Systems and methods for burst detection in a CATV network

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver having a plurality of inputs, each capable of receiving an upstream optical signal, and combining the received upstream optical signals to create a combined signal;

a transmitter that receives the combined electrical signal and converts it to a reverse path optical signal at an output; and

a controller for the transmitter that monitors each of the plurality of inputs, and activates the transmitter if an optical signal above a threshold is received at any of said plurality of inputs, where the controller monitors the sum of the signals received over all of said plurality of inputs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 where the controller monitors the optical power from each of said plurality of inputs to adjust at least one of the gain to the transmitter and the output power of the transmitter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 where the receiver, transmitter, and controller are in an active optical combiner that receives respective signals from a plurality of Optical Network Units (ONUs).

4. The apparatus of claim 1 where the controller, in response to detected optical input power, controls at least one of laser bias control between a low state and a high state, amplifier bias control between a low state and a high state, and RF gain, where the high state is activated when optical input power is detected and the low state is between zero and the high state.

5. The device of claim 4 where the device switches output power to a high state from a low state when input optical power is detected and where the low state is between zero and the high state.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver having a plurality of inputs, each capable of receiving an upstream optical signal, and combining the received upstream optical signals to create a combined signal;

a transmitter that receives the combined electrical signal and converts it to a reverse path optical signal at an output; and

a controller for the transmitter that monitors each of the plurality of inputs, and activates the transmitter if an optical signal above a threshold is received at any of said plurality of inputs, where the controller, in response to detected optical input power, controls at least one of: laser bias control between a low state and a high state, amplifier bias control between a low state and a high state, or RF gain,

where the high state is activated when optical input power is detected and the low state is between zero and the high state.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 where the controller monitors the sum of the signals received over all of said plurality of inputs.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 where the controller monitors the optical power from each of said plurality of inputs to adjust at least one of the gain to the transmitter and the output power of the transmitter.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 where the receiver, transmitter, and controller are in an active optical combiner that receives respective signals from a plurality of Optical Network Units (ONUs).

10. The device of claim 6 where the device switches output power to a high state from a low state when input optical power is detected and where the low state is between zero and the high state.