Abstract: A cable television (CATV) distribution system, and a method of forming and using the CATV distribution system. In a first embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal is generated by an uncooled laser and converted by a receiver into a narrowcast electrical signal. In a second embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal generated by an uncooled laser is combined with a broadcast optical signal by an optical coupler at a hub of the CATV distribution system to generate a composite optical signal, which at a CATV node is: split into the broadcast and narrowcast optical components, respectively converted into broadcast and narrowcast electrical components, and combined into a composite electrical signal. In a third embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal is generated by an uncooled laser and then combined with the broadcast optical signal by a single receiver.

Abstract: An information distribution system includes an interconnect and multiple data processing nodes coupled to the interconnect. Each data processing node includes mass storage and a cache. Each data processing node also includes interface logic configured to receive signals from the interconnect and to apply the signals from the interconnect to affect the content of the cache, and to receive signals from the mass storage and to apply the signals from the mass storage to affect the content of the cache. The content of the mass storage and cache of a particular node may also be provided to other nodes of the system, via the interconnect.

Abstract: An asynchronous metropolitan packet transport ring having guaranteed QoS. Asynchronous packetized data flow in one direction through a fiber optic loop. A number of Metropolitan Packet Switches (MPS) are coupled to the fiber optic loop. An MPS allows packetized data from an upstream MPS to flow to a downstream MPS over a segment of the fiber optic loop. The MPS also puts packetized data onto and pulls packetized data off of the fiber optic loop. Thereby, flows can access the fiber optic loop via the MPS's. The MPS's also regulate the data rates on a per-flow basis according to setup information supplied by a Ring Management System (RMS). If one segment of the fiber loop becomes overly congested, the MPS guarantees quality of service for those flows by deallocating available bandwidth from flows upstream to the point of congestion. Utilization of packet transport ring capacity is optimized by allocating any bandwidth that becomes available to active flows according to a pre-specified weighting scheme.

Abstract: A transmitter for optical communication systems includes a source of optical radiation, a source of complex non-information signals, and a modulator unit in communication with the source of optical radiation. The modulator unit is also in communication with the source of complex non-information signals. The modulator has an input adapted to receive information-bearing signals.