OPTICAL NETWORKS
First Claim
1. A communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the node being arranged to transmit an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel in a downstream direction, wherein at least one of the channels is an unmodulated channel which is further arranged to transmit user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to improvements in or relating to optical networks. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing communications services to at least one user. Transmission of an optical signal in the downstream direction is described comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel such that at least one of the channels is an unmodulated channel. The unmodulated channel is arranged to transmit user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction.
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Citations
49 Claims
- 1. A communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the node being arranged to transmit an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel in a downstream direction, wherein at least one of the channels is an unmodulated channel which is further arranged to transmit user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction.
- 14. A communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the node being arranged to receive an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel from an upstream direction, each channel comprising a carrier frequency and optical data, the node arranged to separate the respective carrier frequency from the optical data, and to transmit the separated optical data and the carrier frequency in the downstream direction, wherein the at least one carrier frequency is arranged to transmit user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction.
- 20. A communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the node being arranged to transmit an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel in a downstream direction, wherein each channel comprises a carrier frequency and optical data for the at least one user, the node being further arranged to receive an upstream optical signal comprising the at least one carrier frequency and user data from the at least one user.
- 23. A Wavelength Division Multiplexing splitter arranged to receive an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel from an upstream direction, wherein at least one of the channels are modulated channels, and at least one of the channels is an unmodulated channel, the splitter arranged to demultiplex the channels and to separate the modulated channels from the unmodulated channels to provide communication services to at least one user in a downstream direction, and to receive user data for transmission in the upstream direction which has been used to modulate the at least one unmodulated channel.
- 25. A user device arranged to receive an optical signal comprising an unmodulated Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel from an upstream direction, to receive user data from a downstream direction, and to modulate the unmodulated channel with the user data for transmission of the user data in the upstream direction.
- 28. A method of operating a communications network for providing communications services to at least one user, the method including transmitting an optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel in a downstream direction, wherein at least one of the channels is an unmodulated channel, and using the at least one unmodulated channel to transmit user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction.
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36. A method of operating a communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the method including;
- transmitting a downstream optical signal from the node comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel, wherein each channel comprises a carrier frequency and optical data for the at least one user; and
receiving an upstream optical signal at the node comprising the at least one carrier frequency and user data from the at least one user. - View Dependent Claims (37)
- transmitting a downstream optical signal from the node comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel, wherein each channel comprises a carrier frequency and optical data for the at least one user; and
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39. A method of operating a communications node for providing communications services to at least one user, the method including;
- receiving an optical signal at the node from an upstream direction, the optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel comprising a carrier frequency and optical data;
separating the respective carrier frequency from the optical data;
transmitting the carrier frequency from the node in the downstream direction; and
transmitting user data from the at least one user in the upstream direction using the at least one carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- receiving an optical signal at the node from an upstream direction, the optical signal comprising at least one Wavelength Division Multiplexing channel comprising a carrier frequency and optical data;
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45. A method of operating a user device for providing communications services to at least one user, the method including;
- receiving an optical signal from an upstream direction comprising an unmodulated WDM channel;
receiving user data at the user device from a downstream direction;
modulating the unmodulated WDM channel with the user data; and
transmitting the user data in the upstream direction. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
- receiving an optical signal from an upstream direction comprising an unmodulated WDM channel;
Specification