Patent ID: 7693365

Claim:
A communication method comprising: transmitting one of a first plurality of bits, the first plurality of bits being carried by a first optical signal having a first wavelength; transmitting one of a second plurality of bits after said one of the first plurality of bits has been transmitted, the second plurality of bits being carried by a second optical signal having a second wavelength different than the first wavelength; determining a first time interval between the transmission of said one of the first plurality of bits and the transmission of said one of the second plurality of bits; supplying the first and second optical signals to an optical communication path; receiving said one of the first plurality of bits; receiving said one of the second plurality of bits; determining a second time interval between the reception of said one of the first plurality of bits and said reception of said one of the second plurality of bits; and determining a chromatic dispersion associated with the optical communication path based on the first and second intervals.