Patent ID: 8543010

Claim:
A method for controlling an optical modulator, comprising: (a) applying a first optical signal, a first bias signal, and a first RF modulating signal to the optical modulator and measuring a performance parameter thereof, wherein a magnitude of the first bias signal is selected so as to obtain a pre-determined value of the measured performance parameter; (b) while applying the first optical signal, the first RF modulating signal, and the first bias signal of the magnitude selected in step (a) to the optical modulator, applying a dither signal to the optical modulator and measuring a target peak-to-peak optical power variation of the first optical signal due to the dither signal application; (c) storing a magnitude of the first bias signal and the measured target peak-to-peak optical power variation in a memory; (d) upon completion of steps (a) to (c), applying a second optical signal, a second RF modulating signal, a second bias signal, and the dither signal to the optical modulator, and measuring an operational peak-to-peak optical power variation of the second optical signal due to the dither signal application; and (e) adjusting the second bias signal, so as to lessen a difference between the operational peak-to-peak optical power variation measured in step (d) and the target peak-to-peak optical power variation stored in step (c), thereby obtaining the pre-determined value of the performance parameter without having to re-measure the performance parameter, wherein steps (a) to (c) are performed during calibration of the optical modulator, and steps (d) and (e) are performed during subsequent operation of the optical modulator.