Optical bridge between exterior and interior networks

• US 10,018,799 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gu, Changzhan, Jiang, Changhong Joy, Zhang, Zhibin, Ho, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres, Juan A
• Application Number:
  US15/371,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20180157001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 398116
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25 Arrangements specific to fibre transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/27 Arrangements for networking

Abstract

A method includes receiving an optical signal from an external network at a first optical terminal affixed to an external side of a substantially transparent surface of a building. The first optical terminal includes a first fiber port configured to receive a first optical fiber and an output lens optically coupled to the first fiber port. The first fiber port is configured to route the optical signal from the external network to first optical terminal. The method also includes directing the optical signal through an optical link extending through the substantially transparent surface to a second optical terminal affixed to an interior side of the substantially transparent surface. The second optical terminal includes an input lens and a second fiber port optically coupled to the input lens. The input lens is configured to receive the optical signal from the first optical terminal through the optical link.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an optical signal from an external network at a first optical terminal affixed to an external side of a substantially transparent surface of a building, the first optical terminal comprising;

a first fiber port configured to receive a first end of a first optical fiber, the first optical fiber having a second end received by an optical network unit and configured to route the optical signal from the optical network unit to the first optical terminal, the optical network unit located outside the building at a demarcation point between the building and the external network; and

an output lens optically coupled to the first fiber port and defining an optical transmission axis; and

directing, by the output lens of the first optical terminal, the optical signal through an optical link extending through the substantially transparent surface to a second optical terminal affixed to an interior side of the substantially transparent surface without converting the optical signal into another form, the second optical terminal comprising;

an input lens optically coupled to the output lens of the first optical terminal and configured to receive the unconverted optical signal from the first optical terminal through the optical link; and

a second fiber port optically coupled to the input lens and configured to receive a second optical fiber connecting the second optical terminal to a network interface unit located within the building, the second optical fiber configured to route the unconverted optical signal from the second optical terminal to the network interface unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input lens defines an optical receiving axis substantially coaxial with the optical transmission axis of the output lens.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical network unit is configured to route the optical signal from an optical line terminal of the external network to the first optical terminal via the first optical fiber.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to directing the optical signal through the optical link:

receiving, at an optical transceiver of the first optical terminal, the optical signal routed through first optical fiber from the optical network unit to the first fiber port, the optical transceiver optically coupled to the first fiber port and the output lens; and

transmitting the optical signal from the optical transceiver to the output lens.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at power circuitry of the first optical terminal, inductive power from an internal charging device inductively coupled to the power circuitry, the internal charging device located inside the building and comprising a transmit induction coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field for transmitting the inductive power through the substantially transparent surface to the power circuitry.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface unit is configured to:

convert the unconverted optical signal received from the second optical terminal into an electrical signal, the electrical signal containing packets of data from the external network; and

transmit the data packets through a residential network to an electronic device located inside the building.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially transparent surface comprises a window.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical link comprises a distance equal to a thickness of the substantially transparent surface.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical network unit receives the optical signal through a fiber optic line terminating at the optical network unit.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical network unit receives the optical signal via a free space optical beam from a free space optical terminal at an established fiber point of presence site of the external network.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical network unit comprises an optical transceiver configured to transmit the optical signal received from the external network through the first optical fiber to the output lens of the first optical terminal.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the internal charging device is electrically connected to an alternating current power source located inside the building and affixed to the interior side of the substantially transparent surface in a juxtaposed relationship with the external network interface unit.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the power circuitry of the first optical terminal comprises:

a receive induction coil configured to receive the inductive power transmitted over the electromagnetic field by the transmit induction coil of the internal charging device; and

a rectifier configured to convert the inductive power into direct current power for powering an optical transceiver of the first optical terminal and/or powering customer premises equipment located outside the building.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the network interface unit uses multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output beam forming configured to transmit/receive data packets to and from multiple electronic devices having spatially diverse locations within the building.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the fiber optical line is optically coupled to an optical amplifier configured to pump light into the fiber optic line to amplify the optical signal.

16. A system comprising:

a network interface unit located within a building;

an optical network unit located outside the building at a demarcation point between the building and an external network;

a first optical terminal configured to receive an optical signal from the external network, the first optical terminal affixed to an external side of a substantially transparent surface of the building and comprising;

a first fiber port configured to receive a first end of a first optical fiber, the first optical fiber having a second end received by the optical network unit and configured to route the optical signal from the optical network unit to the first optical terminal; and

an output lens optically coupled to the first fiber port and defining an optical transmission axis, the output lens configured to direct the optical signal through an optical link extending through the substantially transparent surface without converting the optical signal into another form; and

a second optical terminal affixed to an interior side of the substantially transparent surface, the second optical terminal comprising;

an input lens optically coupled to the output lens of the first optical terminal and configured to receive the unconverted optical signal from the first optical terminal through the optical link; and

a second fiber port optically coupled to the input lens and configured to receive a second optical fiber connecting the second optical terminal to the network interface unit, the second optical fiber configured to route the unconverted optical signal from the second optical terminal to the network interface unit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the input lens defines an optical receiving axis substantially coaxial with the optical transmission axis of the output lens.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the optical network unit is configured to route the optical signal from an optical line terminal of the external network to the first optical terminal via the first optical fiber.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first optical terminal comprises an optical transceiver optically coupled to the first fiber port and the output lens, the first optical terminal configured to:

receive the optical signal routed through first optical fiber from the optical network unit to the first fiber port; and

transmit the optical signal from the optical transceiver to the output lens.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an internal charging device located inside the building and inductively coupled to power circuitry of the first optical terminal, the internal charging device comprising a transmit induction coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field for transmitting inductive power through the substantially transparent surface to the power circuitry.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the network interface unit is configured to:

convert the unconverted optical signal received from the second optical terminal into an electrical signal, the electrical signal containing packets of data from the external network; and

transmit the data packets through a residential network to an electronic device located inside the building.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the substantially transparent surface comprises a window.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the optical link comprises a distance equal to a thickness of the substantially transparent surface.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical network unit receives the optical signal through a fiber optic line terminating at the optical network unit.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical network unit receives the optical signal via a free space optical beam from a free space optical terminal at an established fiber point of presence site of the external network.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical network unit comprises an optical transceiver configured to transmit the optical signal received from the external network through the first optical fiber to the output lens of the first optical terminal.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the internal charging device is electrically connected to an alternating current power source located inside the building and affixed to the interior side of the substantially transparent surface in a juxtaposed relationship with the external network interface unit.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the power circuitry of the first optical terminal comprises:

a receive induction coil configured to receive the inductive power transmitted over the electromagnetic field by the transmit induction coil of the internal charging device; and

a rectifier configured to convert the inductive power into direct current power for powering an optical transceiver of the first optical terminal and/or powering customer premises equipment located outside the building.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the network interface unit uses multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output beam forming configured to transmit/receive data packets to and from multiple electronic devices having spatially diverse locations within the building.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising an optical amplifier optically coupled to the fiber optical line, the optical amplifier configured to pump light into the fiber optic line to amplify the optical signal.