OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM OPTICALLY COMBINING BOTH BASEBAND AND PASSBAND SIGNALS

The present invention relates to an optical communication system for transmitting both baseband and passband signals on a common optical transmission path. The system is comprised of a source of an electrical baseband signal a nd a source of an electrical passband signal modulated for digital broadcast services. A first optical transmitter is provided that is responsive to the electrical baseband signal for generating an optical baseband signal. A second optical transmitt er is provided that is responsive to the electrical passband signal for generating an optical passband signal. An optical combiner is optically coupled to the transmitter s for combining the optical baseband and passband signals into a combined optical signal. An optical transmission path is provided optically coupled to the combiner for transmitting the combined optical signal. An optical receiver is optically coupled to the transmission path for receiving transmitted optical signals.