Abstract: A cable node and a cable hub that communicate on a CATV network are configured to switch communication modes without signal loss or degradation due to delays in switching communication modes. In particular, a cable node sends one or more mute commands in an outgoing data stream to the cable hub, causing the cable hub to disable the RF outputs. Afterward, or along with the one or more mute commands, the cable node can send a switch mode command, thereby causing the cable hub to switch to the appropriate next communication mode, such as a communication mode using a new compression rate. When the cable hub has switched to the appropriate next communication mode, the cable hub can then properly receive and decode a corresponding data stream using the next communication mode.

Abstract: The optoelectronic transceiver includes first and second controller ICs. Each controller IC includes logic, a memory, an interface, and at least one input port. Each memory is configured to store digital diagnostic data and has a unique serial device address to allow a host access to each of these controller ICs separately and independently. At least some of the digital diagnostic data is common to both the first controller IC and the second controller IC. The inclusion of two controller ICs allows the same diagnostic data to be stored in completely different memory mapped locations. This allows hosts that are preconfigured differently to read different memory mapped locations on the different controller ICs to obtain the same diagnostic data.

Abstract: An improved optical transmitter comprises a vertically lasing semiconductor optical amplifier (VLSOA) coupled to an external modulator and/or a laser source. The VLSOA, external modulator and laser source are discrete devices or alternatively integrated onto a common substrate. The integrated optical transmitter may be fabricated using a number of different methods, including based on selective area epitaxy, impurity induced disordering, etch and fill and silicon optical bench.