Patent ID: 7787713

Claim:
A method of modulating an optical carrier, the method comprising steps of: computing a multi-bit digital sample stream indicative of a target carrier modulation based on an input data signal that encodes data to be transmitted on an optical communications signal; providing a plurality of electrodes in operative relation to a waveguide of an optical modulator, each electrode being adapted to impose a respective predetermined modulation to light propagating within the waveguide, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a respective set of one of more electrodes for each bit of the multi-bit digital sample stream, the number of electrodes of each set corresponding to a binary weight of a respective bit of the digital sample stream; and selectively activating one or more of the electrodes in accordance with the target carrier modulation by supplying each bit of the multi-bit digital sample stream to a respective set of electrodes, wherein each bit of the multi-bit digital sample stream is differentially delayed in accordance with a propagation speed of an optical signal through the waveguide.