Patent · US Expired

Optical communication network with passive monitoring

US5285305A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
5References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 12, 1991
Grant dateFeb 8, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 12, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/272
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optical communication network includes at least one single-mode fiber, referred to as a "primary fiber," for transmission between a central office and a distribution node, and at least one multiplicity of single-mode fibers, referred to as "distribution fibers," for transmission between the distribution node and a multiplicity of optical network units (ONUs). Transmissions are exchanged between the primary and distribution fibers via at least one optical coupler located at the distribution node. The network is passive in the sense that all monitoring of the transmission media and the ONUs can be performed at the central office, without active intervention at remote locations. The network includes a monitor and a multiplicity of bypass lines by means of which at least a portion of inbound signals from the distribution fibers are transmitted to the monitor without passing through the optical coupler at the distribution node.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.