Transmission of pathological data patterns
A method and apparatus is presented for reducing or eliminating pathological data patterns from signals for transmission over optical communications systems. One embodiment includes a decoder/deserializer configured to receive an encoded serial digital signal, a ditherer configured to dither a least significant bit of each digital data word, and a reserializer/encoder configured to serialize digital data and encode it, for example according to an applicable communication standard such as SMPTE 259M. The improvements may be provided in a single removable unit, such as a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) module compatible with existing optical communications equipment.
1. A method of transmitting digital data including pathological data patterns comprising:
dithering a least significant bit of each digital data word in a parallel digital signal;
serializing the parallel digital signal to form a serial digital signal; and
transmitting the serial digital signal on an optical pathway.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of incorporating the digital signal into a multi-service data stream.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the multi-service data stream is transported using a DWDM backbone.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of encoding the digital data in accordance with a digital video standard.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the digital video standard is SMPTE 259M.
6. The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of:
receiving the serial digital signal from the optical pathway;
de-serializing the serial digital signal to form a parallel digital signal; and
dithering a least significant bit of each digital data word in the parallel digital signal.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in a single small form factor pluggable module.
8. A method of receiving digital data including pathological data patterns comprising:
receiving the serial digital signal from the optical pathway;
de-serializing the serial digital signal to form a parallel digital signal; and
dithering a least significant bit of each digital data word in the parallel digital signal.
9. The method of claim 8 , where the digital signal is part of a multi-service data stream.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the multi-service data stream is transported using a DWDM backbone.
11. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of encoding the digital data in accordance with a digital video standard.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the digital video standard is SMPTE 259M.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the digital signal includes video content.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed in a single small form factor pluggable module.