Ethernet fiber access communications system
A high-speed access data network in which upstream and downstream traffic is logically or physically separated. The network can use the Ethernet media access control (MAC) layer protocol over distances that are much larger than conventionally possible with the Ethernet MAC layer protocol. In a configuration including a central office and multiple subscribers, the central office is removed from the collision domain, which can be made relatively small, without limiting the distance between the central office and the subscribers. The downstream data rate is not limited by the size of the collision domain and can thus be made almost arbitrarily large. Furthermore, by allowing a smaller collision domain, greater upstream data rates can be used. It is thus possible to use ubiquitous and inexpensive Ethernet LAN technology in highly cost-sensitive applications such as residential broadband access.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
H H H H H H H H
H04J H04J H04Q H04Q H04J H04J H04Q H04J
inventional inventional inventional additional inventional additional additional inventional
Herwig W. Ashok V. Martin C.
Kogelnik Krishnamoorthy Nuss