Method and system for improving upstream efficiency in extended broadcasting networks

A method for providing optical communication, comprising:

• communicating optical signals to and from a plurality of interconnection nodes coupled to at least one Level 1 network, the optical signals comprising multiple wavelengths, each wavelength operable to carry traffic;
• communicating optical signals to and from one or more access nodes coupled to one or more Level 2 networks, the one or more Level 2 networks coupled to the Level 1 network via at least one interconnection node;
• adding upstream traffic to the associated Level 2 network from each of a plurality of the access nodes in a sub-wavelength, each sub-wavelength comprising a portion of a passband of one of the wavelengths associated with the Level 1 network;
• and
• at an interconnection node:
• receiving upstream traffic from the plurality of access nodes in a plurality of sub-wavelengths;
• processing the upstream traffic in the plurality of sub-wavelengths as traffic in a single wavelength associated with the Level 1 network;
• and
• forwarding the upstream traffic from the plurality of access nodes in the single wavelength on the Level 1 network.

An optical network, comprising:

• at least one Level 1 network comprising a plurality of interconnection nodes and operable to communicate optical signals to and from the interconnection nodes, the optical signals comprising multiple wavelengths, each wavelength operable to carry traffic;
• one or more Level 2 networks each comprising one or more access nodes and operable to communicate optical signals to and from the access nodes, the one or more Level 2 networks coupled to the Level 1 network via at least one interconnection node;
• one or more of the access nodes each operable to add upstream traffic to the associated Level 2 network in a particular wavelength, wherein access nodes associated with the same Level 2 network use different wavelengths to add upstream traffic and wherein access nodes associated with different Level 2 networks may use the same wavelength to add upstream traffic;
• and
• one or more of the interconnection nodes each operable to:
• receive upstream traffic from a plurality of access nodes in a plurality of wavelengths;
• combine the received upstream traffic;
• and
• forward the upstream traffic on the Level 1 network in a wavelength different than the plurality of wavelengths in which the upstream traffic was received by the interconnection node.

A method for providing optical communication, comprising:

• communicating optical signals to and from a plurality of interconnection nodes coupled to at least one Level 1 network, the optical signals comprising multiple wavelengths, each wavelength operable to carry traffic;
• communicating optical signals to and from one or more access nodes coupled to one or more Level 2 networks, the one or more Level 2 networks coupled to the Level 1 network via at least one interconnection node;
• adding upstream traffic to the associated Level 2 network from each of a plurality of the access nodes in a particular wavelength, wherein access nodes associated with the same Level 2 network use different wavelengths to add upstream traffic and wherein access nodes associated with different Level 2 networks may use the same wavelength to add upstream traffic;
• and
• at an interconnection node:
• receiving upstream traffic from a plurality of access nodes in a plurality of wavelengths;
• combining the received upstream traffic;
• and
• forwarding the upstream traffic on the Level 1 network in a wavelength different than the plurality of wavelengths in which the upstream traffic was received by the interconnection node.