REVERSE PATH OPTICAL LINK USING FREQUENCY MODULATION

1 . A communication system comprising:

a transmitter in a reverse path of a communication system comprising:

a first modulator configured to frequency modulate a radio frequency (RF) electrical signal; and

a second modulator configured to intensity modulate an optical signal with the radio frequency (RF) electrical signal.

2 . The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first modulator comprises a wideband frequency modulation modulator.

3 . The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the second modulator comprises at least one of a laser and an intensity modulator.

4 . The communication system of claim 1 , further comprising a transmission medium communicatively coupled to the second modulator, the second modulator configured to transmit the intensity modulated frequency modulated RF electrical signal.

5 . The communication system of claim 4 , wherein the transmission medium comprises optical fiber.

6 . The communication system of claim 1 , further comprising an optical receiver configured to demodulate the intensity modulated frequency modulated RF electrical signal to produce a frequency modulated RF electrical signal.

7 . The communication system of claim 6 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a photodiode.

8 . The communication system of claim 3 , further comprising a frequency modulation demodulator communicatively coupled to an optical receiver configured to frequency modulation demodulate the frequency modulated RF electrical signal to produce an RF electrical signal.

9 . The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit upstream in a cable television system from a node to a headend or hub.

10 . A method comprising:

frequency modulating a communications signal;

intensity modulating an optical signal with the frequency modulated (FM) communications signal; and

applying the intensity modulated optical signal to a transmission medium.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein frequency modulating comprises frequency modulating with a wideband FM modulator.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein intensity modulating comprises intensity modulating with at least one of a laser and an intensity modulator.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the transmission medium comprises optical fiber.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving the intensity modulated frequency modulated communications signal from the transmission medium;

intensity demodulating the intensity modulated frequency modulated communications signal; and

frequency demodulating the frequency modulated communications signal.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein intensity demodulating comprises intensity demodulating with a photodiode.

16 . A computer readable storage medium comprising:

logic configured to frequency modulate a communications signal;

logic configured to intensity modulate an optical signal with the frequency modulated (FM) communications signal; and

logic configured to apply the intensity modulated optical signal to a transmission medium.

17 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the logic configured to frequency modulate comprises logic configured to modulate on a digital signal processor.

18 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising:

logic configured to receive the intensity modulated frequency modulated communications signal from the transmission medium;

logic configured to intensity demodulate the intensity modulated frequency modulated communications signal; and

logic configured to frequency demodulate the frequency modulated communications signal.

19 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the logic configured to frequency demodulate comprises logic configured to demodulate on a digital signal processor.