Digital node for hybrid fiber/coax network

A hybrid fiber/coax network, comprising:

• a head end;
• a plurality of optical distribution nodes coupled to the head end over at least one fiber optic link;
• a plurality of coaxial cable links selectively coupled to the plurality of optical distribution nodes;
• wherein each of the optical distribution nodes includes a data concentrator coupled to a plurality of node modems to provide communication of upstream and downstream digital data between the head end and a plurality of moderns coupled to coaxial cable links of the optical distribution node;
• wherein at least one of the plurality of coaxial cable links is shared by at least two of the plurality of modems;
• and
• wherein each optical distribution node includes a frequency translator coupled to each coaxial cable link to provide a frequency turn-around function at the physical layer to detect collisions on the at least one coaxial cable link.

An optical distribution node for a hybrid fiber/coax network, the optical distribution node comprising:

• a laser transceiver coupleable to at least one fiber optic link that communicates upstream and downstream digital data with a head end of the hybrid fiber/coax network over the at least one fiber optic link;
• a data concentrator coupled to the laser;
• at least one port coupleable to a coaxial cable link of the hybrid fiber/coax network to provide communication to and from a plurality of modems;
• and
• at least one node modem selectively coupled between the at least one port and the data concentrator that demodulates upstream digital data for the data concentrator and that modulates downstream digital data for transmission over the coaxial cable link.

A method for processing data in a bi-directional data path of a hybrid fiber/coax network, the method comprising:

• receiving downstream, digital data at an optical distribution node on at least one optical link;
• selectively transmitting the downstream, digital data on at least one shared coaxial cable link to a plurality of modems on a first carrier;
• receiving, on the at least one coaxial cable link at the optical distribution node, upstream, digital data modulated on a second carrier;
• translating the frequency of the second carrier to a third carrier;
• retransmitting the upstream, digital data modulated on the third carrier on the at least one coaxial cable link;
• checking at the optical distribution node for collision detection signals from the plurality of modems based on the retransmitted upstream, digital data;
• and
• concentrating and transmitting the upstream, digital data to the head end over the at least one optical link.

A hybrid fiber/coax network, comprising:

• a head end;
• at least one optical distribution node coupled to the head end over at least one fiber-optic link;
• at least one coaxial cable link, coupled to the at least one optical distribution node, that receives upstream digital data from and that provides downstream digital data to a plurality of modems;
• wherein the at least one coaxial cable link is shared by at least two of the plurality of modems for data communication;
• wherein at least a portion of the upstream digital data is transmitted over the at least one coaxial cable link on at least one modulated carrier below 42 MHz;
• wherein the at least one optical distribution node includes at least one node modem coupled to a data concentrator to communicate upstream and downstream digital data between the head end and the plurality of modems;
• and
• wherein the optical distribution node also includes a frequency translator that translates the upstream digital data from the plurality of modems to different carrier and retransmits the signal to the modems for collision detection.

An optical distribution node, comprising:

• at least one frequency translator coupleable to a coaxial cable link to provide frequency turn-around functionality for collision detection on the coaxial cable link, the coaxial cable link being shared by a plurality of modems;
• at least one node modem coupleable to the coaxial cable link;
• a data concentrator coupled to the at least one node modem;
• and
• a laser transceiver coupled to the data concentrator and coupleable to a fiber-optic link to communicate digital data to and from a head end.

An optical distribution node for a hybrid fiber/coax network, the optical distribution node comprising:

• a laser transceiver coupleable to a fiber optic link that communicates upstream and downstream digital data with a head end of the hybrid fiber/coax network over at least one fiber optic link, wherein the laser transmitter transmits the upstream, digital data with one of baseband and modulated carriers;
• a data concentrator coupled to the laser, wherein the data concentrator includes a network drop;
• at least one port coupleable to a coaxial cable link of the hybrid fiber/coax network;
• wherein the coaxial cable link is shared by a plurality of moderns for sending and receiving data communication;
• at least one node modem selectively coupled between the at least one port and the data concentrator that demodulates upstream digital data for the data concentrator and that modulates downstream digital data for transmission over the coaxial cable link;
• a frequency translator, coupled to the at least one port, that receives and translates the upstream digital data from a plurality of modems to a different carrier to provide a signal to the modems for collision detection;
• wherein the frequency translator also receives upstream, digital data on at least one additional carrier, and
• wherein the frequency translator receives collision detection signals from the plurality of modems on a different modulated carrier when a collision is detected based on the signal from the frequency translator.