to PAM4 signals, the invention integrates the mapping function directly into the optical transceiver, eliminating the need for the aggregation device and thereby reducing device size and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the OTU4 mapping function with the optical transceiver by implementing a framer circuit that directly maps OTU4 signals to FlexO frames. This integration combines previously separate functions (OTU4 mapping and optical transmission) into a single device, eliminating the need for external aggregation devices.
2Productivity
If QSFP28 with OTL4.4 is used to support OTU4 over four lanes, then OTN traffic can be transported, but bandwidth utilization is limited to 25% when 400G capacity is available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation by using FlexO frames that can adapt to different data rates. The system can dynamically allocate bandwidth across multiple lanes and adjust the mapping configuration based on the actual traffic requirements, enabling efficient utilization of available bandwidth while supporting legacy OTN traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal interface that can handle both legacy OTN traffic and modern high-speed traffic. The FlexO frame structure and direct mapping approach provide a multi-functional solution that works with various data rates and traffic types, making the system adaptable to different requirements while maximizing bandwidth utilization.
3Device complexity
If direct OTU4 to FlexO mapping is implemented without interleaving into ODUC signals, then circuit size and power consumption are reduced, but compatibility with traditional OTN mapping procedures must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mapping parameters by directly mapping OTU4 signals to FlexO frames without the intermediate ODUC interleaving step. This parameter change simplifies the mapping procedure while maintaining protocol compatibility through proper implementation of the mapping algorithm that preserves the necessary OTN framing and overhead structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes mapping, by an optical transceiver, a received first OTU4 signal to a first FlexO frame without interleaving the first OTU4 signal into an ODUC signal prior to mapping the first OTU4 signal to the first FlexO frame. The method also includes communicating, by the optical transceiver, the first FlexO frame with the mapped first OTU4 signal to a coherent DSP over a first FOIC.