Wireless network cable assembly
First Claim
1. An optical fiber communication cable comprising:
- at least one optical fiber disposed in an axial direction along a signal path;
at least one electrical power conductors disposed in the axial direction along the signal path; and
a plurality of embedded wireless access nodes disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the signal path, each embedded wireless access node coupled to both the at least one optical fiber and the at least one electrical power conductor, wherein each embedded wireless access node further comprisesat least one RF antenna;
a wireless radio transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one RF antenna, the wireless radio transceiver providing bidirectional communication with wireless devices within range of the RF antenna and converting communications between radio signals and electrical signals;
an optical transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one optical fiber, the optical transceiver connected to the wireless radio transceiver for providing bidirectional communication with the wireless radio transceiver and converting communications between electrical signals and optical signals, with converted optical signals coupled onto the at least one optical fiber,wherein the plurality of embedded wireless access nodes includes a replacement wireless access node available for use during maintenance of an installed optical fiber cable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical fiber-based cable is formed to include pre-manufactured wireless access nodes included at spaced-apart locations along a length of the optical fiber cable. Each wireless access node is formed to include an antenna, a wireless radio transceiver, and an optical transceiver. The cable is formed to include an optical transmission fiber (or fibers) and an electrical power conductor. The optical fiber(s) couples to the optical transceiver within each wireless access node, and a power conductor from the cable terminates at the node and is used to energize both the wireless transceiver and the optical transceiver. The antenna is preferably formed as a sheathing member around at least a portion of components forming the node. Upon deployment, the wireless node portion of the cable is able to provide communication between the cable and wireless devices in its vicinity.
8 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An optical fiber communication cable comprising:
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at least one optical fiber disposed in an axial direction along a signal path; at least one electrical power conductors disposed in the axial direction along the signal path; and a plurality of embedded wireless access nodes disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the signal path, each embedded wireless access node coupled to both the at least one optical fiber and the at least one electrical power conductor, wherein each embedded wireless access node further comprises at least one RF antenna; a wireless radio transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one RF antenna, the wireless radio transceiver providing bidirectional communication with wireless devices within range of the RF antenna and converting communications between radio signals and electrical signals; an optical transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one optical fiber, the optical transceiver connected to the wireless radio transceiver for providing bidirectional communication with the wireless radio transceiver and converting communications between electrical signals and optical signals, with converted optical signals coupled onto the at least one optical fiber, wherein the plurality of embedded wireless access nodes includes a replacement wireless access node available for use during maintenance of an installed optical fiber cable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fiber-to-the-wireless node communication system comprising
an optical communications and power node for communicating with a backbone communication network; - and
a first optical fiber communication cable coupled to the optical communication and power node and distributed along a defined geographic area to communicate with a plurality of wireless communication locations, the first optical fiber communication cable comprising at least one optical fiber disposed in an axial direction along a signal path for supporting bidirectional optical communication with the optical communications and power node; at least one electrical power conductors disposed in the axial direction along the signal path and receiving electrical power from the optical communications and power node; a plurality of embedded wireless access nodes disposed at predetermined locations along the signal path based upon a spacing of the plurality of wireless communication locations, each embedded wireless access node comprising at least one RF antenna; a wireless radio transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one RF antenna, the wireless radio transceiver providing bidirectional communication with wireless devices within range of the RF antenna and converting communications between radio signals and electrical signals; and an optical transceiver powered by the at least one electrical power conductor and coupled to the at least one optical fiber, the optical transceiver providing bidirectional communication with the wireless radio transceiver and converting communications between electrical signals and optical signals, with converted optical signals coupled onto the at least one optical fiber; and a replacement wireless access node for use as either one of a replacement wireless access node and an additional wireless access node for providing an additional wireless access point. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification