Abstract: A first node of a network includes a quantum receiver, a classical transceiver, and an initial-key generator that cooperate with a second node of the network to receive an initial key via the quantum receiver. The first node includes a key-series generator that (i) decrypts, with the initial key, a first encrypted key of a series of encrypted keys to generate a first unencrypted key of a respective series of unencrypted keys and (ii) decrypts each subsequent encrypted key of the series of encrypted keys with a preceding unencrypted key of the series of unencrypted keys to generate a subsequent unencrypted key of the series of unencrypted keys. The first node includes one or both of a decryptor and an encryptor. The decryptor decrypts encrypted data using a last unencrypted key of the series of unencrypted keys. The encryptor encrypts unencrypted data using the last unencrypted key.

Abstract: An ad-hoc wireless network is implemented by a plurality of wireless access points to detect and report failure of a concurrently implemented conventional network. The wireless access points collect and store network status information of the conventional network and send the network status information to a centralized emergency manager when failure of the conventional network is detected. The ad-hoc wireless network may also provide backhaul connectivity to a wireless access point of the failed conventional network for emergency communication.

Abstract: An optical network communication system utilizes a passive optical network including an optical hub having an optical line terminal, downstream transmitter, an upstream receiver, a processor, and a multiplexer. The upstream receiver includes a plurality of TWDMA upstream subreceivers. The system includes a power splitter for dividing a coherent optical signal from the optical hub into a plurality of downstream wavelength signals, a long fiber to carry the coherent optical signal between the optical hub and the power splitter, and a plurality of serving groups. Each serving group includes a plurality of optical network units configured to (i) receive at least one downstream wavelength signal, and (ii) transmit at least one upstream wavelength signal. The system includes a plurality of short fibers to carry the downstream and upstream wavelength signals between the power splitter and the optical network units, respectively. Each upstream subreceiver receives a respective upstream wavelength signal.

Abstract: A method for operating a wireline communication device on a wireless communication network includes (a) receiving a downlink radio frequency (RF) electrical signal at a first connector, (b) converting the downlink RF electrical signal to a downlink access signal having a format that is compatible with the wireline communication device, and (c) providing the downlink access signal to a second connector for transporting to the wireline communication device. A method for extending a wireline communication network includes (a) receiving a downlink wireline signal at a node of the wireline communication network, (b) converting the downlink wireline signal to a downlink RF electrical signal, and (c) converting the downlink RF electrical signal to a downlink wireless signal, for transmission to one or more communication devices which are not physically connected to the wireline communication network.

Abstract: Beamforming for adapting wireless signaling beams in an adaptive and agile manner is contemplated. The beamforming may be characterized by adaptively constructing beam form parameters to provide wireless signaling in a manner that maximizes efficiency and bandwidth according to device positioning relative to a responding base station.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) node is provided for a small cell of a wireless access network having a coaxial line. The RAN node includes an input operably coupled with the coaxial line and an output configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one user equipment device within an operable vicinity of the wireless access network. The RAN node further includes a transmission path configured to (i) connect the input to the output, and (ii) communicate a first radio frequency (RF) signal from the input to the output, and a reception path separate from the transmission path, and configured to (i) connect the output to the input, and (ii) communicate a second radio frequency (RF) signal from the output to the input. The RAN node is configured to dynamically switch between the transmission path and the reception path in response to a tone received from the wireless access network.

Abstract: A method for automatic discovery of a communication network including a hub, a plurality of termination devices, and a plurality of network elements. The method includes (a) associating respective geographic information with each termination device, (b) determining a respective distance of each termination device from the hub, (c) grouping, at least partially based on diagnostic information from the communication network, two or more of the plurality of termination devices sharing a common characteristic, (d) determining a topology of the communication network, and (e) determining a respective characteristic of at least one network element of the plurality of network elements.

Abstract: A coherent optical injection locking (COIL) apparatus generates multiple optical source outputs from a single optical source generated by a parent laser. The COIL apparatus includes a plurality of optical source generators each having a child laser, of lesser performance than the parent laser, that is injection locked to the single optical source. The optical source generators may have one or both of a shared configuration and a cascaded configuration that replicates the single optical source, or a single wavelength of the single optical source when it is a comb source.

Abstract: A method for distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) includes (a) generating first data signals for transmission via a first fiber optic strand, (b) generating first sensing signals for transmission via the first fiber optic strand, and (c) analyzing at least one of first back-scattering signals and first forward-scattering signals of the first sensing signals, to perform DFOS. The method may further include generating the first sensing signal such that presence of the first sensing signal on the first fiber optic strand does not interfere with transmission of the first data signal by the first fiber optic strand.

Abstract: An access network includes a first local network node configured to serve one or more first client devices according to a first network protocol, a second local network node configured to serve one or more second client devices according to a second network protocol different than the first network protocol, and a hub in operable communication with the first and second local network nodes over respective transport media. The hub contains a centralized network node configured to generate a first digitized radio frequency (RF) stream to the first local network node and a second digitized RF stream to the second local network node. The first digitized RF stream corresponds to the first network protocol and the second digitized RF stream corresponds to the second network protocol.

Abstract: Facilitating echo cancellation within communication networks is contemplated, such as but not necessarily limited to facilitating echo cancellation within full-duplex (FDX) communication networks. The echo cancellation may optionally be performed with an echo canceller included as part of or otherwise associated with an FDX node used to facilitate interfacing signaling between a digital domain and an analog domain of a FDX or other communication network.

Abstract: A full duplex communication network includes an optical transmitter end having a first coherent optics transceiver, an optical receiver end having a second coherent optics transceiver, and an optical transport medium operably coupling the first coherent optics transceiver to the second coherent optics transceiver. The first coherent optics transceiver is configured to simultaneously transmit a downstream optical signal and receive an upstream optical signal. The second coherent optics transceiver is configured to simultaneously receive the downstream optical signal from the first coherent optics transceiver and transmit the upstream optical signal first coherent optics transceiver. At least one of the downstream optical signal and the upstream optical signal includes at least one coherent optical carrier and at least one non-coherent optical carrier.

Abstract: A receiver is provided for processing an input signal from a communication network. The receiver includes a processor and a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (i) receive an input data signal including digital bit information, (ii) code the input data signal into a plurality of multi-level symbols, (iii) map the plurality of multi-level symbols into a plurality of constellation points in the phase domain, (iv) execute a first phase recovery subprocess on the plurality of constellation points to recover a first carrier phase of the input signal, (v) implement a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) on the recovered first carrier phase to generate an enhanced recovered carrier phase, and (vi) process the enhanced recovered carrier phase with a second phase recovery subprocess to reduce distortion from the input signal.

Abstract: An optical network includes a transmitting portion configured to (i) encode an input digitized sequence of data samples into a quantized sequence of data samples having a first number of digits per sample, (ii) map the quantized sequence of data samples into a compressed sequence of data samples having a second number of digits per sample, the second number being lower than the first number, and (iii) modulate the compressed sequence of data samples and transmit the modulated sequence over a digital optical link. The optical network further includes a receiving portion configured to (i) receive and demodulate the modulated sequence from the digital optical link, (ii) map the demodulated sequence from the second number of digits per sample into a decompressed sequence having the first number of digits per sample, and (iii) decode the decompressed sequence.

Abstract: An optical network communication system utilizes a coherent passive optical network (PON). The system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) having a downstream transmitter and an upstream receiver system configured for time-wavelength division coherent detection. The system further includes a splitter in operable communication with the OLT, and a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) in operable communication with the splitter. Each of the plurality of ONUs is configured to (i) receive downstream coherent burst signals from the OLT, and (ii) transmit at least one upstream burst signal to the OLT. The upstream receiver system further includes a power control module and a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate an optical LO signal The power control module is configured to adaptively control, in real-time, a power level of the optical LO signal.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data through a multi-media communication network includes converting transmission entities into data symbols at a first communication device, transmitting the data symbols from the first communication device to a second communication device through at least two different types of communication media using only lower PHY layers of the at least two different types of communication media, and converting the data symbols into transmission entities at the second communication device.

Abstract: A method for implementing an out-of-band communication channel in a coherent optical access network includes steps (a)-(e). Step (a) includes separating a MAC-layer signal received from a media access control (MAC) layer into an initial communication-channel signal and an initial data-channel signal. Step (b) includes encoding, using a first signal-coding scheme within a transceiver of a coherent passive optical network (PON), the initial communication-channel signal into a communication-channel signal occupying a first frequency band. Step (c) includes encoding, using a second signal-coding scheme within the transceiver, the initial data-channel signal into a data-channel signal occupying a second frequency band not overlapping the first frequency band. Step (d) includes combining the communication-channel signal and the data-channel signal to yield an analog signal.

Abstract: An optical network communication system includes an optical hub, an optical distribution center, at least one fiber segment, and at least two end users. The optical hub includes an intelligent configuration unit configured to monitor and multiplex at least two different optical signals into a single multiplexed heterogeneous signal. The optical distribution center is configured to individually separate the at least two different optical signals from the multiplexed heterogeneous signal. The at least one fiber segment connects the optical hub and the optical distribution center, and is configured to receive the multiplexed heterogeneous signal from the optical hub and distribute the multiplexed heterogeneous signal to the optical distribution center. The at least two end users each include a downstream receiver configured to receive one of the respective separated optical signals from the optical distribution center.

Abstract: An optical access network includes an optical hub having at least one processor. The network further includes a plurality of optical distribution centers connected to the optical hub by a plurality of optical fiber segments, respectively, and a plurality of geographic fiber node serving areas. Each fiber node serving area of the plurality of fiber node serving areas includes at least one optical distribution center of the plurality of optical distribution centers. The network further includes a plurality of endpoints. Each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints is in operable communication with at least one optical distribution center. The network further includes a point-to-point network provisioning system configured to (i) evaluate each potential communication path over the plurality of optical fiber segments between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, and (ii) select an optimum fiber path based on predetermined path selection criteria.

Abstract: A digital receiver is configured to process a polarization multiplexed carrier from a communication network. The polarization multiplexed carrier includes a first polarization and a second polarization. The receiver includes a first lane for transporting a first input signal of the first polarization, a second lane for transporting a second input signal of the second polarization, a dynamic phase noise estimation unit disposed within the first lane and configured to determine a phase noise estimate of the first input signal, a first carrier phase recovery portion configured to remove carrier phase noise from the first polarization based on a combination of the first input signal and a function of the determined phase noise estimate, and a second carrier phase recovery portion configured to remove carrier phase noise from the second polarization based on a combination of the second input signal and the function of the determined phase noise estimate.