An Optical Communication System for Transmitting RF Signals Downstream and Bidirectional Telephony Signals Which Also Include RF Control Signals Upstream

Abstract

A method of transmitting TV signals and bidirectional telephone communication signals on a single optical fiber, existing telephone twisted pair infrastructure, and existing coaxial cable infrastructure. In addition to allowing the downstream transmission of television channels as well as bidirectional telephone communication, the single optical fibers also provides for the upstream travel of television related signals while requiring minimal changes of the existing infrastructure.

1 . An optical distribution terminal, comprising: 
 a laser diode operable to receive an electrical signal, the electrical signal corresponding to a video source signal, the laser diode operable to generate a video optical signal at a first wavelength in response to the electrical signal;    a multiplexer operable to receive the video optical signal at the first wavelength, the multiplexer operable to receive a telephony optical signal at a second wavelength over a first optical fiber, the multiplexer operable to transmit the video and telephony optical signals in their respective first and second wavelengths over a second optical fiber, the multiplexer operable to receive a return video optical signal and a return telephony optical signal at the second wavelength over the second optical fiber, the multiplexer operable to transmit the return video and telephony optical signals at the second wavelength over the first optical fiber.    distribution circuitry for transmitting the received video and telephony signals to a plurality of subscribers and for receiving the telephony return signals and the video return signals from the plurality of subscribers; and    a multiplexer for combining the telephony return signals and the video return signals to generate the multiplexed return signals.    
   
   
       2 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength is 1550 nm.  
   
   
       3 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the second wavelength is 1310 nm.  
   
   
       4 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical signal has a bandwidth between about 50 and 800 MHz.  
   
   
       5 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an amplifier operable to receive the video optical signal from the laser diode, the amplifier operable to amplify the video optical signal for presentation to the multiplexer.    
   
   
       6 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a photodiode operable to convert the return video and telephony optical signals into an electrical signal format.    
   
   
       7 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a diplexer operable to split the electrical signal format into a return telephony electrical signal and a return video electrical signal.    
   
   
       8 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 7 , wherein the return video electrical signal has a bandwidth between about 5 and 50 MHz.  
   
   
       9 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 7 , wherein the return telephony electrical signal includes plain old telephone service signals.  
   
   
       10 . The optical distribution terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a light splitting circuit operable to receive the video optical signal, the light splitting circuit operable to provide the video optical signal to multiple destinations.    
   
   
       11 . A method for transmitting optical signals, comprising: 
 receiving a video electrical signal;    converting the video electrical signal to a video optical signal having a first wavelength;    receiving a telephony optical signal having a second wavelength;    multiplexing the video optical signal with the telephony optical signal;    transmitting the video optical signal at the first wavelength and the telephony optical signal at the second wavelength over an optical fiber;    receiving return video and telephony optical signals at the second wavelength over the optical fiber.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first wavelength is 1550 nm and the second wavelength is 1310 nm.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the video electrical video signal has a bandwidth of about 50 to 800 MHz.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 extracting video electrical signals and telephony electrical signals from the return video and telephony optical signals.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 amplifying the video optical signal prior to multiplexing with the telephony optical signal.    
   
   
       16 . A system for transmitting optical signals, comprising: 
 means for receiving a video electrical signal;    means for converting the video electrical signal to a video optical signal having a first wavelength;    means for receiving a telephony optical signal having a second wavelength;    means for multiplexing the video optical signal with the telephony optical signal;    means for transmitting the video optical signal at the first wavelength and the telephony optical signal at the second wavelength over an optical fiber;    means for receiving return video and telephony optical signals at the second wavelength over the optical fiber.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first wavelength is 1550 nm and the second wavelength is 1310 nm.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the video electrical video signal has a bandwidth of about 50 to 800 MHz.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for extracting video electrical signals and telephony electrical signals from the return video and telephony optical signals.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for amplifying the video optical signal prior to multiplexing with the telephony optical signal.