Patent ID: 8588621

Claim:
A system for generating an M-level coded optical signal using M-ASK all-optical modulation technology, the system comprising: N sources for obtaining N respective 2-ASK modulated pump optical signals having similar values of extinction ratio ER 1 , a source for obtaining a binary modulated probe optical signal with extinction ratio ER 2 , control means for controlling said N pump optical signals or/and said probe optical signal, wherein said control means are utilized at least for controlling the extinction ratio ER 2 of the probe optical signal; a non-linear medium for generating said M-level coded optical signal, by performing either Cross-Gain Modulation (XGM) or Cross-Absorption Modulation (XAM) with a respective compression parameter Gc or Ac, when applying to said medium N said 2-ASK modulated optical pump signals and the binary modulated probe optical signal, wherein: M=2 K , K is an integer greater than 1, N=K−1.