Patent ID: 7062171

Claim:
A communications system for bidirectional optical data transmission through an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and a fiber end and carrying low-power digital signals bidirectionally transmitted at a first and a second wavelength and a high-power analog video signal transmitted at a third wavelength between a source and at least one optical network unit, said first and second wavelengths being shorter than said third wavelength, and said at least one optical network unit comprising: a housing having a connection for said optical fiber; and an optical filter, first and second optical units, and a beam splitter mounted in said housing; said first optical unit being disposed along said longitudinal axis and comprising a transmitter including an input for receiving a transmission electrical signal and a light source for emitting light at said first wavelength along said longitudinal axis through said beam splitter and said filter into said optical fiber, said light being modulated by said transmission electrical signal; said second optical unit being disposed adjacent said longitudinal axis and comprising a receiver including a light detector for receiving modulated light of said second wavelength and an output, said receiver detecting said modulated light incident on said light detector and converting said modulated light into a received electrical signal at said output; said beam splitter being disposed obliquely along said longitudinal axis and diverting at least a portion of light of said second wavelength incident thereon from said optical fiber into said second optical unit and passing at least a portion of light of said first wavelength emitted by said first optical unit into said optical fiber; said optical filter being interposed between said beam splitter and said second optical unit, and being adapted to block light of a third wavelength but bidirectionally transmit light of said second wavelength and an auxiliary video channel having a video splitter interposed between said optical fiber and said housing, said video splitter having an optical fiber input connected to said optical fiber and video and data optical fiber outputs, and a video receiver connected to said video optical fiber output, said video receiver having a video light detector and an output suitable for at least one of a television receiver, a radio receiver, and a video monitor.