Patent ID: 6654958
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A cable television system, comprising:head-end equipment including: forward means for providing multiple streams of electrical data signals including television signals and telephone signals from a telephone system, combining the multiple streams into a smaller number of at least one forward stream of electrical data signals, converting the forward stream of electrical signals into a forward stream of optical signals and transmitting the forward optical stream; and return means for receiving at least one return stream of optical data signals including telephone signals and a reference signal, converting the return stream of optical signals into a return stream of electrical signals, amplifying the strength of the electrical return signals, routing the return telephone signals to a telephone system, and detecting the reference signal; a plurality of nodes including: system means for receiving the combined forward stream of optical signals, converting the forward optical signals into forward electrical signals, amplifying the forward electrical signals, and transmitting the forward electrical signals; and return means for receiving one of more return streams of electrical data signals from customers, amplifying the return electrical signals, generating a return reference signal, combining the return reference signal with the customer return signals, converting the electrical return signals into optical return signals; and means for transmitting the optical return signals; a forward optical fiber network for distributing the optical signals transmitted from the head-ends to the nodes; a return optical fiber network for collecting the return optical signals transmitted from the nodes into the head-end; and a plurality of customer interface units for receiving the forward electronic signals from the nodes and transmitting the return electrical signals to the nodes; and a coaxial cable network for distributing the forward electronic signals transmitted from the nodes to the customer interface units and for returning the customer return signals transmitted from the customer interface units to the nodes.