Methods and systems for hybrid interfaces and architectures for optical communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical signal interface comprising:
- a first input port for receiving a first data stream at a first rate;
a second input port for receiving a second data stream at a second rate, wherein said first rate is OC192 and said second rate is OC768;
a first processing branch for receiving said first data stream, said first processing branch including;
a demultiplexer for dividing said first data stream into a plurality of third data streams at a third rate which is less than said first rate;
a forward error correction (FEC) unit for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of third data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; and
a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate; and
a second processing branch for receiving said second data stream, said second processing branch including;
a demultiplexer for dividing said second data stream into a plurality of fourth data streams at a fourth rate which is less than said second rate;
a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) units that share a common clock for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of fourth data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; and
a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate.
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Abstract
A hybrid interface for handling different types of data streams is disclosed. Both OC192 and OC768 data streams can be transported between terrestrial and submarine systems using hybrid interfaces. Examples include processing branches that use common FEC units, multiplexers, demultiplexers, transmitters and receivers for both types of data streams. WDM channels are allocated in groups for OC768 data stream handling. Time misalignment between received channels within a group is identified and compensated.
57 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An optical signal interface comprising:
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a first input port for receiving a first data stream at a first rate; a second input port for receiving a second data stream at a second rate, wherein said first rate is OC192 and said second rate is OC768; a first processing branch for receiving said first data stream, said first processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said first data stream into a plurality of third data streams at a third rate which is less than said first rate; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of third data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate; and a second processing branch for receiving said second data stream, said second processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said second data stream into a plurality of fourth data streams at a fourth rate which is less than said second rate; a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) units that share a common clock for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of fourth data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An optical signal interface comprising:
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a first input port for receiving a first data stream at a first rate; a second input port for receiving a second data stream at a second rate, wherein said second rate is different than said first rate; a first processing branch for receiving said first data stream, said first processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said first data stream into a plurality of third data streams at a third rate which is less than said first rate; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of third data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate; and a second processing branch for receiving said second data stream, said second processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said second data stream into a plurality of fourth data streams at a fourth rate which is less than said second rate; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for adding a forward error correction code to each of said plurality of fourth data streams to generate FEC encoded data streams; a multiplexer for combining said FEC encoded data streams to output a composite FEC encoded data stream at substantially said first rate; and at least one optical switch for selectively connecting said first input port with said first processing branch and said second input port with said second processing branch. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An optical signal interface comprising:
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a first receive processing branch for receiving a first data stream at substantially a first data rate, said receive processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said first data stream into a plurality of second data streams; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for removing a forward error correction code associated with each of said second data streams to generate FEC decoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC decoded data streams to output a composite FEC decoded data stream at said first data rate; and a group of second receive processing branches, which receives a plurality of third data streams at substantially said first data rate, and includes; a demultiplexer for dividing a respective third data stream into a plurality of fourth data streams; a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) units that share a common clock for removing a forward error correction code associated with each of said fourth data streams to generate FEC decoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC decoded data streams to output a composite FEC decoded data stream at a second data rate greater than said first data rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An optical signal interface comprising:
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a first receive processing branch for receiving a first data stream at substantially a first data rate, said receive processing branch including; a demultiplexer for dividing said first data stream into a plurality of second data streams; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for removing a forward error correction code associated with each of said second data streams to generate FEC decoded data streams; and a multiplexer for combining said FEC decoded data streams to output a composite FEC decoded data stream at said first data rate; and a group of second receive processing branches, which receives a plurality of third data streams at substantially said first data rate, and includes; a demultiplexer for dividing a respective third data stream into a plurality of fourth data streams; a forward error correction (FEC) unit for removing a forward error correction code associated with each of said fourth data streams to generate FEC decoded data streams; a multiplexer for combining said FEC decoded data streams to output a composite FEC decoded data stream at a second data rate greater than said first data rate; and at least one optical switch for selectively connecting an output of said first receive processing branch with a respective first output and an output of said group of second receive processing branches with a respective second output port. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A method for interfacing optical communication systems comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a first optical communication system, a data stream at a first rate wherein receiving includes receiving, from the first optical communication system, an OC768 data stream over a plurality of wave division multiplexed (WDM) channels; providing said data stream to a processing branch associated with said first rate and switching said data stream to said associated processing branch using one of an optical switch and an optical cross-connect; dividing, in said processing branch, said data stream into a plurality of slower data streams; encoding each of said plurality of slower data streams wherein encoding includes forward error correction (FEC) decoding and time aligning said plurality of WDM channels; combining said encoded, slower data streams into a composite data stream wherein combining includes combining said decoded, time aligned WDM channels into said OC768 data stream; and transmitting said composite data stream over a second optical communication system at a second rate which is different than said first rate wherein transmitting includes transmitting said OC768 data stream over the second optical communication system. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An interface for an optical communication system comprising:
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an optical cross-connect having a plurality of inputs thereto, said inputs including; a first set of data streams at a first rate, wherein said first set of data streams at a first rate is a single OC768 data stream; a second set of data streams at a second rate; a third set of data streams at a third rate, wherein said first, second and third rates are each different; a plurality of first processing branches connected to said optical cross-connect, wherein first said processing branch demultiplexers said first set of data streams to a plurality of data streams at a fourth data rate, adds error correction coding to each of said data streams at said fourth data rate to generate a plurality of composite data streams and multiplexes said composite data streams into a plurality of data streams at a fifth rate; a plurality of second processing branches connected to said optical cross-connect; and a plurality of third processing branches connected to said optical cross-connect; wherein said optical cross-connect selectively transfers said first second and third sets of data streams to a respective one of said first, second and third processing branches. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification