Ciena Corporation

Narad Networks, Inc.

Frederick Peralta

Kiran Meghashyam Rege

Subrahmanyam Dravida

Manas Tandon

Dev Vrat Gupta

Dey V Gupta

The present system uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements can be co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. A tree-and-branch network architecture is therefore established in which each intelligent network element is assigned a routing ID employed in the point-to-point transmissions while leaving legacy analog signals unimpeded. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth than the typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connection between a home and the headend or optical network unit.

Network architecture for intelligent network elements

The present system uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bidirectional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements are co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. The standard network elements are selectively replaced by the intelligent network elements in an incremental approach. A tree-and-branch network architecture is established in which each intelligent network element is assigned a routing ID employed in the point-to-point transmissions while leaving legacy analog signals unimpeded. The data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which provides greater bandwidth than typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connections between a home and the headend or optical network unit.

Hybrid fiber/coax networks employ the existing cable plant used for cable TV and transmit data signals in a frequency bandwidth above that which is used for cable TV. The present system used point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements can be co-located with or replace the standard network elements. A tree-and-branch network architecture is therefore established in which each intelligent network element is assigned a routing ID employed in the point-to-point transmissions while leaving legacy analog signals unimpeded. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth.

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Lynn, MA, United States of America

Frederick Peralta