Patent ID: 7184664

Claim:
A return path of an optical network system comprising: a data service hub for processing upstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals and generating downstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals according to a first timing scheme, the data service hub comprising a data-to-radio-frequency converter for receiving upstream digital data signals comprising upstream radio-frequency video service control signals and a time stamp that preserves the first timing scheme and that initiates recovery of the upstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals by the converter from the upstream disital data signals; at least one subscriber optical interface for receiving the upstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals, for converting the upstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals to first digital packets and combining the first packets with second packets in a time domain for upstream transmission towards the data service hub, for preserving the first timing scheme between the upstream and downstream video service control signals, the subscriber optical interface further comprising an analog-to-digital converter for converting the upstream radio-frequency analog video service control signals into digital data signals prior to first packet formation and for adding the time stamp to the digital data signals that preserves the first timing scheme of the video service control signals of the data service hub; and one or more optical waveguides connected to the subscriber optical interface, for carrying the upstream optical signals and downstream optical signals that are propagated according to a second timing scheme independent of the first timing scheme.