Methods and systems for reducing power consumption in a multi-channel passive optical network (PON). A processor in the PON may monitor the channels in the multi-channel PON to detect a currently inactive channel, determine whether the detected channel has been inactive for an extended period of time, and deactivate the detected channel (by deenergizing transmitter(s) and/or receiver(s) associated with the detected channel) in response to determining that the channel has remained inactive for an extended period of time. The processor may re-activate the channel in response to determining that an optical signal has been reliably present on the channel for a sufficient period of time.

A communications network includes a central communication unit, an optical transport medium, and a plurality of remote radio base stations. The central communication unit generates, within a selected millimeter-wave frequency band, a plurality of adjacent two-tone optical frequency conjugate pairs. Each conjugate pair includes a first optical tone carrying a modulated data signal, and a second optical tone carrying a reference local oscillator signal. The optical transport medium transports the plurality of two-tone conjugate pairs to the plurality of radio base stations, and each base station receives at least one conjugate pair at an optical front end thereof. The optical front end separates the first optical tone from the second optical tone, and converts the first optical tone into a millimeter-wave radio frequency electrical signal. The base station further includes a radio antenna system for wirelessly transmitting the millimeter-wave radio frequency electrical signal to at least one wireless receiving device.

Embodiments are disclosed for providing a silicon photonics collimator for wafer level assembly. An example apparatus includes a silicon photonics (SiP) device and a micro-optical passive element. The SiP device comprises a set of optical waveguides. The micro-optical passive element is mounted on an edge of a cavity etched into a silicon surface of the SiP device. Furthermore, the micro-optical passive element is configured to direct optical signals between the set of optical waveguides and an external optical element.

A method may include determining a number of categories associated with optical network units (ONUs) in a system and assigning an allocation identifier to each of the respective categories. The method may also include transmitting the assigned allocation identifiers to the ONUs and transmitting a contention-based allocation to the ONUs, wherein the contention-based allocation includes a first one of the allocation identifiers.

An electromagnetic signal transport and distribution system and method provides for aggregating signals from multiple transport media and for distributing the signals to multiple end points in one or multiple formats to suit end user devices.

An OLT comprises: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: determine each of a plurality of channels associated with an ONU, select a first channel from among the channels, and generate a first message comprising at least one field instructing enablement or disablement of the first channel; and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the first message to the ONU. A method implemented in an OLT, the method comprises: determining each of a plurality of channels associated with an ONU; selecting a first channel from among the channels; generating a first message comprising at least one field instructing enablement or disablement of the first channel; and transmitting the first message to the ONU.

An electromagnetic signal transport and distribution system simultaneously transports over one single mode fiber various programming specifically requested by multiple users in multiple locations while simultaneously offering bidirectional communications with a public network.

Slots (311) for transmission of data of a particular transmission type over an optical network are allocated by selecting a first available slot (313_2) at an ordinal position corresponding to a multiple of n and allocating the selected first available slot and the next n−1 consecutive slots (313_4, 313_5) from the selected first available slot (313_3), if all n−1 consecutive slots (313_4, 313_5) are available, for transmission of data of the particular transmission type. The data is transmitted over an optical network comprising a plurality of nodes (305, 327) interconnected by optical sections (301, 309, 329, 331) the nodes (305, 327) supporting a plurality of transmission types, wherein transmission of data of the particular transmission type requires a predetermined number n of consecutive slots. Alternatively the slots may be divided in groups (333, 335, 337) and slots are allocated to a group in which all slots are available.

Techniques are provided for identifying and monitoring connections in an optical system. A plurality of optical ports is configured to receive a plurality of optical links that couple with one or more remote optical devices. At least one light source generates identification (ID) signals. At least one optical element configured to direct the ID signals into transmission paths from the source optical device to the remote optical device/s over the plurality of optical links. The remote optical device/s include one or more optical elements that direct the ID signals through a set of WDM filters and returns the ID signals. At least one optical element directs returned ID signals to an optical channel monitor. At least one microprocessor configured to execute control instructions to generate the ID signals and process one or more outputs of the optical channel monitor in response to the returned ID signals to identify the plurality of optical links.

An optical network communication system utilizes a passive optical network including an optical hub having an optical line terminal, downstream transmitter, an upstream receiver, a processor, and a multiplexer. The upstream receiver includes a plurality of TWDMA upstream subreceivers. The system includes a power splitter for dividing a coherent optical signal from the optical hub into a plurality of downstream wavelength signals, a long fiber to carry the coherent optical signal between the optical hub and the power splitter, and a plurality of serving groups. Each serving group includes a plurality of optical network units configured to (i) receive at least one downstream wavelength signal, and (ii) transmit at least one upstream wavelength signal. The system includes a plurality of short fibers to carry the downstream and upstream wavelength signals between the power splitter and the optical network units, respectively. Each upstream subreceiver receives a respective upstream wavelength signal.