Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for increasing downstream bandwidth of a passive optical network using integrated WDM/power spitting devices, such as the 2P1 devices, and one or more tunable lasers. An optical multiplexing/demultiplexing system is disclosed that comprises an integrated wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)/power spitting device having a WDM passive optical network (PON) and a power splitting PON; and one or more tunable lasers for selectively generating an optical signal of a desired wavelength for at least one subscriber, wherein the optical signal of a desired wavelength is communicated using the WDM PON. A method is also disclosed for communicating optical signals. One or more signals are broadcast to a plurality of subscribers using a power splitting passive optical network (PON).

Abstract: Systems and techniques for multiple bit rate optical data transmission. A passive optical network includes an optical line termination unit (OLT) connected to one or more optical network units (ONUs) by optical elements. The OLT is capable of performing downstream transmission to the ONUs at each of a variety of different bit rates, and each ONU performs upstream transmission at one or more bit rates. The OLT can sense a bit rate of a received transmission and change its operation so as to receive and process the transmission exhibiting the sensed bit rate. Each of the ONUs receives and processes downstream transmissions at one or more bit rates, but each ONU is capable of maintaining a phase and frequency lock to downstream transmissions at all bit rates supported by the OLT. One or more of the ONUs may also receive and process downstream transmissions exhibiting different or changed bit rates.

Abstract: Short haul optical communication networks using multi longitudinal mode lasers are susceptible to significant degradation from mode partition noise. Losses from such noise in short haul networks are substantially reducible by employing an additional fiber with specific properties. This additional fiber is chosen to have a slope for its wavelength versus dispersion behavior that is the negative of that for the transmission fiber.