Patent ID: 7277637

Claim:
An optical network terminal (ONT) for providing communication services to a single residential unit, comprising: a passive optical network interface (PI) circuit that receives optical signals from an optical fiber and that transmits optical signals onto the optical fiber, the PI circuit being adapted to convert received optical signals containing voice information to electrical voice ATM cells, received optical signals containing data information to electrical data ATM cells, and received optical signals containing video signals to electrical video signals, the PI circuit also being adapted to convert electrical voice ATM cells and electrical data ATM cells to optical signals for transmission over the optical fiber; a residential service interface (RSI) circuit that is adapted to convert the electrical voice ATM cells to a telephony format suitable for use at the residential unit and the electrical data ATM cells to a data network format suitable for use at the residential unit, the RSI circuit also being adapted to convert telephony format information received from the residential unit to voice ATM cells and data network format information received from the residential unit to data ATM cells, wherein the PI circuit is operable to provide the electrical video signals directly to the residential unit without conversion to ATM cells and without further processing by the RSI circuit; and a power unit for providing power for use in the PI circuit and the RSI circuit, the power unit including an ac/dc converter for converting ac power received from the residential unit to dc power for use in the ONT and backup batteries for providing power when there is an interruption of the ac power.