Patent ID: 6643471
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: H04B,H04L

Abstract:
An optical communication system, comprising:an optical fiber; an optical transmitter, including: a first input adapted to receive serial, digital data from a first source, at least one additional input adapted to receive serial, digital data from at least one additional source, an encoder circuit, coupled to the first and the at least one additional inputs, that produces an output signal with a selected level based on the serial, digital data from the first and the at least one additional sources, wherein the encoder circuit comprises: an encoder, responsive to the serial, digital data from the first and the at least one additional sources, that produces a plurality of output signals based on the serial, digital data from the first and the at least one additional sources, a plurality of latches, responsive to the plurality of output signals from the encoder, that latch the output signals on a clock signal, and a plurality of current switches, responsive to the plurality of latches, that provide selected current levels to the optical modulator to control the level of the pulse amplitude modulation based on the serial, digital data from the first and the at least one additional sources, and an optical modulator, coupled to the encoder circuit, that produces a pulse amplitude modulated optical signal based on the levels of the signal from the encoder circuit and that provides the pulse amplitude modulated optical signal to the optical fiber for transmission; and an optical receiver, including: an optical detector, coupled to the optical fiber, that receives the pulse amplitude modulated optical signal and produces an electrical signal with selected levels based on the pulse amplitude modulated signal; a decoder circuit, coupled to the optical detector, that reproduces the serial, digital data from the first and the at least one additional data sources based on the electrical signal from the optical detector, and a first output and at least one additional output, coupled to the decoder circuit, the first and the at least one additional output provide the reproduced digital, serial data for the first and the at least one additional source, respectively.