A network device generates first resonant light used to carry information; and the network device sends the first resonant light to a terminal by using a resonant cavity component, where the resonant cavity component of the network device and a resonant cavity component of the terminal form an open resonant cavity. In wireless optical communication, an information transmission rate can be greatly improved by using a resonant light multiplexing technology. This application further discloses a network device and a terminal that can implement the foregoing wireless optical communication method.

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.

Methods and apparatus for providing enhanced optical networking service and performance which are particularly advantageous in terms of low cost and use of existing infrastructure, access control techniques, and components. In the exemplary embodiment, current widespread deployment and associated low cost of Ethernet-based systems are leveraged through use of an Ethernet CSMA/CD MAC in the optical domain on a passive optical network (PON) system. Additionally, local networking services are optionally provided to the network units on the PON since each local receiver can receive signals from all other users. An improved symmetric coupler arrangement provides the foregoing functionality at low cost. The improved system architecture also allows for fiber failure protection which is readily implemented at low cost and with minimal modification.

A method of generating multiple channels of optical pulses comprises: providing a continuous wave optical input having an optical power; dividing the optical power of the optical input into equal consecutive slices in the time domain; and allocating the consecutive slices sequentially to two or more optical outputs such that each output forms a channel of optical pulses of equal pulse repetition rate shifted in time relative to the or each other channel.

A method of generating multiple channels of optical pulses comprises: providing a continuous wave optical input having an optical power; dividing the optical power of the optical input into equal consecutive slices in the time domain; and allocating the consecutive slices sequentially to two or more optical outputs such that each output forms a channel of optical pulses of equal pulse repetition rate shifted in time relative to the or each other channel.

A transmitter can include a laser operable to output an optical signal; a digital signal processor operable to receive user data and provide electrical signals based on the data; and a modulator operable to modulate the optical signal to provide optical subcarriers based on the electrical signals. A first one of the subcarriers carriers carries first TDMA encoded information and second TDMA encoded information, such that the first TDMA encoded information is indicative of a first portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a first time slot, and the second TDMA encoded information is indicative of a second portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a second time slot. The first TDMA encoded information is associated with a first node remote from the transmitter and the second TDMA encoded information is associated with a second node remote from the transmitter. A second one of the subcarriers carries third information that is not TDMA encoded, the third information being associated with a third node remote from the transmitter. A receiver and system also are described.

A transmitter can include a laser operable to output an optical signal; a digital signal processor operable to receive user data and provide electrical signals based on the data; and a modulator operable to modulate the optical signal to provide optical subcarriers based on the electrical signals. A first one of the subcarriers carriers carries first TDMA encoded information and second TDMA encoded information, such that the first TDMA encoded information is indicative of a first portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a first time slot, and the second TDMA encoded information is indicative of a second portion of the data and is carried by the first one of the subcarriers during a second time slot. The first TDMA encoded information is associated with a first node remote from the transmitter and the second TDMA encoded information is associated with a second node remote from the transmitter. A second one of the subcarriers carries third information that is not TDMA encoded, the third information being associated with a third node remote from the transmitter. A receiver and system also are described.

A network adapter includes a host interface and a scheduler. The host interface is configured to receive, from one or more hosts, packets for transmission to respective destinations over a network. The scheduler is configured to synchronize to a time-division schedule that is employed in the network, the time-division schedule specifying (i) multiple time-slots and (ii) multiple respective groups of the destinations that are reachable during the time-slots, and, based on the time-division schedule, to schedule transmission times of the packets to the network on time-slots during which the respective destinations of the packets are reachable.

A network adapter includes a host interface and a scheduler. The host interface is configured to receive, from one or more hosts, packets for transmission to respective destinations over a network. The scheduler is configured to synchronize to a time-division schedule that is employed in the network, the time-division schedule specifying (i) multiple time-slots and (ii) multiple respective groups of the destinations that are reachable during the time-slots, and, based on the time-division schedule, to schedule transmission times of the packets to the network on time-slots during which the respective destinations of the packets are reachable.

A physical layer (PHY) device of a switch system of a computing network, a switch system including the PHY device, a tangible non-transitory machine-readable medium to perform operations at the PHY device, and a method to be performed at the PHY device. The PHY device includes a first physical input/output (I/O), and a second physical (I/O), and PHY circuitry coupled between the first I/O and the second I/O. The PHY circuitry includes one of a retimer circuitry or a switch circuitry, and is to: implement a plurality of ports at the first I/O, and a data link at the second I/O; access a plurality of data flows from the plurality of ports at the first I/O; determine a multiplexed data stream from the plurality of data flows by implementing a multiplexing algorithm; and send the multiplexed data stream for transmission from the data link at the second I/O.