Patent ID: 6567195
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G02F,H04B

Abstract:
An optical communication network comprisinga plurality of remote optical transceiver units connected over a plurality of optical fibers to an optoelectronic switch unit wherein each remote optical transceiver unit includes an optical signal source for transmitting a modulated optical upstream signal to said optoelectronic switch during a transmit mode, and during a standby mode transmitting an optical carrier signal and wherein said optoelectronic switch includes a plurality of local transceivers, each local transceiver operating as a receiver during the transmit mode to receive the upstream optical signal over an optical fiber from one of the plurality of remote optical transceiver units and operating as a modulator during the standby mode to modulate a received optical carrier signal and transmitting the modulated downstream optical signal back to said one of the plurality of remote optical transceiver units.