System and method for communicating optical signals to multiple subscribers having various bandwidth demands connected to the same optical waveguide

• US 7,218,855 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Solutions, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wave7 Optics, Inc. (Enablence Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Farmer, James O., Vella, Emmanuel A., Whittlesey, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello; Agustin
• Application Number:
  US10/151,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 398 66- 73
• US Class Current: 398/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/272 Star-type networks or tree-type networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0226 Fixed carrier allocation, e.g. according to service
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0232 for downstream transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0238 Wavelength allocation for communications one-to-many, e.g. multicasting wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0247 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0252 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0282 WDM tree architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 Adaptations for optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface

Abstract

The present invention is generally drawn to optical network architecture that can include a multi-subscriber optical interface that can service a plurality of subscribers that are located in close proximity relative to one another. For example, the multi-subscriber optical interface can service multiple dwelling units such as an apartment complex that has many different subscribers to the optical network system. Further, the invention can also service subscribers over the same optical waveguide who may have different bandwidth needs, such as businesses, personal/home users and the like.

Claims

1. An optical network system comprising:

a data service hub for producing downstream optical signals comprising video information;

at least one optical tap;

at least one multi-subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for servicing two or more subscribers, the multi-subscriber optical interface comprising an analog optical receiver for converting the downstream optical signals from the data service hub into downstream electrical signals destined for subscribers, a tilt network coupled to the analog optical receiver for increasing signal strength across a frequency range suitable for coaxial cable transmissions, an RF splitter coupled to the tilt network for dividing the downstream electrical signals between at least two electrical waveguides, a service disconnect switch coupled to each electrical waveguide for controlling video service for respective subscribers, each multi-subscriber optical interface further comprising a processor and a first routing device for managing upstream and downstream electrical signals, and the first routing device using a first look-up table for managing at least one of upstream and downstream electrical signals;

a laser transceiver node disposed between and coupled to the data service hub and the optical tap, for communicating optical signals between the data service hub and the optical tap, the laser transceiver node comprising a second routing device for apportioning bandwidth in an electrical domain between subscribers of the optical network system and using a second look-up table for managing at least one of upstream and downstream electrical signals, and

one or more optical waveguides connected between that at least one optical tap, the laser transceiver node, and the least one multi-subscriber optical interface, for carrying the upstream optical signals and the downstream optical signals, whereby optical bandwidth for subscribers is controllable by at least one of the laser transceiver node and multi-subscriber optical interface in response to subscriber demand.

2. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the multi-subscriber optical interface further comprises an RF return path.

3. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the laser transceiver node comprises passive cooling devices in order to operate in a temperature range between −

40 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius.

4. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the laser transceiver node is mountable on a strand in an overhead plant environment.

5. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the laser transceiver node is housed within a pedestal in an underground plant environment.

6. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein a distance between the laser transceiver node and the data service hub comprises a range between zero and eighty kilometers.

7. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the laser transceiver node comprises at least one optical transmitter, each optical transmitter comprises one of a Fabry-Perot laser, a distributed feedback laser, and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).

8. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein one of the protocols comprises a time division multiple access protocol.

9. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein data bit rates for the upstream and downstream optical signals are substantially symmetrical.

10. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein each optical waveguide handles data rates of at least 450 Mb/s.

11. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein each optical tap comprises at least one optical splitter.

12. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein one of the optical taps servicing a particular group of subscriber optical interfaces is connected to another optical tap.

13. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein each optical tap propagates upstream and downstream optical signals in addition to downstream RF modulated optical signals.

14. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the multi-subscriber optical interface comprises an analog optical receiver, a digital optical receiver, and a digital optical transmitter.

15. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguides are a first set of optical waveguides, the optical network system further comprising a second set of optical waveguides disposed between the data service hub and laser transceiver node, the second set comprising a first waveguide for carrying upstream optical signals to the data service hub, and a second optical waveguide for carrying downstream optical signals to the laser transceiver node.

16. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises at least one of a microcomputer and a switch.

17. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises at least one of a digital signal processor, a subscriber line audio-processing circuit for digital telephone signal processing, and a subscriber line interface circuit for analog telephone signal to digital telephone signal conversion.

27. The optical network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one multi-subscriber optical interface services both business subscribers and residential subscribers.

18. An optical network system comprising:

a data service hub for producing downstream optical signals comprising video information;

at least one optical tap;

a least one single-subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for servicing a subscriber;

at least one multi-subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for servicing two or more subscribers, the multi-subscriber optical interface comprising an analog optical receiver for converting the downstream optical signals from the data service hub into downstream electrical signals destined for subscribers, a tilt network coupled to the analog optical receiver for increasing signal strength across a frequency range suitable for coaxial cable transmissions, an RF splitter coupled to the tilt network for dividing the downstream electrical signals between at least two electrical waveguides, a service disconnect switch coupled to each electrical waveguide for controlling video service for respective subscribers, each multi-subscriber optical interface further comprising a processor and a first routing device for managing upstream and downstream electrical signals, and the first routing device using a first look-up table for managing at least one of upstream and downstream electrical signals;

a laser transceiver node disposed between the data service hub and the optical tap, for communicating optical signals between the data service hub and the optical tap, and the laser transceiver node comprising a second routing device for apportioning bandwidth in an electrical domain between subscribers of the optical network system and using a second look-up table for mana in at least one of up stream and downstream electrical signals, and

one or more optical waveguides connected between respective optical taps, the laser transceiver node, the at least one single-subscriber optical interface, and the at least one multi-subscriber optical interface, for carrying the upstream optical signals and the downstream optical signals, whereby optical bandwidth for subscribers is controllable by one of a laser transceiver node and the at least one multi-subscriber optical interface in response to subscriber demand.

19. The optical network system of claim 18, wherein the multi-subscriber optical interface further comprises an RF return path.

20. The optical network system of claim 18, wherein the at least one optical tap comprises an optical splitter.

21. The optical network system of claim 18, wherein the at least one optical tap services a particular group of subscribers and is connected to another optical tap.

22. An optical network system comprising:

a data service hub for producing downstream optical signals comprising video information;

at least one optical tap;

at least one multi-subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for servicing two or more subscribers, the at least one multi-subscriber optical interface comprising an RF return path, the multi-subscriber optical interface comprising an analog optical receiver for converting the downstream optical signals from the data service hub into downstream electrical signals destined for subscribers, a tilt network coupled to the analog optical receiver for increasing signal strength across a frequency range suitable for coaxial cable transmissions, an RF splitter coupled to the tilt network for dividing the downstream electrical signals between at least two electrical waveguides, a service disconnect switch coupled to each electrical waveguide for controlling video service for respective subscribers, each multi-subscriber optical interface further comprising a processor and a first routing device for managing upstream and downstream electrical signals, and the first routing device using a first look-up table for managing at least one of upstream and downstream electrical signals;

a laser transceiver node disposed between the data service hub and the optical tap, for communicating optical signals between the data service hub and the optical tap, and the laser transceiver node comprising a second routing device for apportioning bandwidth in an electrical domain between subscribers of the optical network system and using a second look-up table for mana in at least one of up stream and downstream electrical signals, and

one or more optical waveguides connected between respective optical taps and the laser transceiver node, and the at least one multi-subscriber optical interface, for carrying the upstream optical signals and the downstream optical signals, whereby optical bandwidth for subscribers is controllable by one of the laser transceiver node and a multi-subscriber optical interface in response to subscriber demand.

23. The optical network system of claim 22, wherein the RF return path comprises at least one of a diplexer and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter.

24. The optical network system of claim 22, wherein the RF return path comprises at least one of a data reducer and a data conditioner.

25. The optical network system of claim 22, wherein the RF return path comprises at least one of a diplexer and an RF presence detector.

26. The optical network system of claim 22, wherein the RF return path comprises amplitude modulated optical transmitter.