Method and system for multiplexed optical information transport
First Claim
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1. A method of communication between a plurality of passive optical network access terminals and a transport network, the method comprising:
- modulating and demodulating optical signals in a local exchange between the passive optical network and the transport network;
transporting light carrying information for respective groups of access terminals via a respective light guide for each group, the information for different access terminals in each group being optically multiplexed in the light guide for that group over different time slots and different communication wavelengths of the light;
passing the information between the light guides and the transport network via a plurality of transceivers, wherein each transceiver includes an optical transmitter for passing information from the transport network to the light guides and an optical receiver for passing information from the light guides to the transport network; and
multiplexing use of the transceivers, wherein each transceiver passes and receives optical information both to and from selectable light guides at selectable communication wavelengths in different time slots through a cross-connection unit;
wherein selection of the light guides, wavelengths and time slots to be used is performed by a control unit; and
wherein the number of transceivers used is less than the number of light guides used.
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Abstract
Light carrying information for access terminals is carried via optical fibers. Information for terminals from groups is multiplexed over different time-slots and different communication wavelengths of the light in the fiber for a group. The information is passed between the fibers and the transport network via transceivers. The use of the transceivers is multiplexed between the optical fibers. Each transceiver passes information for selectable light guides at selectable communication wavelengths in different timeslots.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of communication between a plurality of passive optical network access terminals and a transport network, the method comprising:
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modulating and demodulating optical signals in a local exchange between the passive optical network and the transport network; transporting light carrying information for respective groups of access terminals via a respective light guide for each group, the information for different access terminals in each group being optically multiplexed in the light guide for that group over different time slots and different communication wavelengths of the light; passing the information between the light guides and the transport network via a plurality of transceivers, wherein each transceiver includes an optical transmitter for passing information from the transport network to the light guides and an optical receiver for passing information from the light guides to the transport network; and multiplexing use of the transceivers, wherein each transceiver passes and receives optical information both to and from selectable light guides at selectable communication wavelengths in different time slots through a cross-connection unit; wherein selection of the light guides, wavelengths and time slots to be used is performed by a control unit; and wherein the number of transceivers used is less than the number of light guides used. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A communications network comprising:
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a transport network; and a passive optical network comprising; a plurality of access terminals; a plurality of light guides, each coupling a respective group of the access terminals to the transport network, and configured to carry optical information between the transport network and different access terminals in each group as time and wavelength multiplexed optical signals; a plurality of local exchanges between the light guides and the transport network comprising; a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver comprising a transmitter for passing optical information from the transport network to the light guides and a receiver for passing information from the light guides to the transport network; a cross-connection unit between the light guides and the transceivers, arranged to make selectable active couplings for bi-directional light transport between each light guide and a respective selectable combination of the transceivers, simultaneous active couplings between any one of the light guides and any one of the different transceivers being allowed, the coupling between that one of the light guides to each actively coupled transceiver being at a respective selectable communication wavelength; and a control unit for dynamically activating the couplings selectively on the basis of transport capacity requirements of the access terminals; wherein the number of transceivers in the passive optical network is less than the number of light guides. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification