Optical network units (ONUs) for high bandwidth connectivity, and related components and methods

• US 10,110,307 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chow, Bruce Cinkai, Ng'Oma, Anthony, Pambianchi, Michael S, Sauer, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Motsinger, Tanya
• Application Number:
  US13/410,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20130230325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 398115-117
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface

Abstract

Optical network units (ONUs) for high bandwidth connectivity, and related components and methods are disclosed. A fiber optical network ends at an ONU, which may communicate with a subscriber unit wirelessly at an extremely high frequency avoiding the need to bury cable on the property of the subscriber. In one embodiment, an optical network unit (ONU) is provided. The ONU comprises a fiber interface configured to communicate with a fiber network. The ONU further comprises an optical/electrical converter configured to receive optical downlink signals at a first frequency from the fiber network through the fiber interface and convert the optical downlink signals to electrical downlink signals. The ONU further comprises electrical circuitry configured to frequency convert electrical downlink signals to extremely high frequency (EHF) downlink signals at an EHF, and a wireless transceiver configured to transmit the EHF downlink signals to a proximate subscriber unit through an antenna.

Claims

1. An optical network unit (ONU), comprising:

an optical fiber interface configured to communicate with an optical fiber network;

an optical/electrical converter configured to receive digital optical downlink signals at a first frequency from the optical fiber network through the optical fiber interface and convert the digital optical downlink signals to electrical downlink signals;

electrical circuitry comprising a digital baseband converter, the digital baseband converter configured to frequency convert the electrical downlink signals to digital extremely high frequency (EHF) downlink signals at an EHF; and

a wireless transceiver configured to transmit the digital EHF downlink signals to a proximate subscriber unit associated with a proximate building through an antenna such that the proximate building blocks the digital EHF downlink signals from propagating past the proximate building,

wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit the digital EHF downlink signals using an oval radiation pattern.

2. The ONU of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to restrict the oval radiation pattern of the transmitted digital EHF downlink signals to an area within a wall of the proximate building such that the wall of the proximate building shields the ONU from receiving interfering signals by blocking the digital EHF downlink signals from propagating past the proximate building.