System and method for a subscriber-powered network element

• US 10,419,130 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Ivan Soto, Walter Glen Soto
• Original Assignee: Alexander Ivan Soto, Walter Glen Soto
• Inventors: Soto, Alexander Ivan, Soto, Walter Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Motsinger, Tanya T
• Application Number:
  US15/396,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07955 Monitoring or measuring power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/272 Star-type networks or tree-type networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/806 Arrangements for feeding power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/808 Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/08 with current supply sources at the substations generating ringing current H04M19/04

Abstract

A system for powering a network element of a fiber optic wide area network is disclosed. When communication data is transferred between a central office (CO) and a subscriber terminal using a network element to convert optical to electrical (O-E) and electrical to optical (E-O) signals between a fiber from the central office and twisted wire pair, coaxial cable or Ethernet cable transmission lines from the subscriber terminal, techniques related to local powering of a network element or drop site by the subscriber terminal or subscriber premise remote powering device are provided. Certain advantages and/or benefits are achieved using the present invention, such as freedom from any requirement for additional meter installations or meter connection charges and does not require a separate power network.

Claims

1. A subscriber terminal for use in a wide area network (WAN), the subscriber terminal comprising:

a power source disposed to having a first current and a first voltage that provides an electrical power having a second current and a second voltage for transmission across at least one WAN transmission line;

at least one WAN communication device that transmits a data signal at a first frequency and receives a message regarding the electrical power at a second frequency; and

at least one electrical coupling device electrically coupled to the power source and electrically coupled to the at least one WAN communication device, wherein the at least one electrical coupling device couples the electrical power and the data signal for transmission onto the at least one WAN transmission line and wherein the at least one electrical coupling device receives the message regarding the electrical power and provides the message to the at least one WAN communication device.

2. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal adjusts at least one of the current or the voltage of the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

3. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal ceases providing the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

4. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal continues providing the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

5. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical coupling device includes a high pass filter for receiving the message.

6. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one WAN communication device includes a de-modulator for receiving the message.

7. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the data signal is a digital subscriber line (xDSL) data signal.

8. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal bonds more than one WAN transmission line for WAN communications, wherein the subscriber terminal includes a second electrical coupling device in addition to the at least one coupling device and the second electrical coupling device is configured to electrically couple to a second WAN transmission line and the subscriber terminal includes a second WAN communication device in addition to the at least one WAN communication device and the second electrical coupling device is electrically coupled to the second WAN communication device.

9. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one WAN communication device is selected from the group consisting of:

an ITU-T G.fast modem;

a Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL2) modem;

a cable modem;

a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) modem; and

a ITU.T G.hn capable device.

10. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal includes a connection for a battery.

11. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal includes at least one of:

a local area network (LAN) communication device in addition to the at least one WAN communication device;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication device in addition to the at least one WAN communication device;

a voice over IP (VoIP) service to the subscriber in addition to the at least one WAN communication device, or an internet protocol television (IPTV) service to the subscriber in addition to the at least one WAN communication device.

12. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal prior to providing the electrical power senses a predetermined load on the at least one WAN transmission line, wherein the predetermined load indicates coupling of an optical network unit (ONU).

13. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal prior to providing the electric power senses the at least one WAN transmission line to determine at least one of the absence of:

a voltage;

an off hook telephone;

a current;

a short circuit;

or an open circuit.

14. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal monitors the electrical power for power drops lasting a predetermined time interval and responsive to a power drop lasting for a predetermined time interval adjusts the electrical power.

15. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal monitors an amount of the electrical power provided.

16. The subscriber terminal of claim 15, wherein the subscriber terminal reports the amount to a power monitoring application.

17. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal is configured to send a Dying Gasp message indicative of loss of main power.

18. A method for transmitting electrical power and data communications from a subscriber terminal for use in a wide area network (WAN), comprising:

at the subscriber terminal;

providing an electrical power having a second current and a second voltage from a power source disposed to having a first current and a first voltage;

providing an electrical data signal at a first frequency;

coupling the electrical power and the electrical data signal as a combined WAN signal;

transmitting the combined WAN signal onto a WAN transmission line; and

receiving at a second frequency a message regarding the electrical power over the WAN transmission line.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adjusting at least one of the current or the voltage of the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

ceasing the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

continuing to provide the electrical power responsive to receiving the message.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

at the subscriber terminal;

providing a second electrical power having a second current and a second voltage;

providing a second electrical data signal at the first frequency;

coupling the second electrical power and the second electrical data signal as a second combined WAN signal;

transmitting the second combined WAN signal onto a second WAN transmission line; and

receiving at the second frequency a message regarding the second electrical power over the second WAN transmission line.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the subscriber terminal includes at least one of:

a local area network (LAN) communication device in addition to the at least one WAN communication device;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication device in addition to the at least one WAN communication device;

a voice over IP (VoIP) service to the subscriber in addition to the at least one WAN communication device, or an internet protocol television (IPTV) service to the subscriber in addition to the at least one WAN communication device.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sensing a predetermined load on the at least one WAN transmission line, wherein the predetermined load indicates coupling of an optical network unit (ONU).

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sensing the WAN transmission line to determine at least one of the absence of;

a voltage, an off hook telephone, a current, a short circuit, or an open circuit.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring the electrical power for power drops lasting a predetermined time interval and responsive to a power drop lasting for a predetermined time interval adjust the electrical power.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring an amount of the electrical power provided.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

reporting the amount to a power monitoring application.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sending a Dying Gasp message indicative of loss of main power.