KR20030084850A - Optical modulation and transmission apparatus and method thereof the same of optical transmission/receiving system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device for modulating and transmitting light in an optical transceiving system is provided to apply a bias voltage to a spot having the biggest nonlinear characteristics, and to output a carrier and a subcarrier having certain intervals, thereby avoiding signal distortion caused by reciprocal interference. CONSTITUTION: A mixer(114) generates a control signal for controlling optical signal exchanges as both sideband subcarrier signals by using a frequency of a sine signal. The first optical modulator(130) applies a bias voltage to a spot having a maximum optical output, modulates an optical signal and the both sideband subcarrier signals into carriers and subcarriers separated from the carriers at certain intervals, and outputs the carriers and the subcarriers. An FBG(Fiber Bragg Grating) filter(152) attenuates strength of the carriers by using the same wavelength as the outputted carriers, and outputs the subcarriers. The second optical modulator(140) modulates the optical signal into a payload signal to output the payload signal. A coupler(153) combines the outputted subcarriers with the payload signal, and transmits the combined signal to a receiving device.

Description

Optical modulation and transmission apparatus and method thereof in optical transmission / reception system {OPTICAL MODULATION AND TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF THE SAME OF OPTICAL TRANSMISSION / RECEIVING SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to an optical modulation and transmission apparatus and method thereof in an optical transmission and reception system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for modulating and transmitting an optical signal to a receiving side.

In general, when an optical signal is modulated into an optical signal using an optical modulator, a bias voltage is applied near a center of a transfer function having the highest linearity due to the nonlinear transmission characteristic of the optical modulator.

In this case, an optical signal modulated to a subcarrier appears at a position separated by a radio frequency (RF) frequency based on a wavelength of a carrier.

That is, in order to simultaneously transmit ultra-fast optical data with a control signal loaded on a subcarrier, an RF subcarrier having a frequency larger than a cut-off frequency of optical data should be used. Only then does the frequency of the baseband optical data and the control signal on the subcarrier overlap.

However, when a control signal is transmitted using an RF subcarrier, a signal modulated by subcarriers having different frequencies on both sides of the carrier is generated. When transmitting through the optical fiber due to these different frequencies, the group transmission speed difference of the optical signal occurs due to the color dispersion effect of the optical fiber.

Due to such a speed difference, when the receiving side detects a signal received using the photoelectric converter, the intensity of the detected signal is periodically changed depending on the transmission distance, the RF frequency, and the like.

This phenomenon is an RF fading phenomenon appearing when a signal is transmitted to a subcarrier, and various methods have been proposed to solve these problems, which will be described in detail.

First, when modulating an electrical signal into an optical signal using an optical modulator, a wavelength position (for example, an optical carrier frequency signal) spaced apart by an RF frequency on both sides of a wavelength of a carrier wave The optical signal modulated to the optical carrier frequency signal) appears.

Such a signal is called a double-sideband (DSB) subcarrier multiplexed (SCM) signal. When the modulated DSB-SCM signal is transmitted to a receiver, RF is transmitted. Fading phenomenon appears.

In order to avoid this phenomenon, a special condition is added to the optical modulation to generate and transmit a single-sideband (SSB) signal in which one miner carrier signal is suppressed. RF fading phenomenon can be reduced.

However, in order to generate the SSB-SCM signal, a special type of two-electrode Mach-Zehnder optical modulator having two input signal terminals must be used. In addition, since it is necessary to precisely control the phase of the RF signal input to each electrode of the two-electrode Mach-Zehnder optical modulator, it is practically difficult to implement the system.

As another method, a method of generating a DSB-SCM signal and suppressing a signal of one subcarrier using a precise optical filter is known.

Since the optical filter used here must filter out narrow band frequencies, a variable wavelength Fabry-Perot filter using an optical fiber or a nonlinear optical loop mirror using the nonlinear characteristics of the optical fiber may be used. Periodic spectral filters, or specially made fiber Bragg grating (FBG) filters.

As such, the method of generating and separating the SSB-SCM signal using an optical filter having a narrow frequency band can efficiently control and simultaneously transmit and process baseband ultra-high speed data and control signals on subcarriers by controlling RF fading. have.

However, since the wavelength fluctuations of the optical transmitter and the optical filter are greatly influenced by the surrounding environment such as temperature change, many limitations are placed on the actual system implementation.

Alternatively, the optical signal of the baseband ultra-high speed data and the sub-carrier control signal is optically modulated by each optical modulator, and then optically multiplexed by using an optical signal combiner (optocoupler). There is a way to.

This method modulates each signal separately, thereby minimizing intermodulation due to interference between the two signals.

However, this method requires the use of an expensive optical modulator and has a disadvantage of using a narrow bandwidth optical filter when separating and detecting two signals as in other DSB-SCM methods.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve this problem, by applying a bias voltage to the point where the non-linear characteristics of the optical modulator is the largest, by outputting a carrier (carrier) and a subcarrier having a predetermined interval to each other, The present invention provides an optical modulation and transmission apparatus and a method thereof in an optical transmission / reception system that can avoid signal distortion caused by mutual interference between a signal and a payload signal.

In addition, the present invention allows the receiving side to separate and detect the control and payload signals using an optical filter with a wide reflection bandwidth, thereby enabling to implement an optical transmission and reception system with great durability even in the wavelength fluctuations according to the surrounding environment To provide a modulation and transmission device and a method thereof.

1 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of an optical modulation and transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating output characteristics of the first optical modulator shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an operation process of an optical modulation and transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating a spectrum output result of an optical signal output from the first optical modulator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical transmission and reception system including the optical modulation and transmission device shown in FIG. 1.

An optical modulation and transmission apparatus in an optical transmission / reception system according to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises: an optical modulation and transmission apparatus in an optical transmission / reception system including a reception device for receiving an optical signal, wherein the optical signal A mixer for generating a control signal for controlling the exchange of bilateral band subcarrier signals using a frequency of a sine signal; After the bias voltage is applied at the point where the light output is maximized, the optical signal received from the outside and the both sideband subcarrier signals received from the mixer are subcarriers positioned at a wavelength away from the carrier and the carrier. A first optical modulator for modulating and outputting the first optical modulator; A Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) filter that attenuates the strength of the carrier wave by using the same wavelength as the carrier wave output from the first optical modulator and outputs the subcarrier; A second optical modulator for modulating and outputting the optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal; And a coupler coupled to the subcarrier output from the FBG filter and the payload signal output from the second optical modulator to be transmitted to the receiving device.

And a signal generator generating the control signal. A low pass filter which cuts harmonic components of the generated control signal and outputs them to the mixer; An optical splitter that divides the optical signal received from the outside into a predetermined ratio and distributes the optical signal to the first and second optical modulators, respectively; And an isolator for preventing the carrier wave reflected from the FBG filter from being incident to the first optical modulator.

In addition, the optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission and reception system according to an aspect of the present invention, the optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission and reception system comprising a receiving device for receiving an optical signal, a) the exchange of the optical signal Generating a control signal for controlling the two sideband subcarrier signals using a frequency of a sine signal; b) After applying a bias voltage at the point where the light output is maximized, the negative signal located at a wavelength away from the carrier and the carrier by the optical signal received from the outside and the both sideband subcarrier signals received from the mixer Modulating and outputting each carrier; c) outputting the subcarrier by attenuating the strength of the carrier using the same wavelength as the carrier output from the first optical modulator; d) modulating and outputting the optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal; And e) combining the subcarrier output from the FBG filter and the payload signal output from the second optical modulator to transmit to the receiving device.

In this case, step b) is characterized in that for outputting the sub-carrier at a wavelength at least twice the frequency of the sine signal with respect to the carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the specification.

1 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of an optical modulation and transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the optical modulation and transmission apparatus 100 in the optical transmission / reception system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a signal generator 111, a low pass filter 112, and a local oscillator. 113), mixer (Mixer, 114), high frequency amplifier (115), ECL (semiconductor laser, 121), optical splitter 122, first optical modulator 130, second optical modulator 140, isolator 151), an FBG filter (Fiber Bragg Grating Filter) 152, and a coupler (Coupler 153).

In detail, the signal generator 111 generates a baseband (f _IF ) control signal necessary for transmitting an optical signal, and the low pass filter 112 generates a control signal of the generated control signal. Block only harmonics and pass.

The local oscillator 113 generates a single frequency sine signal f _LO , a single tone signal having a single frequency on the spectrum, in order to modulate the generated baseband control signal on a subcarrier.

Mixer 114 performs amplitude shift keying of the control signal around the frequency of the generated sine signal (f _LO ) and performs double side band subcarrier multiplexed (DSB SCM). Signal (f _RF = f _LO) f, _IF subcarrier signal).

The high frequency amplifier 115 amplifies the level of the generated DSB SCM signal by a certain level. As such, the reason for amplifying the magnitude is that the switching voltage of the first optical modulator 130 described later is only about several volts.

Meanwhile, the ECL (semiconductor laser) 121 receives a CW (Continuous Wave) optical signal from the outside, and the optical splitter 122 separates the received CW optical signal into 50:50 to form a first signal. And output to the second optical modulators 130 and 140.

First, the first optical modulator 130 has two first and second input signal terminals, and is composed of two optical signal waveguides therein. The input signal is modulated according to the optical signal phase difference on the two waveguides. In this case, the magnitude of the voltage at which the phase difference between the two signals is usually 180 degrees is referred to as the aforementioned switching voltage.

In addition, the first optical modulator 130 has a non-linear characteristic of an optical signal output from the first optical modulator 130. FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates output characteristics of the first optical modulator shown in FIG. One drawing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first optical modulator 130 is a non-linear transfer function of which the magnitude of the optical signal (-optical power) that is output according to the bias voltage applied through the signal input terminal varies nonlinearly. Has characteristics.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, in order to avoid optical signal distortion due to such nonlinear characteristics, the point where the nonlinear characteristic of the first optical modulator 130 is greatest (the point where the magnitude of the output optical signal is maximum or minimum, In FIG. 2, a bias voltage is applied to Vπ. The first optical modulator 130 modulates the DSB SCM signal received from the high frequency amplifier 115 and the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122.

Then, the subcarrier signal (control signal) appears on both sides at a distance away from the carrier frequency (optical signal). At this time, the subcarrier signal appears on both sides at a point that doubles the frequency f _LO of the sine signal with respect to the carrier frequency.

As such, the optical modulation and transmission apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention may apply a bias voltage to a point having the largest nonlinear characteristic to output a carrier and a subcarrier having a predetermined size interval, thereby avoiding signal distortion due to mutual interference. .

In addition, when two signals (control signal and optical signal) are detected separately from the receiving side, it is easy to implement and an optical filter having a relatively wide reflection bandwidth can be used, so that optical transmission and reception with great durability is possible even with wavelength fluctuations according to the surrounding environment. You can implement the system.

In addition, although the embodiment of the present invention modulates an optical signal received from the outside using a two-electrode Mach-Zehnder optical modulator having two input signal terminals, this is not limited to the present invention. May use other light modulators.

For reference, in the optical modulation, the x-cut Mach-Zehnder optical modulator without chirping is strongly generated only in the secondary mode subcarriers, and the subcarriers in the basic mode are canceled and rarely appear.

Next, the FBG filter 152 suppresses the strength of the carrier using the same wavelength as the carrier so that only the modulated subcarrier, that is, the control signal, can be transmitted to the receiver.

As such, the reason for outputting only the control signal is to prevent signal distortion due to mutual interference since the payload signal to be added later and the wavelength of the carrier are the same.

The isolator 151 prevents the signal reflected from the FBG filter 152 from entering the first optical modulator 130.

Next, the second optical modulator 140 modulates the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122 to generate a payload signal. At this time, the second optical modulator 140 generates a payload signal by modulating the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122 after applying a bias voltage to a point where the linear characteristic appears (Vπ / 2 in FIG. 2). .

The coupler 153 combines the control signal received from the FBG filter 152 and the payload signal received from the second optical modulator 140 and transmits the same to the receiver through the same wavelength. At this time, since the control signal and the payload signal are completely separated on the spectrum, signal distortion due to mutual interference does not occur during transmission.

In the high speed optical transmission network, the optical payload signal can be processed by maintaining the optical signal form without converting the payload data into an electrical signal.

Also, because the spacing between the carrier frequency on which the payload is carried and the subcarrier frequency on which the control signal is modulated is quite large, the circulator and reflection bandwidth (e.g., subcarrier frequency x 4 or less) on the receiving side are relatively large. The FBG filter can be used to completely separate the two signals.

Then, the operation of the optical modulation and transmission apparatus in the optical transmission and reception system having such a configuration will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an operation process of an optical modulation and transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, first, the signal generator 111 generates a control signal of a base band f _IF necessary for transmitting an optical signal (S310), and the low pass filter 112 generates Only the harmonic components of the control signal are blocked and passed through (S320).

Thereafter, the local oscillator 113 generates a sine signal f _LO of a single frequency in order to modulate the generated baseband control signal on a subcarrier (S330).

The mixer 114 generates an DSB SCM signal (f _RF = f _LO ± f _IF ) by amplitude-modulating the control signal based on the frequency of the generated sine signal f _LO (S340). . At this time, the frequency amplifier 115 amplifies the generated level of the DSB SCM signal by a certain level.

Then, in order to avoid optical signal distortion, the first optical modulator 130 has a point where the non-linearity characteristic of the first optical modulator 130 is greatest (the point at which the size of the output optical signal is maximum or minimum, in FIG. 2). V bias) is applied to two first and second input signal terminals 131 and 132. In operation S351, the first optical modulator 130 modulates the DSB SCM signal received from the high frequency amplifier 115 and the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122.

Then, the subcarrier signal (control signal) appears on both sides at a distance away from the carrier frequency (optical signal). At this time, the subcarrier signal appears on both sides at a point that doubles the frequency f _LO of the sine signal with respect to the carrier frequency. A display example of such an output result is shown in FIG. 4.

4 is a diagram illustrating a spectrum output result of an optical signal output from the first optical modulator shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in Figure 4, the wavelength of the sub-carrier (B) according to an embodiment of the present invention appears on both sides at a predetermined interval (double the frequency of the sine signal) centered on the wavelength of the carrier (A), which is according to the prior art It can be seen that there is a large gap with the wavelength of the subcarrier (C).

Subsequently, the FBG filter 152 suppresses the strength of the carrier at the same wavelength as the carrier (S352) so that only the modulated subcarrier, that is, the control signal, can be transmitted to the receiver.

As such, the reason for outputting only the control signal is to prevent signal distortion due to mutual interference since the payload signal to be added later and the wavelength of the carrier are the same.

Meanwhile, the ECL (semiconductor laser) 121 receives a continuous wave (CW) optical signal from the outside (S361), and the optical splitter 122 separates the received CW optical signal into 50:50 (S362) to first and Output to the second optical modulator (130, 140).

Thereafter, the second optical modulator 140 modulates the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122 to generate a payload signal (S363). At this time, the second optical modulator 140 generates a payload signal by modulating the optical signal received from the optical splitter 122 after applying a bias voltage to a point where the linear characteristic appears (Vπ / 2 in FIG. 2). .

Thereafter, the coupler 153 combines the control signal received from the FBG filter 152 and the payload signal received from the second optical modulator 140 and transmits the same to the receiver through the same wavelength (S370). At this time, since the control signal and the payload signal are completely separated on the spectrum, signal distortion due to mutual interference does not occur during transmission.

Next, an optical transmission and reception system including an optical modulation and transmission apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical transmission and reception system including the optical modulation and transmission device shown in FIG. 1, and includes the aforementioned optical modulation and transmission device and a reception device. Therefore, only the internal configuration of the reception apparatus and the operation process thereof will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving device 200 includes an EDFA amplifier 210, a circulator 220, an FBG filter 230, a receiver 240, and a switching node 250.

In detail, when the optically coupled signal is received from the coupler 210 on the transmitting side through the optical fiber, the EDFA amplifier 210 amplifies the intensity of the optical signal weakened during the transmission.

Then, the circulator 220 and the FBG filter 230 removes the RF fading penalty due to the color dispersion of the optical fiber from the signal received from the EDFA amplifier 210, and then displays the received signal on the payload signal and the subcarrier. Separate into modulated control signals.

In this case, the FBG filter 230 according to the embodiment of the present invention is an optical filter having a relatively wide reflection bandwidth, because of the light wavelength that appears different depending on the application time of the bias voltage of the first optical modulator 100. This, in turn, makes it possible to implement an optical transmission / reception system having great durability even with wavelength fluctuations caused by the surrounding environment.

Thereafter, the receiver 240 directly converts the separated control signal into an electrical signal to directly detect the baseband control signal. The detected control signal is input to a signal controller (not shown) of the switching node 250 to control various functions such as optical switching, optical wavelength conversion, and generation of a new subcarrier control signal.

In this case, the receiver 240 is a receiver having a general structure, not a complicated RF heterodyne receiver, which simplifies the configuration of the optical transmission / reception system and may also increase the processing speed.

The switching node 250 maintains the optical state of the separated payload signal and forwards it to the next destination according to the control signal received from the receiver 240.

As described above, the present invention can be usefully used for routing and forwarding control, optical signal quality measurement, etc., by forwarding the payload signal to the next destination without maintaining the state as it is, as the control signal. .

The drawings and detailed description of the invention are merely exemplary of the invention, which are used for the purpose of illustrating the invention only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims or in the claims. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible from this. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

The optical modulation and transmission apparatus and method thereof in the optical transmission / reception system according to the present invention apply a bias voltage to a point where the nonlinear characteristic is the largest to generate a carrier and a subcarrier having a predetermined size interval (at least twice the sine signal frequency). By outputting, signal distortion due to mutual interference can be avoided.

In addition, the present invention can be used to detect the two signals (control signal and optical signal) separately on the receiving side, it is possible to use an optical filter with a wide reflection bandwidth that is easy to implement, thereby having a great durability even in the wave fluctuations according to the surrounding environment There is an effect that can implement an optical transmission and reception system.

Claims (10)

An optical modulation and transmission apparatus in an optical transmission / reception system comprising a receiving device for receiving an optical signal, A mixer for generating a control signal for controlling the exchange of the optical signal as a bilateral band subcarrier signal using a frequency of a sine signal; After the bias voltage is applied at the point where the light output is maximized, the optical signal received from the outside and the both sideband subcarrier signals received from the mixer are subcarriers positioned at a wavelength away from the carrier and the carrier. A first optical modulator for modulating and outputting the first optical modulator; A Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) filter that attenuates the strength of the carrier wave by using the same wavelength as the carrier wave output from the first optical modulator and outputs the subcarrier; A second optical modulator for modulating and outputting the optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal; And Coupler for combining the sub-carrier output from the FBG filter and the payload signal output from the second optical modulator to transmit to the receiving device Optical modulation and transmission device in an optical transmission and reception system comprising a. According to claim 1, A signal generator for generating the control signal; A low pass filter which cuts harmonic components of the generated control signal and outputs them to the mixer; An optical splitter that divides the optical signal received from the outside into a predetermined ratio and distributes the optical signal to the first and second optical modulators, respectively; And Isolator to prevent the carrier wave reflected from the FBG filter to be incident to the first optical modulator Optical modulation and transmission device in the optical transmission and reception system further comprising. The method of claim 2, The first optical modulator, And a subcarrier at a wavelength separated by at least twice the frequency of the sine signal with respect to the carrier. The method of claim 2, The second light modulator, And modulating the optical signal into a payload signal after applying a bias voltage to a point at which the optical output exhibits a linear characteristic. The method of claim 2, The first optical modulator, And a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator having two input signal terminals and to which the bias voltage is applied through the input signal terminal. An optical transmitting and receiving system comprising a transmitting device for modulating and transmitting an optical signal and a receiving device for receiving the transmitted optical signal, The transmitting device, After the bias voltage is applied to the point where the optical output is maximized, the optical signal and both sideband subcarrier signals received from the outside are modulated and output by the carrier and subcarriers positioned at wavelengths apart from the carrier. A first light modulator; A first FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) filter which attenuates the strength of the carrier by using the same wavelength as the carrier output from the first optical modulator and outputs the subcarrier; A second optical modulator for modulating and outputting the optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal; And Coupler for combining the sub-carrier output from the first FBG filter and the payload signal output from the second optical modulator to transmit to the receiving device Including; The receiving device, An EDFA amplifier for amplifying a predetermined level of strength of the combined signal received from the coupler; A second FBG filter for separating the combined signal amplified by the predetermined level into a payload signal and a control signal modulated on the subcarrier; A receiver which directly converts the separated control signal into an electrical signal and directly detects a baseband control signal; And An exchange node forwarding to the next destination while maintaining the optical state of the separated payload signal according to the detected separation control signal Optical transmission and reception system comprising a. The method of claim 6, The second FBG filter, And an optical filter having a reflection bandwidth of at most four times the subcarrier frequency. An optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission / reception system comprising a receiving device for receiving an optical signal, a) generating a control signal for controlling the exchange of the optical signal as a bilateral band subcarrier signal using a frequency of a sine signal; b) After applying a bias voltage at the point where the light output is maximized, the negative signal located at a wavelength away from the carrier and the carrier by the optical signal received from the outside and the both sideband subcarrier signals received from the mixer Modulating and outputting each carrier; c) outputting the subcarrier by attenuating the strength of the carrier using the same wavelength as the carrier output from the first optical modulator; d) modulating and outputting the optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal; And e) combining the subcarrier output from the FBG filter and the payload signal output from the second optical modulator to transmit to the receiving apparatus Optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission and reception system comprising a. The method of claim 8, Step b), Outputting the subcarrier at a wavelength at least twice the frequency of the sine signal with respect to the carrier; Optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission and reception system comprising a. The method of claim 8, In step d), Applying a bias voltage to a point where said light output exhibits a linear characteristic; And Modulating and outputting an optical signal received from the outside into a payload signal Optical modulation and transmission method in an optical transmission and reception system comprising a.