Patent ID: 7197251

Claim:
An optical modulator comprising: a first precoding module having an input and an output, wherein the first precoding module receives a first electrical data stream using the input, precodes the first electrical data stream to produce a first precoded electrical data stream, and transmits the first precoded electrical data stream using the output; a second precoding module having an input and an output, wherein the second precoding module receives a second electrical data stream using the input of the second precoding module, precodes the second electrical data stream to produce a second precoded electrical data stream, and transmits the second precoded electrical data stream using the output of the second precoding module; a first phase modulator having an optical input, an optical output, and a data input coupled to the output of the first precoding module, wherein the first phase modulator receives an optical carrier signal using the optical input, modulates the optical carrier signal according to the first precoded electrical data stream to generate a modulated optical signal, and transmits the modulated optical signal using the optical output; a delay module having an input and an output, wherein the input of the delay module couples to the output of the second precoding module and receives the second precoded electrical data stream, and wherein the delay module delays the second precoded electrical data stream for a predetermined time delay and transmits the delayed second precoded electrical data stream using the output of the delay module; and a second phase modulator having an optical input coupled to the optical output of the first phase modulator, an optical output, and a data input coupled to the output of the delay module, wherein the second phase modulator modulates the modulated optical signal according to the delayed second precoded electrical data stream to generate an optical data signal.