Patent ID: 7965950

Claim:
A performance optimized receiver with a bandwidth adaptive optical filter for high speed long haul wavelength division multiplexed systems, such as 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s wavelength division multiplexed systems, the performance optimized receiver comprising: a tunable optical filter, wherein the tunable optical filter is operable for receiving a plurality of wavelengths associated with a wavelength division multiplexed signal and passing one or more selected wavelengths, and wherein the tunable optical filter is operable for adjusting the bandwidth of each of the one or more selected wavelengths, wherein the tunable optical filter comprises an optical filter with independently adjustable bandwidth and center wavelength of the bandwidth; and a receiver coupled to the tunable optical filter, wherein the receiver comprises one or more of a bit error rate monitoring module and a signal quality monitoring module operable for monitoring the one or more selected wavelengths and providing feedback to the tunable optical filter such that the tunable optical filter adaptively adjusts the bandwidth of each of the one or more selected wavelengths.