Patent ID: 8270834

Claim:
A method for transmitting optical signals from a plurality of frequency modulated burst mode optical transmitters, the method comprising the steps of: at each of the plurality of frequency modulated optical transmitters, receiving via feeder legs frequency modulated reverse electrical signals electrically transmitted from subscribers in an upstream direction; checking for the presence of a subcarrier signal within the frequency modulated reverse electrical signals via a carrier detect circuit; frequency modulating a carrier signal with the frequency modulated reverse electrical signals via a frequency modulation modulator; in the presence of detecting a subcarrier signal by the carrier detect circuit, intensity modulating a laser with the frequency modulated carrier signal to provide an optical signal; in the absence of detecting the presence of a subcarrier signal by the carrier detect circuit, preventing the transmission of an optical signal from the laser: transmitting the optical signals on an optical fiber; at a passive combiner, combining the optical signals from each of the frequency modulated optical transmitters; and transmitting the combined optical signals on a single fiber, where each of the optical signals has a common wavelength.