Optical Transceiver Tuning for Data Rate Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical communication systems face challenges in optimizing spectral efficiency and data rate capacity for optical transceivers due to variations in payload rates and baud rates, particularly in managing forward error correction performance data across multiple channels.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a processor and memory configured to determine and configure optical parameters for a set of optical transceivers based on a combined evaluation of payload rates and baud rates using forward error correction performance data, optimizing spectral efficiency by adjusting output powers and channel configurations to maximize data rate capacity while preventing interference between channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If optical transceivers operate at higher payload rates and baud rates to increase data rate capacity, then spectral efficiency improves, but forward error correction performance deteriorates due to increased susceptibility to optical transients and interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata rate capacityVSAvoidforward error correction performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters (payload rate, baud rate, optical power) based on real-time channel conditions and FEC performance feedback. The transceiver continuously monitors FEC performance data and adapts its operating point to maximize data rate capacity while maintaining acceptable error correction performance, rather than operating at fixed high rates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements closed-loop feedback using FEC performance data from remote transceivers to adjust local transceiver parameters. The feedback mechanism allows the system to learn from channel conditions and modify operational parameters to optimize the trade-off between data rate capacity and error correction performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If optical power is increased to improve signal quality and FEC performance, then error correction improves, but optical transients and interference between channels increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveFEC performanceVSAvoidoptical transients
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system optimizes optical power parameters dynamically rather than using fixed high power levels. By adjusting optical power in conjunction with payload rate and baud rate parameters, the system achieves adequate signal quality for FEC performance while minimizing optical transients and interference, particularly when changing operating conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the system evaluates all possible combinations of payload rates and baud rates to optimize spectral efficiency, then data rate capacity maximizes, but convergence time increases due to extensive search requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidconvergence time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary evaluations of parameter combinations during initial configuration or channel conditions change, using FEC performance data to identify optimal operating points in advance. This preliminary action reduces the need for extensive real-time searching and accelerates convergence when adjusting to new conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4109790B1Tuning optical transceivers for data rate capacity
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 ALCATEL SUBMARINE NETWORKS
  • EP4109790B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4109790B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4109790B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Various example embodiments for supporting optical communications are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting optical communications may be configured to support optical communications based on tuning of optical transceivers associated with a set of optical channels to optimize data rate capacity for the set of optical channels in a manner for optimizing spectral efficiency for the set of optical channels. Various example embodiments for supporting optical communications based on tuning of optical transceivers associated with a set of optical channels may be configured to support tuning of optical transceivers in a manner for finding and setting the optimum data rate capacity for a group of optical transceiver pairs (e.g., local and remote optical transceivers), within a minimum optical bandwidth, corresponding to the optimum spectral efficiency (e.g., when total optical bandwidth is fully loaded by optical channels, the overall capacity of a cable can be optimized).