In-band optical signal to noise ratio determination method and system

1. A method for determining a noise parameter on an input optical signal having a data-carrying signal contribution and a noise contribution within an optical signal bandwidth, the method comprising:

obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces from said input optical signal, said optical spectrum traces being taken under different conditions such that they show different non-zero signal-to-noise ratios,

mathematically discriminating said signal contribution from said noise contribution within said optical signal bandwidth based on a mathematical combination of said optical spectrum traces,

determining an in-band noise level on said input optical signal from the discriminated noise contribution, and

determining the noise parameter from the determined in-band noise level, the noise parameter being indicative of the noise contribution within the optical signal bandwidth;

wherein the signal contribution and the noise contribution have at least one of different degrees of polarization and different states of polarization from one another and wherein said obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces comprises:

producing at least two samples of the input optical signal, under different polarization analysis conditions, states of polarization of the two samples being arbitrary relative to said input optical signal; and

acquiring an optical spectrum of each one of the first and the second samples to obtain said optical spectrum traces,

wherein said polarizing at least part of the input optical signal comprises polarization beam splitting said input optical signal into said samples, said samples having states of polarization orthogonal from one another;

wherein said discriminating comprises:

subtracting said optical spectrum traces from one another to obtain a difference optical spectrum substantially proportional to an optical spectrum of said signal contribution,

estimating an optical spectrum of said input optical signal using said difference optical spectrum,

determining an optical spectrum of said input optical signal from at least one of the first and second optical spectrum traces; and

determining a level of said optical noise by subtracting the estimated optical spectrum of said signal contribution for the determined optical spectrum of said input optical signal;

wherein said optical spectrum traces each have a signal contribution and a noise contribution and wherein said performing calculations further comprises estimating a factor K related to a proportion between the signal contributions of said optical spectrum traces for use in said estimating an optical spectrum of said input optical signal;

wherein said calculating further comprises:

re-estimating said factor K considering the evaluated in-band noise; and

calculating the optical spectrum of said optical noise using the re-estimated factor K.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said acquiring comprises:

if said optical spectrum traces show equal signal to noise ratios, disturbing a state of polarization of said input optical signal to vary the signal to noise ratio on at least one of said optical spectrum traces.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said noise parameter comprises an optical signal to noise ratio of the input optical signal, determined using the determined in-band noise level.

4. A method for determining a noise parameter on an input optical signal having a data-carrying signal contribution and a noise contribution within an optical signal bandwidth, the method comprising:

obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces from said input optical signal, said optical spectrum traces being taken under different conditions such that they show different non-zero signal-to-noise ratios;

mathematically discriminating said signal contribution from said noise contribution within said optical signal bandwidth based on a mathematical combination of said optical spectrum traces;

determining an in-band noise level on said input optical signal from the discriminated noise contribution and

determining the noise parameter from the determined in-band noise level the noise parameter being indicative of the noise contribution within the optical signal bandwidth;

wherein the signal contribution and the noise contribution have at least one of different degrees of polarization and different states of polarization from one another and wherein said obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces comprises

producing at least two samples of the input optical signal under different polarization analysis conditions, states of polarization of the two samples being arbitrary relative to said input optical signal; and

acquiring an optical spectrum of each one of the first and the second samples to obtain said optical spectrum traces;

further comprising:

convoluting said first optical spectrum trace with a first convolution window and a second convolution window to respectively obtain a first and a second integrated traces, said first convolution window corresponding to a first integration width and said second convolution window corresponding to a second integration width larger than said first integration width;

convoluting said second optical spectrum trace with said first convolution window and said second convolution window to respectively obtain a third and a fourth integrated traces; and

wherein said discriminating is performed using said first, second, third and fourth integrated traces.

5. A method for determining a noise parameter on an input optical signal having a data-carrying signal contribution and a noise contribution within an optical signal bandwidth, the method comprising:

obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces from said input optical signal, said optical spectrum traces being taken under different conditions such that they show different non-zero signal-to-noise ratios;

mathematically discriminating said signal contribution from said noise contribution within said optical signal bandwidth based on a mathematical combination of said optical spectrum traces

determining an in-band noise level on said input optical signal from the discriminated noise contribution; and

determining the noise parameter from the determined in-hand noise level, the noise parameter being indicative of the noise contribution within the optical signal bandwidth

wherein said noise contribution within said optical bandwidth varies slowly in wavelength compared to said data-carrying signal contribution and optical spectrum traces are obtained using different integration widths to provide said different conditions a second one of the integration widths being larger than a first one of the integration widths;

wherein said obtaining comprises:

acquiring an optical spectrum measurement of said input optical signal;

convoluting the acquired measurement with a first convolution window having a width corresponding to the first integration width to obtain a first optical spectrum trace, and convoluting the acquired measurement with a second convolution window having a width corresponding to the second integration width to obtain the second optical spectrum trace; and

wherein a spectral shape of said signal contribution is known within said optical signal bandwidth, and said discriminating comprises:

determining a factor related to a ratio between the signal contributions of said second to said first optical spectrum trace;

multiplying said first optical spectrum trace with said factor; and

subtracting the multiplied optical spectrum trace from said second optical spectrum trace to obtain a difference trace indicative of said noise contribution.

6. A method for determining a noise parameter on an input optical signal having a data-carrying signal contribution and a noise contribution within an optical signal bandwidth, the method comprising:

obtaining at least two optical spectrum traces from said input optical signal, said optical spectrum traces being taken under different conditions such that they show different non-zero signal-to-noise ratios;

mathematically discriminating said signal contribution from said noise contribution within said optical signal bandwidth based on a mathematical combination of said optical spectrum traces

determining an in-band noise level on said input optical signal from the discriminated noise contribution; and

determining the noise parameter from the determined in-band noise level the noise parameter being indicative of the noise contribution within the optical signal bandwidth

wherein said noise contribution within said optical bandwidth varies slowly in wavelength compared to said data-carrying signal contribution, and optical spectrum traces are obtained using different integration widths to provide said different conditions, a second one of the integration widths being larger char a first one of the integration widths;

wherein a spectral shape of said signal contribution is known within said optical signal bandwidth, and said discriminating comprises:

determining a factor related to a ratio between the signal contributions of said second to said first optical spectrum trace;

multiplying said first optical spectrum trace with said factor; and

subtracting the multiplied optical spectrum trace from said second optical spectrum trace to obtain a difference trace indicative of said noise contribution.