N-way broadcast/narrowcast optical combiner demultiplexing a multiplexed narrowcast input signal

1. A method, comprising:

demultiplexing a multiplexed narrowcast input signal into a first narrowcast signal and a second narrowcast signal;

conveying said first narrowcast signal to a first optical combiner;

conveying said second narrowcast signal to a second optical combiner;

tapping into said first narrowcast signal;

monitoring a first characteristic of said first narrowcast signal;

tapping into said second narrowcast signal;

monitoring a second characteristic of said second narrowcast signal;

combining a broadcast signal with the first narrowcast signal using the first optical combiner to give a first combined optical port output;

combining said broadcast signal with the second narrowcast signal using the second optical combiner to give a second combined optical port output;

adjusting a first power of said first narrowcast signal as a function of said first characteristic to maintain specified power ratio between the first narrowcast signal and the broadcast signal to optimize communication performance when broadcast and narrowcast content is transported with different modulation formats; and

adjusting a second power of said second narrowcast signal as a function of said second characteristic to maintain specified power ratio between the second narrowcast signal and the broadcast signal to optimize communication performance when broadcast and narrowcast content is transported with different modulation formats.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

tapping into said broadcast signal; and

monitoring a third characteristic of said broadcast signal.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting a power of said broadcast signal as a function of said third characteristic.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

adjusting a third power of said broadcast signal as a function of said third characteristic;

adjusting a first power of said first narrowcast signal as a function of said first characteristic,

wherein the adjusting the third power and adjusting the first power optimizes the communication performance at a receiver by controlling power levels of input ports of the first optical combiner.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

adjusting a first power of said first narrowcast signal as a function of said third characteristic of said broadcast signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

demultiplexing said multiplexed narrowcast input signal into said first narrowcast signal and said second narrowcast signal includes demultiplexing using an optical wavelength division demultiplexer.

7. A computer program, comprising computer or machine readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 1 .

8. An apparatus for performing the method of claim 1 .

9. An electromagnetic waveform produced by the method of claim 1 .

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a third characteristic of said broadcast input signal.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting a third power of said broadcast signal as a function of said third characteristic.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

separating of said broadcast signal into a first broadcast signal and a second broadcast signal;

tapping into said first broadcast signal prior to combining said broadcast signal with the first narrowcast signal;

monitoring a third characteristic of said first broadcast signal;

tapping into said second broadcast signal prior to combining said broadcast signal with the second narrowcast signal;

monitoring a fourth characteristic of said second broadcast signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

adjusting a third power of said first broadcast signal as a function of said third characteristic; and

adjusting a fourth power of said second broadcast signal as a function of said fourth characteristic.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a first optical input;

an optical splitter connected to said first optical input;

a first optical waveguide connected to said optical splitter;

a second optical waveguide connected to said optical splitter;

a first optical combiner connected to said first optical waveguide, said first optical combiner giving a first combined optical port output;

a second optical combiner connected to said second optical waveguide, said second optical combiner giving a second combined optical port output;

a second optical input;

an optical demulitplexer connected to said second optical input, the optical demultiplexer demultiplexing a multiplexed narrowcast input signal into a first narrowcast signal and a second narrowcast signal;

a third optical waveguide connected to said optical demultiplexer;

a fourth optical waveguide connected to said optical demultiplexer;

a first tap coupler connected to said third optical waveguide and said first optical combiner;

a second tap coupler connected to said forth optical waveguide and said second optical combiner;

a first optical signal sensor coupled to both said first tap coupler and a signal processing unit;

a second optical signal sensor coupled to both said second tap coupler and said signal processing unit;

a first variable optical attenuator coupled between said third optical waveguide and said first tap coupler to maintain a specified power ratio between a first narrowcast signal and a broadcast signal and optimize communication performance when broadcast and narrowcast content is transported with different modulation formats; and

a second variable optical attenuator coupled between said fourth optical waveguide and said second tap coupler to maintain specified power ratio between a second narrowcast signal and the broadcast signal to optimize communication performance when broadcast and narrowcast content is transported with different modulation formats.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

a third tap coupler connected between said optical splitter and an optical signal carrier selected from the group consisting of said first optical wave guide and said second optical wave guide; and

a third optical signal sensor coupled to both said third tap coupler and said signal processing unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a variable optical attenuator coupled to said third tap coupler.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

a third tap coupler connected between said first optical input and said optical splitter; and

a third optical signal sensor coupled to both said third tap coupler and said signal processing unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

a variable optical attenuator coupled between said first optical input and said third tap coupler.

19. A method for combining broadcast and narrowcast signals which comprises utilizing the apparatus of claim 14 .

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising said signal processing unit.

21. A network, comprising the apparatus of claim 14 .

22. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said demultiplexer includes an optical wavelength division demultiplexer.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

a third tap coupler connected between said optical splitter and said first optical wave guide;

a third optical signal sensor coupled to both said third tap coupler and said signal processing unit;

a fourth tap coupler connected between said optical splitter and said second optical wave guide; and

a fourth optical signal sensor coupled to both said fourth tap coupler and said signal processing unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising:

a first variable optical attenuator coupled to said third tap coupler; and

a second variable optical attenuator coupled to said fourth tap coupler.