Optical transmission system

US6144471A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• ALCATEL · FR

Inventors

• Rudolf Eyberg · Villingen, DE
• Volker Hagele · Welzheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 4, 1998
• Grant date: Nov 7, 2000
• Expiry date: May 4, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/272
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system (SYS) for optically transmitting information, e.g., television signals, from a subcenter (HUB), e.g., a cable television head end, over a passive optical distribution network to a plurality of optical network units (ONU) includes a plurality of nodes (K1, . . . , Km) for optically transmitting further information, e.g., telephone signals, and a plurality of optical couplers (C1, C2). The further information of each node (K1, . . . , Km) is fed via a respective coupler (C1, C2) into a transmission line connected to only part of the plurality of optical network units (ONU), e.g., to only one optical network unit (ONU). Each optical network unit (ONU) is connected to a group of customer locations (END) and, for the transmission of information from this group of customer locations (END), via a further passive optical distribution network to a node (K1, . . . , Km). Each node (K1, . . . , Km,) includes means for separating the information received from the customer locations into, e.g., interactive request signals and telephone signals. The interactive request signals are routed to the subcenter (HUB), and the telephone signals to a telephone network (NET).