Communication system and method for an optical local area network
OwnerAlexander Ivan Soto, Walter Glenn Sotoinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical local area network includes a passive optical distribution fabric interconnecting a plurality of nodes including a first node and a plurality of remaining nodes, a hub that includes the first node and a control module, and a client network adapter coupled to each of the remaining nodes for responding to the control module. The control module controls timing for each of the client network adapters to transmit signals over the passive optical distribution fabric and distribution of signals to each of the nodes.
Claims24
A Local Area Network (LAN) client for a passive optical LAN, the passive optical LAN disposed to having one or more passive optical splitters for coupling the LAN client over one or more optical fibers to the head end of the passive optical LAN, the LAN client for a passive optical LAN comprising of:
- an optical interface for converting a downstream optical signal on a downstream optical wavelength to a downstream electrical signal and for converting an upstream electrical signal to an upstream optical signal and emitting the upstream optical signal on an upstream optical wavelength;
- at least one network interface for receiving user data;
- and
- a control module electrically coupled to the optical interface and electrically coupled to the at least one network interface and wherein the control module processes the downstream electrical signal having a downstream control and downstream data information to recover an upstream bandwidth allocation from the downstream control information and wherein the control module receives user data from the at least one network interface and the control module responsive to the upstream bandwidth allocation generates the upstream electrical signal having upstream control and upstream data information and wherein at least a portion of the user data is included in the upstream data information,
- whereby the LAN client for a passive optical LAN communicates user data upstream responsive to an upstream bandwidth allocation.
A Local Area Network (LAN) client for a passive optical LAN, the passive optical LAN disposed to having one or more passive optical splitters for coupling the LAN client over one or more optical fibers to the head end of the passive optical LAN, the LAN client for a passive optical LAN comprising of:
- an optical interface for converting a downstream optical signal on a downstream optical wavelength to a downstream electrical signal and for converting an upstream electrical signal to an upstream optical signal and emitting the upstream optical signal on an upstream optical wavelength;
- at least one network interface for receiving user data;
- and
- a control module electrically coupled to the optical interface and electrically coupled to the at least one network interface and wherein the control module processes the downstream electrical signal having a downstream control and downstream data information to recover an upstream bandwidth allocation from the downstream control information wherein the upstream bandwidth allocation includes a start and end time slot number or a start time and length of time and wherein the control module receives user data from the at least one network interface and the control module responsive to the upstream bandwidth allocation generates the upstream electrical signal having upstream control and upstream data information and wherein at least a portion of the user data is included in the upstream data information,
- whereby the LAN client for a passive optical LAN communicates user data upstream responsive to an upstream bandwidth allocation.
A Local Area Network (LAN) client for a passive optical LAN, the passive optical LAN disposed to having one or more passive optical splitters for coupling the LAN client over one or more optical fibers to the head end of the passive optical LAN, the LAN client for a passive optical LAN comprising of:
- an optical interface for converting a downstream optical signal on a downstream optical wavelength to a downstream electrical signal and for converting an upstream electrical signal to an upstream optical signal and emitting the upstream optical signal on an upstream optical wavelength;
- at least one network interface for receiving user data;
- and
- a control module electrically coupled to the optical interface and electrically coupled to the at least one network interface and wherein the control module processes the downstream electrical signal having a downstream control and downstream data information to recover an upstream bandwidth allocation from the downstream control information wherein the upstream bandwidth allocation includes a start and end time slot number or a start time and length of time and wherein the control module receives user data from the at least one network interface and the control module responsive to the upstream bandwidth allocation generates the upstream electrical signal having upstream control and upstream data information and wherein at least a portion of the user data is included in the upstream data information,
- whereby the LAN client for a passive optical LAN ends the optical upstream signal emissions responsive to the end time slot number or the end of the length of time and whereby the LAN client for a passive optical LAN communicates user data upstream responsive to an upstream bandwidth allocation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.