Wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) ring passive optical network (PON) with route protection for replacement of splitter based passive optical networks
First Claim
1. In an existing optical network comprising a multiplicity of destination terminals and a like multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending one pair each between one of said destination terminals and an intermediate terminal, each of said pair including a first fiber and a second fiber, selected ones of said destination terminals including an OIU (optical interface unit), each OIU having an input optical connector and an output optical connector and each OIU for extracting data on lightwaves received at said input optical connector and injecting data onto lightwaves transmitted from said output optical connector, each of said OIUs connected by said input and output optical connector to each fiber of a corresponding one of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, and said intermediate terminal connected to a primary terminal by at least a primary pair of optical fibers, apparatus for providing optical data transmission comprising:
- a first conversion circuit located in said intermediate terminal having an input optical connector and an output optical connector said first conversion circuit for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data, said first conversion circuitry further including electrical connections;
a transmission loop comprising a plurality of said selected destination terminals and a like plurality of corresponding pairs of optical fibers connecting said plurality of destination terminals to said intermediate terminal, said first fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a first optical connector at said intermediate terminal, and said second fibers of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a second optical connector at said intermediate terminal;
at each one of said selected destination terminals, said first fiber connected to said output optical connector of said OIU (optical interface unit), and said second fiber connected to said input optical connector of said OIU; and
at said intermediate terminal each said first optical connector of each one of said first fibers of said plurality of pairs connected to said second optical connector of said second fiber of another one of said plurality of pairs, except said first optical connector on a first fiber of a first pair is connected to said input connector of said conversion circuit and said second optical connector on a second fiber of a last pair is connected to said output connector of said conversion circuitry; and
a second conversion circuit located in said intermediate terminal for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data and electrically connected to said electrical connections of said first conversion circuitry, said second conversion circuitry also optically connected to said primary pair of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and said primary terminal.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for low cost upgrading on demand of an optical fiber communication system without installing additional optical fiber and minimal installation of optical circuitry at destination and distribution terminals. The upgraded systems comprise an optical data loop of a plurality of destination terminals and a single intermediate terminal.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. In an existing optical network comprising a multiplicity of destination terminals and a like multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending one pair each between one of said destination terminals and an intermediate terminal, each of said pair including a first fiber and a second fiber, selected ones of said destination terminals including an OIU (optical interface unit), each OIU having an input optical connector and an output optical connector and each OIU for extracting data on lightwaves received at said input optical connector and injecting data onto lightwaves transmitted from said output optical connector, each of said OIUs connected by said input and output optical connector to each fiber of a corresponding one of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, and said intermediate terminal connected to a primary terminal by at least a primary pair of optical fibers, apparatus for providing optical data transmission comprising:
-
a first conversion circuit located in said intermediate terminal having an input optical connector and an output optical connector said first conversion circuit for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data, said first conversion circuitry further including electrical connections;
a transmission loop comprising a plurality of said selected destination terminals and a like plurality of corresponding pairs of optical fibers connecting said plurality of destination terminals to said intermediate terminal, said first fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a first optical connector at said intermediate terminal, and said second fibers of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a second optical connector at said intermediate terminal;
at each one of said selected destination terminals, said first fiber connected to said output optical connector of said OIU (optical interface unit), and said second fiber connected to said input optical connector of said OIU; and
at said intermediate terminal each said first optical connector of each one of said first fibers of said plurality of pairs connected to said second optical connector of said second fiber of another one of said plurality of pairs, except said first optical connector on a first fiber of a first pair is connected to said input connector of said conversion circuit and said second optical connector on a second fiber of a last pair is connected to said output connector of said conversion circuitry; and
a second conversion circuit located in said intermediate terminal for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data and electrically connected to said electrical connections of said first conversion circuitry, said second conversion circuitry also optically connected to said primary pair of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and said primary terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. In an existing optical network comprising a multiplicity of destination terminals and a like multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, each pair having a first fiber and a second fiber, and each one of said destination terminals connected to an intermediate terminal by one of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, and said intermediate terminal connected to a primary terminal by at least a pair of primary optical fibers, apparatus for providing upgraded optical data transmission comprising:
-
a first conversion circuit located in said intermediate terminal having an output optical connector and an input optical connector for connecting said optical fibers to optically transmit and receive bidirectional data between said intermediate terminal and selected ones of said multiplicity of destination terminals, said first conversion circuit for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data, said first optical conversion circuit further including electrical connections;
a first and last OIU (optical interface unit) located in a first and last destination terminal, respectively, each of said first and last OIUs, including an input optical connector and an output optical connector, said OIUs for extracting and inserting data on lightwaves traveling over a pair of said multiplicity of pairs of said optical fibers, and said lightwaves being received at said input connector and transmitted from said output connector of said OIUs;
a first pair of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and said first destination terminal and having said first fiber of said first pair connected to said output optical connector of said conversion circuit;
a last pair of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and a last distribution terminal and having said second fiber of said last pair connected to said input optical connector of said conversion circuit, the second fiber of said first pair and the first fiber of said last pair connected so as to form a series optical loop extending between said output optical connector of said conversion circuit and at least through said first and last distribution terminals and back to said input optical connector of said conversion circuit; and
second conversion circuitry located in said intermediate terminal for converting optical data to electrical data and electrical data to optical data, and electrically connected to said first conversion circuitry, said second conversion circuitry also optically connected to said pair of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and said primary terminal. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
13. In an existing optical network comprising a multiplicity of destination terminals and a like multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending one pair each between one of said destination terminals and an intermediate terminal, each of said pair including a first fiber and a second fiber, selected ones of said destination terminals, including an OIU (optical interface unit) and each OIU having an input optical connector and an output optical connector, and each OIU for extracting data on lightwaves received at said input optical connector and injecting data onto lightwaves transmitted from said output optical connector, each of said OIUs connected by said input and output optical connector to each fiber of a corresponding one of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, and said intermediate terminal connected to a primary terminal by a first pair of primary optical fibers, apparatus for providing optical data transmission comprising:
-
a first optical device located in said intermediate terminal and having at least one input optical connector and an output optical connection;
a second optical device located in said intermediate terminal having an input optical connector and at least one output optical connector;
a transmission loop comprising a plurality of said selected destination terminals and a like plurality of corresponding pairs of optical fibers connecting said plurality of destination terminals to said intermediate terminal, said first fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a first optical connector at said intermediate terminal, and said second fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a second optical connector at said intermediate terminal, at each of said selected destination terminals, said first fiber connected to said output optical connector of said OIU (optical interface unit) and said second fiber connected to said input optical connector of said OIU, and at said intermediate terminal each said first optical connectors of each one of said first fibers of said plurality of pairs connected to said second optical connector of a second fiber of another one of said plurality of pairs, except said first optical connector of a first fiber of a first pair is connected to said at least one input connector of said first optical device and said second optical connector of a second fiber of a last pair is connected to said at least one output connector of said second optical device; and
said output optical connector of said first device connected to a first fiber of said primary pair of optical fibers extending between said intermediate terminal and said primary terminal, and said input connector of said second optical device connected to a second fiber of said primary pair.
-
-
25. In an existing optical network comprising a multiplicity of destination terminals and a like multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers extending one pair each between one of said destination terminals and an intermediate terminal, each of said pair including a first fiber and a second fiber, selected ones of said destination terminals, including an OIU (optical interface unit) and each OIU having an input optical connector and an output optical connector, and each OIU for extracting data on lightwaves received at said input optical connector and injecting data onto lightwaves transmitted from said output optical connector, each of said OIUs connected by said input and output optical connector to each fiber of a corresponding one of said multiplicity of pairs of optical fibers, and said intermediate terminal connected to a primary terminal by at least one primary optical fiber, apparatus for providing optical data transmission comprising:
-
at least one optical coupler/splitter having a destination terminal side and a primary terminal side, said destination terminal side having at least two optical connectors, and said primary terminal side having at least one optical connector;
a transmission loop comprising a plurality of said selected destination terminals and a like plurality of corresponding pairs of optical fibers connecting said plurality of destination terminals to said intermediate terminal, said first fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a first optical connector at said intermediate terminal, and said second fiber of each of said plurality of pairs terminating with a second optical connector at said intermediate terminal, at each of said selected destination terminals, said first fiber connected to said output optical connector of said OIU (optical interface unit) and said second fiber connected to said input optical connector of said OIU, and at said intermediate terminal each said first optical connectors of each one of said first fibers of said plurality of pairs connected to said second optical connector of a second fiber of another one of said plurality of pairs, except said first optical connector of a first fiber of a first pair is connected to one of said at least two connectors on said destination terminal side of said at least one optical coupler/splitter and said second optical connector of a second fiber of a last pair is connected to another one of said at least two connectors on said destination terminal side of said at least one optical coupler/splitter; and
said optical connector on said primary terminal side of said at least one optical coupler/splitter connected to said at least one primary optical fiber extending between said intermediate terminal and said primary terminal.
-
Specification