Optical bit rate converter

US6563895B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Naimish Patel · North Andover, US
• Katherine L. Hall · Westford, US
• John D. Moores · Concord, US
• Kristin A. Rauschenbach · Marlboro, US
• Steven G. Finn · Framingham, US
• Richard A. Barry · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 18, 2000
• Grant date: May 13, 2003
• Expiry date: Dec 18, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04J14/08
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An optical bit rate for communication systems. The optical bit rate converter converts an ultra-high speed optical data stream to a lower rate optical data stream. In one embodiment, the optical bit rate converter converts the ultra-high speed optical data stream to a lower rate optical data stream that can be detected and processed electronically. The optical rate converter includes a buffer presenting a repeating optical data bit pattern, an optical sampler presenting an optical sampling bit stream, and an optical correlator. The optical correlator has a first input in communication with the output of the buffer and a second input in communication with the output of the optical sampler. The optical correlator produces a rate-converted optical data bit stream at its output in response to the repeating optical data bit pattern produced by the buffer and the optical sampling bit stream produced by the optical sampler. In one embodiment, the buffer has a data input and stores an optical data bit stream received from a high speed optical data source. In another embodiment, the optical bit rate converter time dilates the repeating optical data bit pattern received from the buffer. In y…