Apparatus and methods for maintaining balanced communication channels with increasing service demands
AssigneeMarconi Communications, Inc.
InventorsGeorge H. BuAbbud, Muneer Zuhdi, John W. Matthes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for maintaining balanced communication channels evenly even with heavy increases in service demands are disclosed. The apparatus uses an arrangement of jumpers and unique connection panes which allow rapid changes in the distribution of similar circuits to achieve balanced loads.
Claims20
Distribution apparatus in an optical communication system to allow radio frequency (RF) user channels to be added to a specific optical wavelength carrier channel until bandwidth saturation of the specific optical wavelength carrier channel is reached before being required to add another optical wavelength carrier channel at a different optical wavelength, comprising:
- a first group of combining circuits, each combining circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, each combining circuit suitable for receiving an input signal on each one of said plurality of inputs and for providing an output signal comprised of said received input signals on said output, said plurality of inputs and said output terminating with a first type of connector;
- a multiplicity of input cables, each one of said input cables carrying an input signal and terminating with a connector suitable for connecting with one of said first type of connectors on said first group of combining circuits;
- a second group of combining circuits, each one of said second group of combining circuits having a plurality of inputs and an output, and each one of said plurality of inputs of said second group suitable for receiving one of said output signals from one of said first group of combining circuits and each one of said second group of combining circuits providing a combined output signal at its output comprised of said output signals received from said first group of combining circuits, said plurality of inputs on each of said second group of combining circuits terminating with one of said first type of connectors;
- and
- a first group of connecting cables terminated at each end with a connector suitable for connecting with one of said first type of connectors, each of said first group of connecting cables connecting an output from one of said first group of combining circuits to one of said inputs on one of said second group of combining circuits.
A method for incrementally providing radio frequency (RF) user channels to a specific optical wavelength carrier channel until bandwidth saturation of the specific optical wavelength carrier channel is reached before being required to add another optical wavelength carrier channel at a different wavelength, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving one each of a multiplicity of input signals at a plurality of inputs on a first group of combining circuits;
- combining said input signal at each of said first group of combining circuits and providing an output signal from said each one of said first combining circuits, said output signal comprised of said combined input signals;
- receiving output signals from at least two combining circuits of said first group at two inputs of a plurality of inputs on one of a second group of combining circuits;
- and
- combining said received output signals by one of said second group of combining circuits and providing a combined output signal from each one of said second combining circuits, said combined output signal comprised of said received output signals.
A method of providing a plurality of user channels over a plurality of optical communication channels, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a bandwidth for each optical communication channel;
- selecting a first optical communication channel from the plurality of optical communication channels;
- incrementally receiving user channels;
- combining the received user channels into a plurality of first combined user channels;
- determining if the plurality of first combined user channels exceeds the bandwidth of the first optical communication channel;
- and
- upon a negative determination that the plurality of first combined user channels exceeds the bandwidth of the first optical communication channel:
- combining the plurality of first combined user channels into a second combined user channel;
- and
- transmitting the second combined user channel over a first optical communication channel.
A distribution system for providing a plurality of user channels over a plurality of optical communication channels, the distribution system comprising:
- a plurality of first combining circuits, each first combining circuit having a plurality of first inputs and a first output and operable to combine input signals received at the first inputs to provide a combined output signal at the first output, and further operable to receive user channels at the first inputs and provide a first combined user channel at the first output;
- a plurality of second combining circuits, each second combining circuit having a plurality of second inputs and a second output and operable to combine input signals received at the second inputs to provide a combined output signal at the second output, a further operable to receive users channels in a first configuration or in a second configuration, the second combining circuits in the first configuration receiving first combined user channels at the second inputs and providing a second combined user channel at the second output, and the second combining units in the second configuration receiving second combined user channels at the second inputs and providing a third combined user channel at the second output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.