Time-Interleaved DAC for Broadband Optical Transmitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical data transmission systems using optical waveguides face limitations in spectral efficiency and high costs due to the need for high sample rates in electronic subsystems to drive multiple electro-optic modulators, which require expensive and energy-intensive components.
Innovation Solution
A transmitting device with an electronic subsystem that transforms baseband signals into frequency spectra using Fourier transforms, allowing electro-optic modulators in the optical subsystem to be driven by analog coefficient signals, reducing the sample rate requirements and enabling the use of less expensive components, while maintaining high spectral efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple electro-optic modulators are used to increase bandwidth, then the transmission capacity is improved, but the sample rate requirement in the electronic subsystem increases proportionally, leading to higher costs and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple digital-to-analog converter operations into a single time-interleaved converter that operates at a lower sample rate. By interleaving the conversion of multiple coefficient signals in time domains, the system achieves the functional equivalent of multiple high-rate converters while using one lower-rate converter, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining the required transmission capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs time-interleaved periodic conversion where different coefficient signals are converted at different time intervals. The single digital-to-analog converter operates periodically on different sets of coefficient signals from different electro-optic modulators, achieving the effect of multiple concurrent conversions through temporal multiplexing, thus reducing the instantaneous sample rate requirement and energy consumption
2Productivity
If multiple electro-optic modulators are used to increase bandwidth, then the transmission capacity is improved, but the sample rate requirement in the electronic subsystem increases proportionally, leading to higher component costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple high-sample-rate digital-to-analog converters into a single time-interleaved converter operating at a lower sample rate. This consolidation reduces the number of expensive high-speed electronic components required, thereby lowering the overall system cost while maintaining the transmission capacity provided by multiple electro-optic modulators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the digital-to-analog converter by operating it at a lower sample rate through time-interleaved conversion. Instead of requiring multiple converters at high sample rates, the system uses parameter transformation to achieve the same functional outcome with a single converter at reduced sample rate, thereby reducing component costs
3Reliability
If the electronic subsystem operates at high sample rate to drive multiple modulators, then the transmission quality is maintained, but the spectral efficiency is limited due to the need for sufficient frequency spacing between channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic time-interleaved conversion to process coefficient signals from multiple electro-optic modulators. By periodically converting different sets of coefficient signals at different time intervals, the system maintains the transmission quality required for each channel while enabling tighter frequency spacing between channels, thus improving spectral efficiency without sacrificing reliability
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 solution achieves high spectral efficiency and reduced costs by operating the electronic subsystem at a lower sample rate, facilitating efficient broadband optical transmission with reduced energy consumption and lower component costs.
Implementation Method 1
N electro-optic modulators for providing N optical signal components, wherein the electro-optic modulators of the optical subsystem are configured to be driven each by one of the N analog coefficient signals
Data Source
AI summary
A transmitting device for transmitting a broadband optical transmission signal via an optical waveguide, having an electronic subsystem and an optical subsystem, the optical subsystem has N electro-optic modulators for providing N optical signal components, where N is a number greater than 1, the electronic subsystem is configured to transform a baseband signal by a Fourier transform, or a discrete Fourier transform, into a frequency spectrum containing N digital coefficient signals, and to provide, on a basis of the N digital coefficient signals, N analog coefficient signals, and the electro-optic modulators of the optical subsystem are configured to be driven each by one of the N analog coefficient signals.