Method and apparatus for controlling, monitoring, and communicating with tunable optical devices and subassemblies

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling, monitoring, and communicating with an optical device, photonic integrated circuit or subassembly is provided. The apparatus includes an optical device or subassembly; and a field programmable device including programmable hardware gates coupled to the optical device or subassembly. The field programmable device may be configured to implement a plurality of functions at a gate level for controlling, monitoring, and / or communicating with the optical device or subassembly, each of the plurality of functions being configured to execute as a concurrent process, without use of a microprocessor or a microcontroller. Further, a programmable optical device, such as a programmable optical transmitter, optical subassembly, or transceiver based on a tunable laser having field programmable device centric control systems with software-enabled features offer extensive real-time control and monitoring functionality based on for example actual traffic flows.

Description

[0001] Claim priority according to 35U.S.C.§119 [0002] This patent application requires the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 082,545 filed on November 20, 2014, entitled "Methods and Apparatus for Controlling Tunable Optical Devices and Subassemblies" Number right. Technical field Background technique [0003] Today's optical fiber-based networks use transceivers as the interface between electronic and optical signals that travel on optical fibers and at other points in the network where information is converted between electronic and optical forms. [0004] Optical devices (including optical, electronic, and optoelectronic devices and components) are used to transmit, encode, receive, and decode optical data for transmission on optical fibers. Optical devices interface with various electronic circuits that are used to control devices and components, and interface data in electronic form on the transmitting and receiving sides, encode and decode electronic data, and per...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0007] However, it is known that prior art programmable wavelength tunable transmitters (such as transmitter optical subsystem assemblies (TOSAs), transceivers, and other communication optical subassemblies) cannot be programmed in real time and thus lack Flexibility and Responsiveness

Furthermore, due to the lack of real-time programmability of existing installations, the costs associated with the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of data center networks are high

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