Combination photonic time and wavelength division multiplexing method

Abstract

A method is hereby disclosed for a combination photonic time and wavelength division multiplexing method. Parallel digital inputs of quantity “n” are input into “n” modulator loaders for loading into “n” photonic modulators, each having a setup time required to provide a stable modulation state. Subsequently, a photonic pulse of a specified frequency reads the modulation state of each of the “n” photonic modulators. The “n” modulation states may then be processed by “n” delay mechanisms to time the modulation states into a serial multiplexed output comprising a series of synchronizing pulses and data digits. Several parallel digital to serial multiplexers, operating at distinct frequencies, may be used in parallel or in series to comprise a wavelength division multiplexer in accordance with the invention. The present invention also provides an apparatus for interfacing slower electronic components with the higher speed photonic (optical) components by increasing “n,” the number of parallel digital inputs, therefore maximizing the potential capacity of optical transmission. Moreover, the present invention discloses an apparatus to increase the multiplexer efficiency by beginning to load the next set of data into the photonic modulators shortly after previous set has been read and while the previous data set is being delayed and multiplexed into the serial output.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A method for converting parallel data signals to serial photonic signals, the method comprising: 
 providing a pulse train of first photonic pulses having a first wavelength and a first pulse;    providing a first data signal;    providing a first modulator characterized by a first setup time and a first data status;    loading the first data signal into the first modulator following the first pulse and establishing the first data status using the first data signal; and    the first modulator further configured to produce a first data pulse output in response to a selected pulse of the photonic pulses following the first setup time.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 providing a second data signal;    providing a second modulator characterized by a second setup time and a second data status;    loading the second data signal into the second modulator following the first pulse and establishing the second data status using the second data signal; and    the second modulator further configured to produce a second data pulse output in response to a first selected pulse of the photonic pulses following the second setup time.    
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein the first and second data pulse outputs occur at different times.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2   , further comprising: 
 delaying the first data signal by a first delay time to produce a first delayed signal;    delaying the second data signal by a second delay time longer than the first delay time, to produce a second delayed signal.    
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 4   , wherein the first delay mechanism is adjustable.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 4   , further comprising combining the first and second delayed signals to provide a multiplexed output.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 6   , further comprising selecting the multiplexed output from the group consisting of binary pulses and multi-level semaphores.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 6   , wherein the first data signal comprises a first datum followed by a second datum, timed such that the second datum is being loaded into the first modulator while the first datum is being delayed by the first delay mechanism.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 6   , further comprising: 
 providing a synchronization signal synchronized with the first photonic pulses to provide synchronization to the multiplexed output.    
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 9   , wherein the synchronization signal contains information for routing the multiplexed output.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10   , wherein the synchronization signal is a multi-level semaphore.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11   , wherein the multiplexed output contains information produced using modulation techniques selected from the group consisting of amplitude, phase, spatial, and polarization modulation.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 12   , wherein the modulation techniques are used to facilitate the separation of the synchronization signal from the first delayed signal.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising selecting the first data signal from the group consisting of a photonic signal and an electronic signal.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 providing a pulse train of second photonic pulses having a second wavelength and a second pulse;    providing second and third data signals, respectively;    providing a second modulator characterized by a second setup time and a second data status;    providing a third modulator characterized by a third setup time and a third data status;    loading the second data signal into the second modulator following the second pulse and establishing the second data status using the second data signal;    loading the third data signal into the third modulator following the second pulse and establishing the third data status using the third data signal;    the second modulator further configured to produce a second data pulse output in response to a second selected pulse of the second photonic pulses following the second setup time.    the third modulator further configured to produce a third data pulse output in response to a third selected pulse of the second photonic pulses following the third setup time.    
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein the first modulator further comprises a frequency multiplexed logic device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising: 
 delaying the first data signal by a first delay time to produce a first delayed signal;    delaying the second data signal by a second delay time to produce a second delayed signal;    delaying the third data signal by a third delay time longer than the second delay time, to produce a third delayed signal.    
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17   , further comprising combining the first, second, and third delayed signals to provide a combination time and wave-division multiplexed output.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the combination time and wave-division multiplexed output is launched into an optical fiber having a maximum capacity.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 19   , wherein the combination time and wave-division multiplexed output fills the optical fiber to its maximum capacity.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 18   , further comprising: 
 providing a synchronization signal synchronized with the first photonic pulses to provide synchronization to the combination time and wave-division multiplexed output.    
     
     
         22 . The method of    claim 21   , wherein the synchronization signal is a multi-level semaphore.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 21   , wherein the synchronization signal contains information for routing the combination time and wave-division multiplexed output.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the modulators are photonically controlled.