SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR A CARRIER CLASS WDM PON ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE SERVICES OR PROTOCOLS

摘要

A Passive Optical Network (PON) is provided with capability for multiple protocols and service suppliers by employing Wavelength Division Multiplexer (WDM) elements (32) in combination with optical couplers (36) at optical distribution nodes (ODN) intermediate a local exchange office and a customer node. The local exchange office node 30 transmitting and receiving signals from a single optical fiber (38) through a WDM providing M/2 wavelength pairs for use with differing protocols and each customer node connected to one leg of an optical coupler (36) in the ODN with a WDM (40) associated with one of the wavelength pairs for received and transmitted signals.