TWDM Passive Network with Extended Reach and Capacity

Abstract

A communication system includes a first multiplexer configured to multiplex a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group into a first multiplexed signal. The communication system includes a second multiplexer configured to demultiplex a second multiplexed signal into a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group. Moreover, the communication system includes a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, the third multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a feeder optical signal and the first and second multiplexed signals. The first and second optical line terminal signals include a legacy upstream free spectral range, and the third and fourth optical line terminal signals include a legacy downstream free spectral range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system comprising:
 a first multiplexer configured to multiplex a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group into a first multiplexed signal;   a second multiplexer configured to demultiplex a second multiplexed signal into a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group; and   a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, the third multiplexer configured to multiplex/demultiplex between a feeder optical signal and the first and second multiplexed signals,   wherein each of the first and second optical line terminal signals comprises a corresponding downstream wavelength in a downstream free spectral range, and each of the third and fourth optical line terminal signals comprises a corresponding upstream wavelength in an upstream free spectral range, and   wherein the first multiplexing group comprises a time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol and the second multiplexing group comprises a wavelength-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol, each wavelength being a point-to-point link.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a first amplifier optically connected with the first multiplexer and the third multiplexer and configured to optically amplify the first multiplexed signal; or   a second amplifier optically connected with the second multiplexer and the third multiplexer and configured to optically amplify the second multiplexed signal.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first optical line terminal signal and the third optical line terminal signals each have a first protocol, and the second optical line terminal signal and the fourth optical line terminal signal each have a second protocol different from the first protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first optical line terminal having an output optically connected with the first multiplexer and an input optically connected with the second multiplexer, the first optical line terminal transmitting the first optical line terminal signal and receiving the third optical line terminal signal; and   a second optical line terminal having an output optically connected with the first multiplexer and an input optically connected with the second multiplexer, the second optical line terminal transmitting the second optical line terminal signal and receiving the fourth optical line terminal signal.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first multiplexer is further configured to multiplex a fifth optical line terminal signal with the first and second optical line terminal signals into the first multiplexed signal, the first optical line terminal signal having a first protocol, the fifth optical line terminal signal having the time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol; and   the second multiplexer is further configured to demultiplex the second multiplexed signal into the second optical line terminal signal, the fourth optical line terminal signal, and a sixth optical line terminal signal, the sixth optical line terminal signal having the time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a third optical line terminal having an output optically connected with the first multiplexer and an input optically connected with the second multiplexer, the third optical line terminal transmitting the fifth optical line terminal signal and receiving the sixth optical line terminal signal. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feeder optical fiber optically connected with the third multiplexer and arranged to convey the feeder optical signal; and   an arrayed waveguide grating optically connected with the feeder optical fiber and configured to multiplex/demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals, each optical network unit signal comprising an upstream wavelength in the upstream free spectral range and a downstream wavelength in the downstream free spectral range.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fourth multiplexer optically connected with the third multiplexer and configured to multiplex a fifth optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a sixth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group into a third multiplexed signal; and   a fifth multiplexer optically connected with the third multiplexer and configured to demultiplex a fourth multiplexed signal into a seventh optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and an eighth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group,   wherein each of the fifth and sixth optical line terminal signals comprises a downstream wavelength in an upgrade downstream free spectral range, and each of the seventh and eight optical line terminal signals comprises an upstream wavelength in an upgrade upstream free spectral range.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a feeder optical fiber optically connected with the third multiplexer and arranged to convey the feeder optical signal; and   an arrayed waveguide grating optically connected with the feeder optical fiber and configured to multiplex/demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals, each optical network unit signal comprising an upstream wavelength in the upstream free spectral range, a downstream wavelength in the downstream free spectral range, an upgrade upstream wavelength in the upgrade upstream free spectral range, and an upgrade downstream wavelength in the upgrade downstream free spectral range.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one of:
 a first amplifier optically connected with the fourth multiplexer and the third multiplexer and configured to optically amplify the third multiplexed signal; or   a second amplifier optically connected with the fifth multiplexer and the third multiplexer and configured to optically amplify the fourth multiplexed signal.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a third optical line terminal having an output in communication with the fourth multiplexer and an input in communication with the fifth multiplexer, the third optical line terminal transmitting the fifth optical line terminal signal and receiving the seventh optical line terminal signal; and   a fourth optical line terminal having an output in communication with the fourth multiplexer and an input in communication with the fifth multiplexer, the fourth optical line terminal transmitting the sixth optical line terminal signal and receiving the eighth optical line terminal signal.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 a first multiplexed signal; and 
 a first optical line terminal signal having a first multiplexing group and a second optical line terminal signal having a second multiplexing group; 
   receiving, at a second multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 a second multiplexed signal; and 
 a third optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a fourth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group; and 
   receiving, at a third multiplexer optically connected with the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 a feeder optical signal; and 
 the first and second multiplexed signals, 
   wherein each of the first and second optical line terminal signals comprises a corresponding downstream wavelength in a downstream free spectral range, and each of the third and fourth optical line terminal signals comprises a corresponding upstream wavelength in a upstream free spectral range, and   wherein the first multiplexing group comprises a time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol and the second multiplexing group comprises a wavelength-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol, each wavelength being a point-to-point link.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 amplifying, at a first amplifier optically connected with the first multiplexer and the third multiplexer, the first multiplexed signal; or   amplifying, at a second amplifier optically connected with the second multiplexer and the third multiplexer, the second multiplexed signal.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first optical line terminal signal and the third optical line terminal signals each have a first protocol, and the second optical line terminal signal and the fourth optical line terminal signal each have a second protocol different from the first protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 the first multiplexed signal; and 
 a fifth optical line terminal signal, the first optical line terminal signal, and the second optical line terminal signal, 
 wherein the first optical line terminal signal has a first protocol, and the fifth optical line terminal signal has the time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol; and 
   receiving, at second multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 the second multiplexed signal; and 
 the second optical line terminal signal, the fourth optical line terminal signal, and a sixth optical line terminal signal, 
 wherein the sixth optical line terminal signal has the time-division-multiplexing passive optical network protocol. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by way of a feeder optical fiber optically connected with the third multiplexer, the feeder optical signal; and   receiving, at an arrayed waveguide grating optically connected with the feeder optical fiber, and multiplexing/demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals, each optical network unit signal comprising an upstream wavelength in the upstream free spectral range and a downstream wavelength in the downstream free spectral range.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, at a fourth multiplexer optically connected with the third multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 a third multiplexed signal; and 
 a fifth optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and a sixth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group; and 
   receiving, at a fifth multiplexer optically connected with the third multiplexer, and multiplexing/demultiplexing between:
 a fourth multiplexed signal; and 
 a seventh optical line terminal signal having the first multiplexing group and an eighth optical line terminal signal having the second multiplexing group, 
   wherein each of the fifth and sixth optical line terminal signals comprises a downstream wavelength in an upgrade downstream free spectral range, and each of the seventh and eight optical line terminal signals comprises an upstream wavelength in an upgrade upstream free spectral range.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by way of a feeder optical fiber optically connected with the third multiplexer, the feeder optical signal; and   receiving, at an arrayed waveguide grating optically connected with the feeder optical fiber, and multiplexing/demultiplex between the feeder optical signal and optical network unit signals, each optical network unit signal comprising an upstream wavelength in the upstream free spectral range, a downstream wavelength in the downstream free spectral range, an upgrade upstream wavelength in the upgrade upstream free spectral range, and an upgrade downstream wavelength in the upgrade downstream free spectral range.