JP2008005559A - Wavelength dispersion equalization method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To optimize wavelength dispersion in a transmission channel during the operation of an optical communication system. <P>SOLUTION: An adder 42 adds a rectangular-wave voltage, outputted by an oscillator 32, to a center value outputted by a center value setting section 40, and supplies the result as a control voltage to a variable dispersion compensator 16, thereby giving perturbation to the wavelength dispersion of the transmission channel. Counters 34 and 36 count the number of errors occurring when the perturbation is applied in respectively designated directions, and their counted values are compared in a comparator 38. The result of the comparison from the comparator 38 is supplied to the center value setting section 40, and the center of the perturbation is changed in the direction directed toward fewer or no errors. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to dispersion amount optimization in an optical communication system.

  In order to cope with the spread of the Internet, image communication, etc., it is desired to increase the capacity of optical communication. One method is to increase the transmission speed. Currently, 10 Gb / s optical communication systems have been put into practical use, and 40 Gb / s optical communication systems are being studied. The present invention relates to dispersion amount control in a high-speed optical communication system.

The speed of light passing through the optical fiber is slightly different depending on the wavelength (frequency) (referred to as chromatic dispersion). The optical pulse includes a plurality of frequency components, and if there is chromatic dispersion, the transmission speed of each frequency component differs, so that the transmission waveform is distorted according to the amount of dispersion (dispersion × distance). Therefore, there is a limit to the amount of dispersion that can be transmitted, and the value is proportional to 1 / (transmission speed) ^2, and decreases as the transmission speed increases. When a wavelength having a minimum chromatic dispersion at the zero-dispersion wavelength but a large chromatic dispersion is used, a system configuration is adopted in which a dispersion compensator having reverse dispersion characteristics is inserted to reduce the total dispersion amount.

  There is a change in the amount of dispersion even during system operation. Since the zero-dispersion wavelength of the fiber is temperature-dependent, the dispersion value varies depending on the fiber installation environment condition, and also varies with time in the laser wavelength of the transmitter used.

  Since the allowable dispersion amount is large in the 10 Gb / s system, the compensation amount of the dispersion compensator was fixed even if it was initially set. However, in the 40 Gb / s system, the dispersion tolerance was reported to be 30 ps / nm, which is very Small (Oi et al., 1997 Shinsei Sogakudai B-10-165). For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the amount of dispersion even during operation.

For example, the secular variation of the transmission wavelength is ± 1 nm (width 2 nm), the temperature dependence of the zero dispersion wavelength of SMF (single mode fiber) is 0.03 nm / ° C, the ambient temperature change of the fiber transmission line is 50 ° C, and the transmission distance is 100 km. When the dispersion slope is 0.07 ps / nm ² / km, (2 + 0.03 × 50) × 0.07 × 100 = 25 ps / nm dispersion varies.

  A.Sano et al., ECOC'96 Technical Digests Tud. 3.5 proposes a method for monitoring the size of the clock component so that the amount of dispersion is optimal even during operation.

  Since the method of determining whether the amount of dispersion is optimal by monitoring the size of the clock component depends on the shape of the signal waveform, it can be handled when the waveform is distorted due to a nonlinear phenomenon such as SPM or due to variations in the transmission waveform shape. It may not be possible.

  Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for optimally setting the dispersion value of a transmission line during operation.

  According to the present invention, the signal is encoded with an error correction code as a transmission line code, the encoded signal is sent out on the transmission line, and the perturbation is in the direction of increasing the dispersion amount with respect to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line. The number of errors detected by alternately providing perturbations in a decreasing direction, receiving signals transmitted on the transmission path, detecting and correcting errors by decoding the received signals, and decoding And a chromatic dispersion equalization method comprising the steps of changing the center of the perturbation in the direction in which there is no detected error or the number of detected errors is small.

  According to the present invention, an encoder that encodes a signal with an error correction code as a transmission line code, a transmitter that transmits the encoded signal on the transmission line, and dispersion with respect to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line Means for alternately providing a perturbation in the direction of increasing and a perturbation in the direction of decreasing; a receiver for receiving a signal transmitted on the transmission line; and detecting an error by decoding the received signal; A decoder for correcting, means for counting the number of errors detected by the decoder, and a controller for changing the center of perturbation in a direction in which there is no detected error or the number of detected errors is small. A chromatic dispersion equalizer is also provided.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. On the transmission side, the data to be transmitted is channel-coded by the encoder 10. In the present invention, for example, ITU-T Recommendation G. A code having an error detection and correction capability such as a Reed-Solomon code described in 975 is adopted as a transmission line code. An error correction code disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 4-231067 and not accompanied by an increase in transmission speed is also applicable. The output of the encoder 10 is converted into an optical signal by the optical transmitter 12 and sent to the transmission line 14. A tunable dispersion compensator 16 is inserted in series with the transmission line 14. As the tunable dispersion compensator, the one shown in FIGS. 19 to 22 of Japanese Patent Application No. 9-2224056 can be used.

  The optical receiver 18 converts the received optical signal into an electrical signal. Decoder 20 detects and corrects errors in the received signal.

  The control circuit 22 changes the compensation dispersion amount of the tunable dispersion compensator 16 into a rectangular wave shape as shown in FIG. 2, and alternately gives the perturbation in the direction to increase the dispersion amount and the perturbation in the direction to decrease. If an error occurs, the center of the perturbation is moved in a direction opposite to the direction of the perturbation at that time. For example, if an error occurs at time (a) when perturbation in the direction of decreasing the dispersion amount is given as shown in FIG. 2, the center of the perturbation is moved from (c) to (d). Conversely, if an error occurs at time (b) when the perturbation in the direction of increasing the dispersion amount is given, the center of the perturbation is moved from (c) to (e).

  When viewed over a long period of time, the error rate is minimized at the optimum value of the amount of dispersion, as shown in FIG. 3, and the error rate increases across this. By controlling as described above, the amount of dispersion is optimized. The value can be controlled. The generated error is correctly corrected in the decoder 20.

  Instead of moving the center of the perturbation every time an error occurs, count the errors that occur when the perturbation in each direction is given, and move the center of the perturbation in the direction with fewer errors. Anyway.

  FIG. 4 shows a detailed configuration of the control circuit 22 in the latter case. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The switch 30 is controlled by a rectangular wave output from the oscillator 32 and alternately notifies the counter 34 or 36 of the error detected in the decoder 20. Counters 34 and 36 count the number of notified errors. The comparator 38 compares the count values of the counters 34 and 36 and notifies the center value setting unit 40 of the result. The center value setting unit 40 changes the center value of the perturbation according to the comparison result of the comparator 38. The adder 42 adds the rectangular wave output from the oscillator 32 to the output of the center value setting unit 40 and supplies the result to the variable dispersion compensator 16 as a dispersion amount control signal.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a dispersion compensator 44 having a fixed dispersion amount may be used instead of the tunable dispersion compensator 16, and the dispersion amount may be changed by changing the wavelength of the signal light.

  FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, in addition to optimizing the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line, the identification phase and the identification voltage in the optical receiver 18 are optimized in a time division manner by the same control. The same components as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The selector 46 notifies the comparison result in the comparator 38 not only to the central value setting unit 40 but also to the central value setting units 48 and 50 in a time division manner. The center value setting units 48 and 50 and the addition units 52 and 54 have the same configuration as the center value setting unit 40 and the addition unit 52, respectively, but the output of the addition unit 52 is an optical receiver as a control voltage for the identification phase. 18 and the output of the adder 54 is supplied to the optical receiver 18 as an identification voltage.

  The selector 56 is controlled in synchronization with the selector 46. That is, when the identification result of the comparator 38 is given to the center value setting unit 40, the rectangular wave voltage from the oscillator 32 is supplied to the adding unit 42, and perturbation is given to the dispersion compensation amount. When the selector 46 is switched so that the discrimination result of the comparator 38 is given to the center value setting unit 48, the selector 56 is also switched in synchronization therewith, and a rectangular wave voltage is supplied to the adding unit 52 to perturb the discrimination phase. Is given. At this time, since the rectangular wave voltage is not supplied to the adding unit 42, the center value of the perturbation is output from the adding unit 42. When the selector 46 is switched so that the identification result of the comparator 38 is given to the center value setting unit 50, the selector 56 is also switched in synchronization with it and a rectangular wave voltage is supplied to the adding unit 54 to perturb the identification voltage. Is given. At this time, the center value of the perturbation is output from the adder 52.

  FIG. 7 shows details of the configuration of the optical receiver 18 of FIG. The received optical signal is converted into an electrical signal by the photodetector 58 and amplified by the amplifier 60. One of the two outputs of the amplifier 60 is input to the identification circuit 62 and identified. The nonlinear extraction circuit 64 generates a clock component by nonlinear extraction from the other output of the amplifier 60. The clock component extracted by the non-linear extraction circuit 64 is supplied as a clock signal that gives a discrimination timing to the discrimination circuit 62 after the phase is adjusted by the variable phase shifter 68 through the band pass filter 66.

  The output of the adder 52 (FIG. 6) is supplied to the variable phase shifter 68 as a signal for controlling the amount of phase shift. The output of the adder 54 (FIG. 6) is supplied to the identification circuit 62 as an identification threshold value.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation when the control circuit 22 of FIG. 4 is realized by a computer and software for the same.

  In FIG. 8, first, initial setting is performed by any of the following methods (1) to (3) (step 1000).

  (1) The variable dispersion compensator 16 is swept over the entire variable range with a predetermined step width (for example, about 5 to 10 ps at 40 Gb / s), and the error rate is measured at each step (measurement time is 1 for example) Second), the dispersion amount of the tunable dispersion compensator 16 is set to the dispersion amount with the minimum code error rate.

  (2) Instead of measuring the code error rate in (1), the clock component extracted from the optical signal is measured in the optical receiver 18, and the dispersion amount of the variable dispersion compensator 16 is set to the dispersion amount that maximizes the amount of the clock component. Set.

  (3) The amount of dispersion of the variable dispersion compensator 16 is set to the amount of dispersion by which the system startup person can obtain good optical communication, the code error rate characteristic, or the maximum clock component while monitoring the optical communication, the code error rate or the clock component. Set.

  Next, the dispersion DB of the tunable dispersion compensator 16 is increased by ΔD (step 1002), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N1 (step 1004). Further, DB is decreased by ΔD (step 1006), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N2 (step 1008). N1 and N2 are compared (step 1010). If N1 is greater than N2, DB is changed to DB-D1 (step 1012) and the process returns to step 1002. If N1 is smaller than N2, DB is changed to DB + D1 (step 1014), and the process returns to step 1002. If N1 and N2 are substantially equal, the DB returns to step 1002 without being changed.

Here, Δt is, for example, 10 msec to 1 sec, and may be longer than 1 sec. However, when the optimum value changes, the time until the stable state is reached becomes longer. D1 is a value smaller than the dispersion tolerance at the target error rate. For example, 0.5 to 2 ps / nm is appropriate when BER (error rate) = 10 ⁻⁵ or less is assumed at 40 Gb / s. ΔD is approximately the same value as D1.

In the above description, the values of D1 and ΔD are constant, but D1 or D1 and ΔD may be changed according to the measured number of errors. D1 and ΔD are increased when the number of errors is large, and decreased when the number of errors is small. Thereby, the convergence speed to the optimum value is improved. As an example, when E = number of errors / time, 10 ³ <E ≦ 10 ⁷ , D1 = 5 ps / nm (40 Gb / s), 80 ps / nm (10 Gb / s), and 1 <E ≦ 10 ³ D1 = 2 ps / nm (40 Gb / s), 30 ps / nm (10 Gb / s), and E ≦ 1, D1 = 0.5 ps / nm (40 Gb / s), 10 ps / nm (10 Gb / s) .

Alternatively, Δt may be changed according to the error rate, such as increasing Δt when the number of errors per unit time (error rate) is small. In this case, it is preferable to set an upper limit on Δt. For example, Δt = 10 msec at 10 ⁻⁵ ≦ BER, Δt = 100 msec at 10 ⁻⁹ ≦ BER <10 ⁻⁵ , Δt = 1 sec at 10 ⁻¹² ≦ BER <10 ⁻⁹ , and t = at BER <10 ^−12. 10 sec. Further, it can be combined with the method of changing the values of D1 and ΔD.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the operation when the control circuit 22 described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 is realized by a computer and software for the same. This method can be applied when the frequency of error occurrence is small.

  In FIG. 9, the initial setting in step 1100 is the same as the initial setting in step 1000 in FIG. In step 1102, the dispersion amount DB of the tunable dispersion compensator 16 is increased by ΔD, and an error is monitored for Δt seconds (step 1104). If an error occurs in Δt seconds (step 1106), DB is changed to DB-D1 and the process returns to step 1102. Next, DB is decreased by ΔD (step 1110), and an error is monitored for Δt seconds (step 1112). If an error occurs (step 1114), DB is changed to DB + D1 and the processing returns to step 1102.

Also in this case, Δt may be changed according to the error rate, and an upper limit may be provided for Δt. For example, Δt = 1 μsec at 10 ⁻¹⁰ ≦ BER <10 ⁻⁷ , Δt = 10 msec at 10 ⁻¹¹ ≦ BER <10 ⁻¹⁰ , Δt = 100 msec at 10 ⁻¹² ≦ BER <10 ⁻¹¹ , and BER ≦ 10 ⁻¹² Δt = 1 sec. Note that this method cannot be applied when BER ≧ 10 ⁻⁷ .

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation when the control circuit 22 of FIG. 5 is realized by a computer and software for the same. 8 is essentially the same as the process in FIG. 8 except that DB is replaced with wavelength λB, ΔD is replaced with Δλ, and D1 is replaced with Δλ1. Δλ1 corresponds to a dispersion amount of 0.5 to 2 ps / nm, assuming 80 km transmission at 40 Gb / s, a secondary dispersion coefficient of 0.05 ps / nm ² / km, and BER = 10 ⁻¹⁵ or less. The value is 0.1 to 0.5 nm.

If Δλ1 or Δλ1 and Δλ are changed according to the number of errors, such as increasing Δλ1 and Δλ when the number of errors is high and decreasing when the number of errors is small, the convergence speed to the optimum value is improved. For example, Δλ1 = 1.25 nm (40 Gb / s), 20 nm (10 Gb / s) when 10 ³ <E ≦ 10 ⁷ , and Δλ1 = 0.5 nm (40 Gb / 40) when 1 <E ≦ 10 ³ . s), 7.5 nm (10 Gb / s), E ≦ 1, and Δλ1 = 0.13 nm (40 Gb / s), 2.5 nm (10 Gb / s).

It is also possible to change Δt according to the error rate, such as increasing Δt when the error rate is small, and to set an upper limit on it. For example, Δt = 10 msec at 10 ⁻⁵ ≦ BER, Δt = 100 msec at 10 ⁻⁹ ≦ BER <10 ⁻⁵ , t = 1 sec at 10 ⁻¹² ≦ BER <10 ⁻⁹ , t = 10 sec at BER <10 ⁻¹² To do. Further, it may be combined with the method of changing Δλ1 and Δλ.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation when the control of FIG. 6 is realized by a computer and software for the same.

  In the initial setting in step 1300, the dispersion amount is set according to any of the above-described initial setting methods (1) to (3). For the identification phase and the identification voltage, for example, the identification voltage is set at the center of the waveform amplitude so that the identification phase is at the center of the period of one symbol.

  Next, adjustment of the dispersion amount DB whose details are shown in FIG. 12 (step 1302), adjustment of the identification phase φ whose details are shown in FIG. 13 (step 1304), and identification voltage whose details are shown in FIG. Vth adjustment (step 1306) is repeatedly executed.

  FIG. 12 shows details of DB adjustment. In FIG. 12, the following processing is repeated x times using the parameter k. DB is increased by ΔD (step 1402), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N1 (step 1404). Further, DB is reduced by ΔD (step 1406), the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N2 (step 1408), N1 and N2 are compared (step 1410), and if N1 is greater than N2, DB is changed to DB-D1 (step 1412). If N1 is smaller than N2, DB is changed to DB + D1 (step 1414). If N1 and N2 are substantially equal, DB is not changed.

  FIG. 13 shows the details of the adjustment of φ. In FIG. 13, the following processing is repeated y times using the parameter k. φ is increased by Δφ (step 1502), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds to be N1 (step 1504). Further, φ is decreased by Δφ (step 1506), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N2 (step 1508). N1 and N2 are compared (step 1510). If N1 is greater than N2, φ is changed to φ−φ1 (step 1512). If N1 is smaller than N2, φ is changed to φ + φ1 (step 1514). If N1 and N2 are substantially equal, φ is not changed.

  FIG. 14 shows details of the adjustment of Vth. In FIG. 14, the following processing is repeated z times using the parameter k. Vth is increased by ΔV (step 1602), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N1 (step 1604). Further, Vth is decreased by ΔV (step 1606), and the number of errors is counted for Δt seconds and set to N2 (step 1608). N1 and N2 are compared (step 1610), and if N1 is greater than N2, Vth is changed to Vth−V1 (step 1612). If N1 is smaller than N2, Vth is changed to Vth + V1 (step 1614). If N1 and N2 are substantially equal, Vth is not changed.

Δt is 10 msec to 1 sec. Even if it is 1 sec or more, there is no problem, but it takes time to stabilize. D1 is a value smaller than the dispersion tolerance at the target error rate, and is, for example, 0.5 to 2 ps / nm when BER = 10 ⁻⁵ or less is assumed at 40 Gb / s. ΔD is approximately the same value as D1. φ1 is desirably 1.8 to 3.6 degrees, and Δφ is approximately equal to φ1. V1 is preferably amplitude voltage / 100 to amplitude voltage / 200, and ΔV is approximately equal to V1. x, y, and z are integers of 1 or more.

Depending on the number of errors, D1, ΔD, φ1, Δφ, ΔV, V1 is increased when the number of errors is large, and is decreased when the number is small, such as D1 or D1 and ΔD, φ1 or φ1 and Δφ, V1 or V1. ΔV may be changed. This improves the convergence speed. For example, when 10 ³ <E ≦ 10 ⁷ , D1 = 5 ps / nm (40 Gb / s), about 80 ps / nm (10 Gb / s), φ1 = 20 degrees, V1 = amplitude / 50, and 1 <E ≦ 10 ³ D1 = 2 ps / nm (40 Gb / s), 30 ps / nm (10 Gb / s), φ1 = 10 degrees, V1 = amplitude / 10, and E ≦ 1, D1 = 0.5 ps / nm (40 Gb / s) About 10 ps / nm (10 Gb / s), φ1 = 3 degrees, and V1 = amplitude / 200.

It is a block diagram which shows the 1st Example of this invention. It is a wave form diagram which shows operation | movement of the system of FIG. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a code error rate and a dispersion compensation amount. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of a control circuit 22 in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a variation of the system of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the 2nd Example of this invention. It is a circuit block diagram which shows the detailed structure of the optical receiver 18 of FIG. It is a flowchart of operation | movement when the control of FIG. 4 is implement | achieved by software. It is a flowchart of operation | movement when the control of FIG. 1 is implement | achieved by software. 6 is a flowchart of an operation when the control of FIG. 5 is realized by software. It is a flowchart of operation | movement when the control of FIG. 6 is implement | achieved by software. It is a flowchart of adjustment of DB of FIG. 12 is a flowchart of φ adjustment in FIG. 11. 12 is a flowchart of Vth adjustment in FIG.

Claims (10)

(A) Encode the signal with an error correction code as a transmission line code;
(B) sending the encoded signal onto the transmission line;
(C) Perturbation in the direction of increasing the amount of dispersion and perturbation in the direction of decreasing are alternately given to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line,
(D) receiving a signal transmitted on the transmission path;
(E) detecting and correcting errors by decoding the received signal;
(F) counting the number of errors detected by decoding;
(G) A chromatic dispersion equalization method comprising the steps of changing the center of the perturbation in a direction in which there is no detected error or the number of detected errors is small.   The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (c), perturbation is given to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line by changing a dispersion amount of the tunable dispersion compensator inserted in the transmission line.   The method of claim 1, wherein in step (c), perturbation is provided to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line by changing the signal wavelength.   The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (c), a perturbation is further given to the identification phase of the received signal.   The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (c), a perturbation is further given to the identification level of the received signal. An encoder that encodes a signal with an error correction code as a transmission line code;
A transmitter for sending an encoded signal on a transmission line;
Means for alternately giving a perturbation in the direction of increasing the amount of dispersion and a perturbation in the direction of decreasing with respect to the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line;
A receiver for receiving a signal transmitted on the transmission path;
A decoder for detecting and correcting errors by decoding the received signal;
Means for counting the number of errors detected by the decoder;
A chromatic dispersion equalizer comprising: a controller that changes the center of perturbation in a direction in which there is no detected error or the number of detected errors is small.   7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the perturbation means perturbs the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line by changing a dispersion amount of a tunable dispersion compensator inserted in the transmission line.   The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the perturbation means perturbs the chromatic dispersion of the transmission line by changing a signal wavelength.   The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the perturbation unit further perturbs the discrimination phase of the received signal.   The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the perturbation means further perturbs the identification level of the received signal.

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