Abstract:
A burst mode receiver using a multi-stage feedback reduces its pulse width distortion in output data and improves its sensitivity by exactly extracting a reference voltage used as a detection threshold based on a packet transmission for an optical multi-access network. The receiver comprises a differential preamplifier circuit for generating an output voltage after detecting a difference between a detected current input signal from photodetector and a reference input signal; current source for compensating an offset of the differential preamplifier circuit; multistage amplifier means for adjusting a voltage level of the reference signal to a half value of the output voltage of the differential preamplifier circuit; blocking transistor for responding to an output of the multistage amplifier means; capacitor for storing a peak amplitude of the detected current input signal; and buffer transistor for controlling a discharge rate of the capacitor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a high-speed optical data transmission system; and, more particularly, to a burst mode optical receiver using a multi-stage feedback which reduces its pulse width distortion and improve its sensitivity by exactly extracting a reference voltage used as a detection threshold based on a packet transmission for an optical multi-access network.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    For multimedia communications, a large data transmission capacity of subscriber networks, such as B-ISDN, is very essential and fiber-optic subscriber systems, such as FTTH(Fiber to the Home), are widely employed in facilitating data communications thereof. A passive optical network(PON) is one of the most promising ways to realize optical subscriber systems. In such a system, TDMA(time division multiple access) is used for a multipoint multiple access. In TDMA, each user packet is multiplexed in a time sequence, thereby causing burst data with various signal amplitudes.  
           [0003]    In an optical multi-access network, any node can use a designated time slot to send a packet to some other nodes. A very significant feature of the optical multi-access network that is different from conventional point-to-point links is that respective amplitudes and phases of the received packets can be quite different from packet to packet due to different fiber attenuation and a chromatic dispersion caused by the variation of the transmitters&#39; wavelengths.  
           [0004]    A conventional ac-coupled optical receiver is not suitable for burst-mode operation because it cannot instantaneously handle different packets arriving with large difference in optical power and phase alignment. On the other hand, a burst-mode optical receiver, i.e., a high-speed, dc-coupled optical receiver, can adapt to the variation in optical power and phase alignment on a packet-by-packet basis. However, the burst-mode optical receiver, while ideally suited for burst mode operation, is proven difficult to implement because of the necessity of establishing a logic reference voltage V REF  level within a few millivolts of the dc center (one-half of the sum of the minimum and maximum excursions of the data signal) of the received data pulse.  
           [0005]    When a digital data signal from a data link is received by a preamplifier of a dc-coupled receiver, the signal has been degraded to an analog-type signal with uncertain amplitude and non-zero transition times between the logic ZERO and logic ONE level. Ideally, the dc center of the preamplifier output should match with the logic threshold of the decision circuit so that the decision circuit can restore the analog-type signal to a clean digital signal. When the dc center at the preamplifier output does not match with the logic threshold, the decision circuit causes a pulse-width distortion(PWD) or may not be able to detect a logic transition. This PWD is undesirable because it reduces the sensitivity and maximum bandwidth of the system. The problem is additionally complicated by the fact that input data amplitudes can vary by factors of 100 or more.  
           [0006]    Thus it is a longstanding challenge to design a burst mode digital data receiver with minimized PWD and increased sensitivity.  
           [0007]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a prior art dc-coupled burst mode receiver for an optical multi-access network. For minimizing the PWD, the prior art dc-coupled burst mode receiver additionally includes a current source I ADJ  connected to a resistor Z T  and a positive input of transimpedance amplifier  12  in a differential preamplifier unit  10 . The current source I ADJ  compensates an offset generated from the differential preamplifier unit  10 , but doesn&#39;t compensate a structural offset generated by a turn-on voltage of respective transistors within a peak detector  20 .  
           [0008]    Moreover, the offset generated in the peak detector  20  is serious in case of using a compound semiconductor device wherein the turn-on voltage of respective transistors is high. For example, the compound semiconductor device is preferred in a high-speed circuit, but the turn-on voltage of AlGaAS/GaAs HBT transistor is approximately double that of silicon bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a voltage gain is lowered because a transconductance is low for an identical corrector current. The lowered voltage gain doesn&#39;t reduce the offset generated by the turn-on voltage of transistor.  
           [0009]    Therefore, it is a problem in the prior art dc-coupled burst mode receiver that sensitivity is very degenerated because the PWD is generated due to the offset of the peak detector  20  to the offset of the peak detector  20  to thereby reduce the maximum transmission speed.  
           [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 illustrates the PWD of the output voltage for the receiver of FIG. 1.  
           [0011]    The PWDs A and B of the receiver show asymmetry since a reference voltage V ref  is not exactly one-half the sum of the minimum and maximum excursions of output voltage of the receiver, i.e.,  
         V   ref     =         V   O          (   dc   )       +     {           (     G     1   +   G       )     2          I   IN            Z   T     2       -         V     BE   ,   116       +     V     BE   ,   118           1   +   G         }                       Δ                   V   O       =                  I   IN            Z   T          (     G     1   +   G       )                     with                 pulse                 present                   ≈                  I   IN          Z   T                   for                 G       &gt;&gt;   1                 Δ                   V   O       =                  -     I   IN              Z   T          (       G   2         (     1   +   G     )          (     2   +   G     )         )                     with                 pulse                 absent                   ≈                  -     I   IN            Z   T                   for                 G       &gt;&gt;   1                               
 
           [0012]    In case the voltage V ref  generated through the peak detector  20  is smaller than  
           Z   T          I   IN       2                         
 
           [0013]    for the asymmetry of the device and the structural offset of the circuit, the width and amplitude of a logic ZERO signal decrease and those of a logic ONE signal increase like as the PWD A of the receiver. On the other hand, in case the voltage V ref  is larger than  
             Z   T          I   IN       2     ,                         
 
           [0014]    the width and amplitude of the logic ZERO signal increase and those of the logic ONE signal decrease like as the PWD B of the receiver.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a burst mode optical receiver using a multi-stage feedback for improving its sensitivity by exactly extracting a reference voltage used as a detection threshold based on a packet transmission for an optical multi-access network.  
           [0016]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a burst mode optical receiver, comprising:  
           [0017]    differential preamplifier circuit for generating an output voltage after detecting a difference between a detected current input signal from photodetector and a reference input signal;  
           [0018]    current source for compensating an offset of the differential preamplifier circuit;  
           [0019]    multistage amplifier means for adjusting a voltage level of the reference signal to a half value of the output voltage of the differential preamplifier circuit;  
           [0020]    blocking transistor for responding to an output of the multistage amplifier means;  
           [0021]    capacitor for storing a peak amplitude of the detected current input signal; and  
           [0022]    buffer transistor for controlling a discharge rate of the capacitor. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 shows a prior art dc-coupled burst mode receiver;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 presents a resulting PWD of an output voltage for the receiver of FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 illustrates a burst mode receiver in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 depicts a resulting PWD of an output voltage for the receiver of FIG.3; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 provides a detailed specific embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    Referring to FIG. 3, there is provided a burst mode optical receiver using a multi-stage feedback in an optical multi-access network in accordance with the present invention, wherein the receiver comprises two circuit units  100  and  110 . The first unit  100 , i.e., a differential preamplifier unit, includes, illustratively, a well-known differential input/output transimpedance amplifier  102  with a nominal transimpedance value of Z T , as determined by the feedback resistor Z T , and a current source I ADJ . The second unit  110  is a voltage reference circuit, illustratively implemented as a peak detector, for generating a reference voltage V ref  that sets a logic threshold voltage for the first unit  100 . The peak detector  110  includes a differential amplifier  115  with at least two identical amplifiers  112  and  114 , a blocking transistor  116 , a peak voltage holding capacitor C PD , a buffer transistor  118  and a bias circuit  119 . The number of the identical amplifiers within the differential amplifier  115  is determined by calculating a gain and a power dissipation of the peak detector  110 . In the present invention, the peak detector  110  uses the differential amplifier  115  with two identical amplifiers  112  and  114 .  
         [0030]    A photodetector delivers an optical input current I IN  proportional to the optical power input received by photodetector from lightwave signal to the differential preamplifier unit  100 . In the differential preamplifier unit  100 , I IN  is inputted to a positive input lead of the transimpedance amplifier  102  and V ref , i.e., an output of the peak detector  110 , is inputted to a negative input lead of the transimpedance amplifier  102 . The differential preamplifier unit  100  amplifies a difference between I IN  and a detection threshold current transformed through the feedback resistor Z T  from V ref  to generate output voltages V O   +  and V O   − , and adds a current source I ADF  connected to the resistor Z T  to the positive input of the transimpedance amplifier  102  for compensating an offset generated from itself.  
         [0031]    The peak detector  110  has a positive input of the differential amplifier  115  with two identical amplifiers  112  and  114  connected to the positive output lead V O   +  of the transimpedance amplifier  102  and its output voltage V ref  connected to the resistor Z T  connected to the negative input of the transimpedance amplifier  102 . This connection forms a negative feedback loop for generating a reference dc-voltage on lead  120  from the voltage on lead V O   +  of the transimpedance amplifier  102 . Another feedback loop  122 , including the differential amplifier  115  with two identical amplifiers  112  and  114 , transistors  116  and  118 , and capacitor C PD , controls the voltage gain of the peak detector  110 .  
         [0032]    The operation of the present invention is best understood by analyzing the differential transfer function of the transimpedance amplifier  102  as a result of the connection of the peak detector  110 .  
         [0033]    For the transimpedance amplifier  102 , the low frequency, differential transfer function is ΔV O =V O   + −V O   − =Z T I IN , where I IN  is the input current.  
         [0034]    The peak detector  110  samples only one of the amplifier  102  outputs, and therefore stores a peak value of the single-ended transfer function,  
         Δ                   V     O                +       =       Z   T            I   IN     2                             
 
         [0035]    Thus, the V ref  with amplitude exactly equal to one-half the peak differential signal swing is generated by the peak detector  110  and applied to the negative input of the transimpedance amplifier  102 . Preferred embodiments of the present invention advantageously utilize the inherent signal-splitting characteristic of a differential amplifier, i.e., transimpedance amplifier  102 , to develop V ref  that scales ideally with an input signal amplitude.  
         [0036]    Consider the following sequence of events in order to understand the operation of the circuit better. Suppose that at time t=0, there is no data present and, therefore, I IN =0. The peak detector capacitor C PD  is discharged. When the data burst arrives, and under the condition that ΔV O   + =−ΔV O   − , the transfer equation for the circuit in FIG. 3 is  
         Δ                   V     O                +       =         I   IN          Z   T       2                           
 
         [0037]    (Here “Δ” signifies the change in voltage level after arrival of the data burst.) The differential amplifier  115  within the peak detector  110  charges the peak detector capacitor C PD  until the voltage at the differential amplifier  115 &#39;s plus terminal is equalized to that of its minus terminal. Respective turn-on voltage offsets V BE,116  and V BE,118  in the transistors  116  and  118  are reduced in amplitude by a factor proportional to the open loop gain of the differential amplifier  115 . The voltage stored on the peak detector capacitor C PD , proportional to  
             I   IN          Z   T       2     ,                         
 
         [0038]    is equal to the desired V ref .  
         [0039]    Therefore, the peak detector  110  adjusts a level of the reference voltage V ref  to one-half the output voltage of the transimpedance amplifier  102  after comparing the output voltage V O   +  of the transimpedance amplifier  102  with the reference voltage V ref . Especially, turn-on voltage offsets V BE,116  and V BE,118  are reduced for total increased gain G 2  through the differential amplifier  115  to reject the PWD of output data.  
         [0040]    If V offset  of the differential preamplifier unit  100  is ignored for being eliminated through the current source I ADJ , the reference voltage V ref  including V O (dc) as the output data for I IN  is given as  
               V   ref     =         V   O   +          (   peak   )       =         V   O          (   dc   )       +       G     2        (     1   +   G     )              I   IN          Z   T                   (   1   )                               
 
         [0041]    Practically, the peak detector capacitor C PD  is not charged by V O   + (peak) generated from the input current I IN  for the turn-on voltage V BE,116  of the transistor  116 . If the turn-on voltages of the blocking transistor  116  and buffer transistor  118  are V BE,116  and V BE,118 , respectively, an input voltage of the first amplifier  112  having the gain G is V O   + (Peak)−V ref . At this time, if the amplifier  102  of the differential preamplifier  100  and the amplifier  112  of the peak detector  110  have the identical gain G, the offsets of the amplifiers are cancelled with each other for connecting the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the amplifiers intercrossly.  
         [0042]    Therefore, the reference voltage V ref  obtained from the peak detector  110  is given as 
         V ref   =G {V O   + (peak)−V ref }−(V BE,116 +V BE,118 )  (2) 
         [0043]    Referring to the equation (2), V O   + (peak) obtained from the differential preamplifier  100  corresponds to the maximum output voltage of the differential preamplifier  100  to be inputted to the positive terminal of the first amplifier  112  in the peak detector  110  when a data pulse is present (I IN ≠0), i.e.,  
                 V   O   +          (   peak   )       =       G     2        (     1   +   G     )              I   IN          Z   T               (   3   )                               
 
         [0044]    Substituting equation (3) for V O   + (peak) in equation (2) yields  
               V   ref     =         V   O          (   dc   )       +     {           (     G     1   +   G       )     2          I   IN            Z   T     2       -         V     BE   ,   116       +     V     BE   ,   118           1   +   G         }               (   4   )                               
 
         [0045]    In equation (4), V BE,116  and V BE,118  term are reduced by (1+G) through the gain of the amplifier  112 , However, in case of the differential amplifier  115  with two identical amplifiers  112  and  114  as FIG. 3, an open-loop gain of the peak detector  110  is G 2  and V BE,116  and V BE,118  term are reduced by (1+G 2 ) . Therefore, the sensitivity of the receiver is greatly improved.  
         [0046]    Substituting G 2  and equation (3) for G and V O   + (peak) respectively in equation (2) yields  
               V   ref     =         V   O          (   dc   )       +     {         (       G   2       1   +     G   2         )          (     G     1   +   G       )          I   IN            Z   T     2       -         V     BE   ,   116       +     V     BE   ,   118           1   +     G   2           }               (   5   )                               
 
         [0047]    If the differential amplifier with N identical amplifiers is used, the open-loop gain of the peak detector  110  is G N , which will yield  
               V   ref     =         V   O          (     d                 c     )       +     {         (       G   N       1   +     G   N         )          (     G     1   +   G       )              I   IN          Z   T       2       -         V     BE   ,   116       +     V     BE   ,   118           1   +     G   N           }               (   6   )                               
 
         [0048]    Referring to equation (6), as N is getting bigger, the offset is getting smaller. However, there is a drawback that as the number of amplifiers increases, more power is dissipated. Therefore, it is desirable that not only G but also power dissipation is taken into consideration for the determination of an optimum N for the sensitivity of the receiver.  
         [0049]    Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown the resulting PWD of the output voltage for the receiver of FIG.3. In the receiver, the offset is compensated through the peak detector  110  and the reference voltage V ref , i.e., the exact detection threshold of output data, is generated. Therefore, the improved sensitivity is obtained because the PWD is reduced and the amplitude of the logic signal is constant in the output data.  
         [0050]    A detailed illustrative schematic diagram of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 will be discussed in conjunction with FIG. 3. The amplifier  102  in the differential preamplifier unit  100  has differential pair Q 1 -Q 2 ; follower/level shifter stages Q 3 -Q 4 , Q 5 -Q 6 ; and current sources Q 7 -Q 12  . Resistors R 2 -R 7  are bias current resistors and resistor R ADJ  plays a role of compensating the offset generated in the two input terminals of the amplifier  102  by making a current flow into the positive terminal of the amplifier  102 . The resistor R ADJ  corresponds to the current source I ADJ  in FIG. 3.  
         [0051]    In the peak detector  110 , the first amplifier  112  and the second amplifier  114  include a plurality of transistors Q 13 -Q 24  , Q 25 -Q 31  , respectively. Said plurality of transistors may be categorized into respective differential pairs Q 13 -Q 14  , Q 25 -Q 26  of the first amplifier  112  and the second amplifier  114 ; follower/level shifter stages Q 15 -Q 16 , Q 17 -Q 18  ; and current sources Q 19 -Q 24  , Q 27 -Q 28  and Q 31  The transistors  116  and  118  of FIG. 3 are, respectively, transistors Q 29  and Q 30 . The peak detector capacitor C PD  is connected between Q 29  and Q 30  to be charged with the detected peak value.  
         [0052]    Each of the first amplifier  112  and the second amplifier  114  has an identical gain G by using the identical bias current and resistor R C  to those of the amplifier  102  of the differential preamplifier unit  100 . Therefore, the total gain of the differential amplifier with two amplifiers  112  and  114  is G 2  and the structural offset is reduced by the gain G 2  through the turn-on voltage of the transistors Q 29  and Q 30 .  
         [0053]    While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.