Abstract: A system and method for simultaneous delivery of a plurality of independent blocks of 500 MHz digital broadcast television services, stacking a plurality of RF blocks on a plurality of spectrally sliced WDM optical bands.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for minimally intrusive fiber identification includes imparting a time-varying modulation onto an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber and subsequently detecting the presence of the time-varying modulation in the optical signal transmitting through the fiber to identify the fiber. In a specific embodiment of the invention, a time-varying curvature is imposed on the fiber to be identified and the presence of the resultant time variation in the transmitted power of a propagating optical signal is subsequently detected for identification of the manipulated fiber.

Abstract: A system and method for a transparent WDM metro ring architecture in which optics enables simultaneous provisioning of dedicated wavelengths for high-end user terminals, while low-end user terminals share wavelengths on “virtual rings”. All wavelengths are sourced by the network and remotely modulated at customer “End Stations” by low cost semiconductor optical amplifiers, which also serve as transmission amplifiers. The transparent WDM metro ring architecture permits the communication of information and comprises a fiber optical feeder ring, at least one fiber optical distribution ring, a network node (NN), at least one access node (AN) said network node and said at least one access node connected via said fiber optical feeder ring and at least one end station (ES) connected via said fiber optical distribution ring to said at least one access node, wherein said user is attached to said at least one end station.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneous delivery of a plurality of independent blocks of 500 MHz digital broadcast television services, stacking a plurality of RF blocks on a plurality of spectrally sliced WDM optical bands.

Abstract: A method for verifying fiber connections and diagnosing loss of light or loss of signal conditions in a WDM optical system. The method utilizes an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) having user-selectable wavelengths to shoot OTDR traces at a specified wavelength corresponding to an optical data-bearing channel into a selected one of a plurality of optical fiber transmission lines that are connected to a multiplexer that respectively multiplexes a data bearing channel carried on each of the plurality of optical fiber transmission lines onto a trunk, or a demultiplexer that demultiplexes multiplexed data bearing channels from the trunk. The OTDR receives backscattered light from the selected optical fiber transmission line and generates a trace of the backscattered light, thereby enabling a fault location in the WDM optical system to be determined from the trace.

Abstract: A system and method for a transparent WDM metro ring architecture in which optics enables simultaneous provisioning of dedicated wavelengths for high-end user terminals, while low-end user terminals share wavelengths on “virtual rings”. All wavelengths are sourced by the network and remotely modulated at customer “End Stations” by low cost semiconductor optical amplifiers, which also serve as transmission amplifiers. The transparent WDM metro ring architecture permits the communication of information and comprises a fiber optical feeder ring, at least one fiber optical distribution ring, a network node (NN), at least one access node (AN) said network node and said at least one access node connected via said fiber optical feeder ring and at least one end station (ES) connected via said fiber optical distribution ring to said at least one access node, wherein said user is attached to said at least one end station.

Abstract: An optical telecommunications network suitable for carrying broadcast and switched services. The network includes a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupled to a waveguide grating router (WGR). In accordance with the invention, an adjacent input port is connected with the same optical content. Thus, its outputs are adjacent (or wrapped around). According, the optical power in each of the broadcast bands at the outputs remains the same but is reduced by a factor of two in power for each channel but occupying twice as many channels. This has the effect of increasing the SNR by a factor of two.

Abstract: A broadcast delivery system allows the delivery of broadband broadcast services over a WDM Passive Optical Network. These broadband services can be carried on optical broadband carriers or signals in a cost-effective manner by utilizing shared dispersion-compensated fiber (DCF) over a group of feeder lines or a group of PONs. A broadband optical signal is provided over a plurality of feeder lines. Each feeder line is connected to a remote node for distribution to subscribers. One dispersion-compensated fiber is shared for a plurality of feeder lines.

Abstract: An optical carrier drop/add transmission system and method using a same optical carrier to both drop traffic from an optical network and to add traffic to the optical network. An optical carrier signal is received by a transceiver and is subsequently split into a first and second optical signal. The first optical signal can be converted into an electrical signal for processing by the subscriber (i.e., data out). The electrical signal corresponding to the first optical signal is additionally inverted by the transceiver. The inverted electrical signal is subsequently modulated with the second optical signal in order to create a nominally flat signal (“optical chalkboard”). The subscriber's data is then modulated onto the flat signal and sent across the optical network.

Abstract: Simultaneous delivery of 1280 video channels over a passive optical network using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The network is suitable for carrying broadcast and switched services. Its high capacity is achieved by stacking four RF blocks on fours spectrally sliced WDM PON bands in a manner which reduces spontaneous beat noise.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneous delivery of a plurality of independent blocks of 500 MHz digital broadcast television services, stacking a plurality of RF blocks on a plurality of spectrally sliced WDM optical bands.

Abstract: A passive optical network (PON) comprises an optical device for producing light at a plurality of optical frequencies, an optical receiver for receiving light produced by the optical device, and a wavelength division multiplexer for transmitting the light produced by the optical device to the optical receiver, the wavelength division multiplexer having passbands centered at respective center frequencies, the center frequencies being different than the optical frequencies.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneous delivery of a plurality of independent blocks of 500 MHz digital broadcast television services, stacking a plurality of RF blocks on a plurality of spectrally sliced WDM optical bands.

Abstract: An optical telecommunications network suitable for carrying broadcast and switched services. The network includes a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupled to a waveguide grating router (WGR). In accordance with the invention, an adjacent input port is connected with the same optical content. Thus, its outputs are adjacent (or wrapped around). According, the optical power in each of the broadcast bands at the outputs remains the same but is reduced by a factor of two in power for each channel but occupying twice as many channels. This has the effect of increasing the SNR by a factor of two.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously transmitting multifrequency signals including a laser light source having a shared gain section and an addressable gain section. A first group of signals modulating the addressable gain section of the laser produces a plurality of wavelength division multiplexed channels. The second group of signals modulates the shared gain section of the laser such that each of the multiplexed channels is modulated with the signals from the second group.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously transmitting multifrequency signals including a laser light source having a shared gain section and an addressable gain section. A first group of signals modulating the addressable gain section of the laser produces a plurality of wavelength division multiplexed channels. The second group of signals modulates the shared gain section of the laser such that each of the multiplexed channels is modulated with the signals from the second group.

Abstract: A communication network and method is provided to communicate between a central office/head end and a plurality of end-units (EUs). A first transmission medium is connected between the central office and an intermediate node. A plurality of second transmission mediums are connected between the central office and a plurality of mini-fiber nodes. The intermediate node is also associated with each of the mini-fiber nodes such that an analog broadcast service may be sent over the first transmission medium to each of the mini-fiber nodes. Further, switched digital services and digital broadcast services are also sent over the second transmission mediums to each of the mini-fiber nodes. The mini-fiber nodes combine the signals and send the combined signals to a corresponding subset of EUs.

Abstract: A passive optical network is provided that spectrally slices optical signals transmitted in both upstream and downstream directions utilizing wavelength division multiplexing routing. The passive optical network preferably includes an incoherent signal source at both ends to provide signals that are spectrally sliced according to optical frequency. The downstream information may be transmitted in a conventional data format. The upstream transmissions may be segregated by subcarrier multiplexing, time scheduling or wavelength division multiplexing. A broadcast signal can be overlayed with point-to-point information for transmission to plural network units.

Abstract: Accurate mode partition data from a laser are collected simply and rapidly in accordance with the principles of the invention wherein the laser output is directed to a filter which separates a central longitudinal mode from the side modes. The filter operates to present all side modes in a predetermined wavelength range simultaneously and continuously at the output of the filter. By subsequently comparing the intensity or power in the side modes delivered to the filter output with a predetermined threshold, it is possible to determine the frequency of occurrence and magnitude of mode partition events for side modes in the predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: Accurate mode partition data from a laser are collected simply and rapidly in accordance with the principles of the invention wherein the laser output is directed to a filter which separates a central longitudinal mode from the side modes. The filter operates to present all side modes in a predetermined wavelength range simultaneously and continuously at the output of the filter. By subsequently comparing the intensity or power in the side modes delivered to the filter output with a predetermined threshold, it is possible to determine the frequency of occurrence and magnitude of mode partition events for side modes in the predetermined wavelength range.