Flex-ON · Flexible Optical Networks – Time Domain Hybrid QAM: DSP and Physical Layer Modelling
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-10-16 → 2017-10-15
- EU contribution
- €180,277
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Flexible Optical Networks – Time Domain Hybrid QAM: DSP and Physical Layer Modelling
A sustainable growth of data speeds and the generalized access to internet in Europe is nowadays seen as a key enabler for a highly connected and informed society, guaranteeing inclusion, equality of opportunities, and higher quality of life to all European citizens. However, due to the fast growth of internet data traffic (>25% per year) triggered by a plethora of emerging bandwidth-consuming services (such as HD-TV on demand, cloud computing, massive social networking, tele-working, …), the currently installed optical fiber system is starting to run out of capacity. In order properly face these challenges and support the internet of the future, there is an urgent need for a strong investment in the research and development of future-proof optical broadband infrastructures, thus avoiding the upcoming capacity crunch on transport optical networks. The Flex-ON project has investigated novel technological paradigms in terms of signal generation, digital processing and control-plane management for flexible and high-capacity transport optical networks. The project has led to the development of a flexible transceiver prototype with intelligent reconfigurability and arbitrarily low bit-rate granularity, enabling to increase the network capacity and the spectral/energy efficiency, while providing a future-proof flexible solution for an increasingly heterogeneous global network.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The delivery of fast Internet connections all over Europe is a primary goal of Horizon 2020. In order to avoid the upcoming capacity crunch on transport optical networks, there is an urgent need for a strong investment in the research and development of future-proof optical broadband infrastructures. The Flex-ON project will investigate new technological paradigms in terms of signal generation, digital processing and control-plane management for novel flexible and high-capacity transport optical networks. The primary technical objective of the project is to develop and implement a flexible transceiver prototype with intelligent reconfigurability and arbitrarily low bit-rate granularity. The development of this technology will enable to increase the network capacity and the spectral/energy efficiency, while providing a future-proof flexible solution for an increasingly heterogeneous global network.The main scientific/industrial contributions of the project include:- the optimization of signal modulation to improve spectral efficiency and bit-rate granularity;- the development of novel DSP strategies and algorithms to enable flexible networking;- the development of novel numerical tools for physical layer modelling under the nonlinear (NL) propagation regime;- the optimization of NL compensation methods to improve the trade-off between spectral efficiency and signal reach.In order to guarantee a sustainable and smooth upgrade of currently installed optical transmission systems, Flex-ON encompasses a dual-generation approach:- 1st generation: fixed frequency grid (ITU-T: 50 GHz) and fixed symbol-rate transceivers with variable bit-rate enabled by time domain hybrid QAM techniques;- 2nd generation: flexible frequency grid (ITU-T G.694.1: 12.5 GHz) and variable symbol-rate transceivers.The tight collaboration with industry players ensures that the newly proposed concepts, software and prototypes will enhance the European competitiveness in the telecom sector.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- POLITECNICO DI TORINO · TorinoCoordinatorItaly
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union