Patent · US Expired

Passive optical network

US7272321B1 · kind B1 · utility

30Cited by
40References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 10, 2000
Grant dateSep 18, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04J14/0297
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A passive optical network. The optical network has an optical fiber ring with ends terminating at an optical line terminal. The optical line terminal transmits signals through the fiber ring to optical network units passively connected to the fiber ring. The optical network units receive signals from the optical line terminal through the fiber ring. In one embodiment, the optical line terminal transmits redundant signals in opposite directions through the fiber ring and the optical network units receive the redundant signals from opposite directions through the fiber ring. In another embodiment, the optical network units receive TDM signals from and transmit TDMA signals to the optical line terminal through a fiber line. A first WDM coupler passively connected to the fiber line multiplexes an overlay signal with at least one of the TDM signals and the TDMA signals for transmission through the fiber line. The overlay signal has a wavelength different than the signals with which it is multiplexed.

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