System and method for communicating optical signals upstream and downstream between a data service provider and subscribers
First Claim
1. An optical network system comprisinga data service hub;
- at least one optical tap, the optical tap further comprising a spectral slicer for passively extracting optical wavelengths of downstream optical signals and for passively combining optical wavelengths of upstream optical signals;
at least one subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for receiving the extracted wavelengths of downstream optical signals and for sending upstream optical signals;
a bandwidth transforming node disposed between the data service hub and the optical tap, the bandwidth transforming node being coupled to the data service hub and being coupled to the at least one subscriber optical interface, for propagating upstream signals to the data service hub and propagating downstream optical signals to the subscriber optical interface, the bandwidth transforming node receiving downstream signals from the data service hub and upstream optical signals from the subscriber optical interface, the bandwidth transforming node comprising a routing device for apportioning bandwidth in an electrical domain between subscribers without the routing device performing any optical wavelength availability analysis and the routing device using a look-up table for processing both upstream and downstream electrical signals without any formatting and reformatting of data into two or more different formats performed by digital signal processors and interpolators, the bandwidth transforming node converting downstream electrical signals exiting from the routing device into a plurality of wavelengths in an optical domain for transmission from the routing device along a single optical waveguide to the subscriber optical interface through the optical tap.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical fiber network can include an outdoor bandwidth transforming node that can be positioned in close proximity to the subscribers of an optical fiber network. The outdoor bandwidth transforming node does not require active cooling and heating devices that control the temperature surrounding the bandwidth transforming node. The bandwidth transforming node can adjust a subscriber'"'"'s bandwidth on a subscription basis or on an as-needed basis. The bandwidth transforming node can also offer data bandwidth to the subscriber in preassigned increments. Additionally, the bandwidth transforming node lends itself to efficient upgrading that can be performed entirely on the network side. The bandwidth transforming node can also provide high speed symmetrical data transmission. Further, the bandwidth transforming node can increase upstream and downstream bandwidth and transmission speed by propagating data signals at different wavelengths.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An optical network system comprising
a data service hub; -
at least one optical tap, the optical tap further comprising a spectral slicer for passively extracting optical wavelengths of downstream optical signals and for passively combining optical wavelengths of upstream optical signals; at least one subscriber optical interface connected to the optical tap for receiving the extracted wavelengths of downstream optical signals and for sending upstream optical signals; a bandwidth transforming node disposed between the data service hub and the optical tap, the bandwidth transforming node being coupled to the data service hub and being coupled to the at least one subscriber optical interface, for propagating upstream signals to the data service hub and propagating downstream optical signals to the subscriber optical interface, the bandwidth transforming node receiving downstream signals from the data service hub and upstream optical signals from the subscriber optical interface, the bandwidth transforming node comprising a routing device for apportioning bandwidth in an electrical domain between subscribers without the routing device performing any optical wavelength availability analysis and the routing device using a look-up table for processing both upstream and downstream electrical signals without any formatting and reformatting of data into two or more different formats performed by digital signal processors and interpolators, the bandwidth transforming node converting downstream electrical signals exiting from the routing device into a plurality of wavelengths in an optical domain for transmission from the routing device along a single optical waveguide to the subscriber optical interface through the optical tap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for communicating optical signals from at least one subscriber to a data service provider comprising the steps of:
-
passively transmitting upstream optical signals with a slicer from an optical tap, the optical tap selecting a first set of wavelengths; receiving the upstream optical signals from a single optical waveguide at a bandwidth transforming node from the optical tap; converting the upstream optical signals to electrical signals at the bandwidth transforming node; combining upstream electrical signals in the bandwidth transforming node; apportioning bandwidth with a routing device in an electrical domain for the first and second subscriber in the bandwidth transforming node; using a look-up table with the routing device for processing the upstream electrical signals without any formatting and reformatting of data into two or more different formats performed by digital signal processors and interpolators, and without the routing device performing any optical wavelength availability analysis; and propagating the combined upstream electrical signals to the data service provider. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for communicating optical signals from a data service provider to at least one subscriber comprising the steps of:
-
dividing the downstream electrical signals with a routing device between preassigned multiplexers in the bandwidth transforming node, the preassigned multiplexers corresponding to a grouping of subscribers; multiplexing the downstream electrical signals at the preassigned multiplexers; assigning wavelength for a single optical tap; apportioning bandwidth with the routing device in the electrical domain between subscribers in the bandwidth transforming node; using a look-up table with the routing device for processing the downstream electrical signals without any formatting and reformatting of data into two or more different formats performed by digital signal processors and interpolators, and without the routing device performing any optical wavelength availability analysis; converting the downstream electrical signals to optical signals in a wavelength region assigned for each respective optical tap; and propagating respective combined downstream optical signals to at least one subscriber along at least one optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification