Reducing the distortion of optical pulses caused by polarization mode dispersion in optical communication systems

US7769300B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Dultz · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Leonid A. Beresnev · Dayton, US
• Erna Frins · Montevideo, UY
• Franko Kueppers · Darmstadt, DE
• Heidrun Schmitzer · Grünhain, DE
• Joachim Vobian · Heilbad Heiligenstadt, DE
• Werner Weiershausen · Heilbad Heiligenstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 17, 2000
• Grant date: Aug 3, 2010
• Expiry date: Jan 17, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/2572
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and device for reducing the distortion of optical pulses caused by the polarization mode dispersion in optical communication systems is provided. When an optical pulse having any polarization is transmitted through an optical communication system, which is optically anisotropic, at least in sections, the optical pulse may become distorted due to the different velocities of the various polarization components. This distortion of the optical pulses may reduces the maximum transmission rate of the system. A method is provided for functioning in response to the detected transmission quality of the communication system where a polarization-controlling device for setting the polarization of the optical pulse is driven in such a way that the transmission quality is maximized. An optical communication system, including an optical transmission medium, involves a device for determining the transmission quality of the communication system, a regulating device, and a polarization-controlling device. The output signal from the device for determining the transmission quality of the communication system may be applied to the regulating device, which drives the polarization-controlling de…