Optical transmission apparatuses, methods, and systems

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed that provide for an agile coherent optical modem that can generate agile RF waveforms and data rates on a generic opto-electronic hardware platform. An “agile coherent optical modem” [ACOM] approach to optical communications by employing a software configurable and adaptive technologies to the transport system. The ACOM generate agile RF waveforms and data rates on a generic opto-electronic hardware platform. By employing advanced communication techniques to the optical domain such as wavelength agility, waveform agility, and symbol rate agility, it is possible to enable robust optical communications. The ACOM allows for the transport capacity of a communications link to be varied, thereby accommodating variations in transport conditions, range, opacity, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An agile coherent optical system comprising:
 an agile optical transmitter including:
 a client interface configured to receive electrical signals; 
 a signal processing unit configured to process the electrical signals and produce electrical RF signals as waveforms having both amplitude and phase characteristics; and 
 an optical transport unit receiving the electrical RF signals and including a vector modulator capable of transporting information as optical signals having waveforms and data rates corresponding to the electrical RF signals provided by the signal processing unit, while preserving the amplitude and phase characteristics of the electrical RF signals; 
 an optical transport unit including a polarization diversity coherent receiver capable of receiving information as an optical signal having waveforms and data rates from the agile optical transmitter and producing electrical RF signals preserving the amplitude and phase characteristics of the waveform; 
 a signal processing unit configured to process the electrical RF signals from the optical transport unit and produce electrical signals containing the information carried by the waveforms; and 
 a client interface configured to receive and transmit the electrical signals from the signal processing unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system is at least part of a WDM system. 
     
     
         3 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system is at least part of a free-space optical transport system. 
     
     
         4 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system is at least part of an optical fiber optical transport system. 
     
     
         5 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system operates at data rates of up to 160 gigabits per second. 
     
     
         6 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system operates at data rates of up to 10 gigabits per second. 
     
     
         7 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system is at least a part of an optical transport system including at least one of an optical amplifier, an optical switch, and an optical add-drop multiplexer. 
     
     
         8 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile coherent optical system is at least a part of a hybrid fiber-free-space optical transport system. 
     
     
         9 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 8 , wherein the optical transport system includes wavelength translation of optical signals being transported from the agile optical transmitter to the agile optical receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the agile optical transmitter and agile optical receiver is integrated on a common substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the agile optical receiver is integrated as a transceiver. 
     
     
         12 . The agile coherent optical system of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the agile optical transmitters are provided in a common module.