Patent ID: 9686014
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: H01S,H04B,H04J,H04Q

Claim:
1. An optical splitter/combiner operable as a splitter in a downstream direction and a combiner in an upstream direction, the optical splitter/combiner comprising: a first plurality of fiber links for carrying upstream signals from and downstream signals to one or more wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs); a passive splitter for splitting optical signals in a downstream path for receipt by the one or more wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs) using the first plurality of fiber links; the one or more wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs) for separating upstream optical signals received over a second plurality of fibers from the downstream optical signals received over the first plurality of fibers, and configured for selectively directing upstream optical signals of different wavelengths along different paths, wherein optical signals having a first wavelength are directed from the one or more WDMs towards multiple detectors and optical signals having a second wavelength are directed towards the passive splitter over the first plurality of fiber links; the multiple detectors, each for detecting upstream optical signals directed from a respective one of the one or more wavelength division multiplexers, wherein the outputs from the multiple detectors are combined into a single radio frequency signal and converted to an optical signal; and another wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) in a path upstream from the one or more wavelength division multiplexers, the another wavelength division multiplexer for receiving the optical output representing the combined output from the multiple detectors and reflecting the optical output upstream.