Patent ID: 8098426
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. A burst mode optical amplifier system for amplifying upstream burst mode optical RF modulated return signals in a passive optical network (PON) comprising: a transport input fiber configured and arranged to receive an optical transport signal; an optical source coupled to said transport input fiber, said optical source being configured and arranged to generate a saturating optical input signal that is combined with said optical transport signal and establishes a baseline reference level for said optical transport signal; a PON input fiber configured and arranged to receive an incoming WDM optical signal from a PON, said incoming WDM optical signal including PON RF return signals; a WDM splitter coupled to said PON input fiber to split said PON RF return signals from said incoming WDM optical signal; a first optical amplifier coupled to an output of said WDM splitter, said first optical amplifier being configured and arrange to amplify with automatically controlled constant gain said PON RF return signals and equalize said PON RF return signals with said optical transport signal; a beam combiner configured and arranged to combine said equalized PON RF return signals with said optical transport signal; and a second optical amplifier coupled to an output of said beam combiner and being configured and arranged to amplify with automatically controlled constant gain said optical transport signal including said equalized PON RF return signals.