Optical distribution network for RF and other analog signals
First Claim
1. An optical network for distributing optical signals between loads and sources, comprising:
- an optical bus for carrying the optical signals between the loads and sources; and
an optical interface device located along the optical bus, each optical interface device routing optical signals between the optical bus and at least one of the load or the source, each optical interface device comprising;
a first port connected to the optical bus for receiving optical signals traveling along the optical bus in a first direction;
a second port connected to the optical bus for receiving optical signals traveling along the optical bus in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
a third port for routing optical signals between the optical bus and the at least one of the load or the source;
a first coupler for splitting optical signals received from the first port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the second and third ports;
a second coupler for splitting optical signals from the second port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the first and third ports;
a third coupler for splitting optical signals from the third port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the first and second ports;
a first optical amplifier located between the first and second ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the first and second ports;
a second optical amplifier located between the second and third ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the second and third ports;
a third optical amplifier located between the first and third ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the first and third ports;
wherein each of the first, second, and third optical amplifiers has a gain that is sufficient to compensate for coupling losses associated with the first, second, and third ports, respectively, and splitting losses associated with the first, second, and third splitter, respectively.
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Abstract
An optical network has an optical bus interconnecting a plurality of sources with a plurality of loads. Each source has a tunable laser for transmitting signals at a selective wavelength and each load has a tunable filter for receiving signals at a selective wavelength. As a result, through a single connection per node and a single bus, each source can exchange signals with any load. The optical network employs a passive optical interface device for routing signals between a node and a bus. The optical interface device provides balanced amplification of the optical signals throughout the network. The optical network is able to distribute RF and other analog signals to multiple nodes while preserving signal quality.
115 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An optical network for distributing optical signals between loads and sources, comprising:
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an optical bus for carrying the optical signals between the loads and sources; and
an optical interface device located along the optical bus, each optical interface device routing optical signals between the optical bus and at least one of the load or the source, each optical interface device comprising;
a first port connected to the optical bus for receiving optical signals traveling along the optical bus in a first direction;
a second port connected to the optical bus for receiving optical signals traveling along the optical bus in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
a third port for routing optical signals between the optical bus and the at least one of the load or the source;
a first coupler for splitting optical signals received from the first port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the second and third ports;
a second coupler for splitting optical signals from the second port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the first and third ports;
a third coupler for splitting optical signals from the third port into a plurality of optical signal components and for routing one of the optical signal components to each of the first and second ports;
a first optical amplifier located between the first and second ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the first and second ports;
a second optical amplifier located between the second and third ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the second and third ports;
a third optical amplifier located between the first and third ports for amplifying optical signals routed between the first and third ports;
wherein each of the first, second, and third optical amplifiers has a gain that is sufficient to compensate for coupling losses associated with the first, second, and third ports, respectively, and splitting losses associated with the first, second, and third splitter, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An optical network for distributing optical signals between loads and sources, comprising:
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an optical bus for carrying the optical signals between the loads and sources; and
an optical interface device located along the optical bus, each optical interface device routing optical signals between the optical bus and at least one of the load or the source, each optical interface device comprising;
means for receiving an optical signal from the optical bus at a first port;
means for separating the optical signal into a plurality of signal components;
means for amplifying the optical signal components to compensate for losses associated with the receiving means and the separating means, the amplifying means generating amplified optical signal components; and
means for passing the amplified optical signal components onto the optical bus at a second port and to a third port.
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27. A method of distributing optical signals, comprising:
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receiving optical signals from a plurality of sources;
passively directing the optical signals from each source onto the optical bus through optical interface devices;
distributing the optical signals from the sources to a plurality of loads;
passively routing the optical signals from the optical bus to each load through the optical interface devices;
amplifying the optical signals traveling along the optical bus at each optical interface device;
wherein amplifying the optical signals comprises providing sufficient gain to compensate for losses associated with passively directing the optical signals from the sources onto the optical bus and for losses associated with passively routing the optical signals to each load.
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Specification