SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEPLOYING COMMUNICATION SERVICES

• US 20080240124A1
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: EDMON, EUGENE
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2881 IP/Ethernet DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0866 between wireless and wire-based access points, e.g. via LTE and via DSL connected access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for deploying communication services is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a cross-connect system having an Ethernet switch coupled to a central office and coupled to a plurality of buildings by way of a plurality of digital subscriber line (DSL) ports, and a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) transceiver coupled to a high speed port of the Ethernet switch. The WiMAX transceiver can be used to augment a limited capacity of at least one of the plurality of DSL ports by distributing a portion of services carried by the at least one DSL port to the WiMAX transceiver. Accordingly, the cross-connect system can supply dual-mode communications. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A cross-connect system (CCS) that supplies dual-mode communications, comprising:

an Ethernet switch coupled to a central office (CO) and coupled to a plurality of buildings by way of a plurality of digital subscriber line (DSL) ports; and

a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) transceiver coupled to a high-speed port of the Ethernet switch, wherein the WiMAX transceiver augments a limited capacity of at least one of the plurality of DSL ports by distributing a portion of services carried by the at least one DSL port to the WiMAX transceiver.

2. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the WiMAX transceiver in whole or in part is housed by CCS.

3. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the high-speed port of the Ethernet switch operates at one gigabit per second or greater.

4. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the WiMAX transceiver supplies communication services to roaming communication devices, and wherein the CO manages operations of the WiMAX transceiver by way of the Ethernet switch.

5. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the WiMAX transceiver supplies communication services to one or more of the plurality of buildings having a corresponding WiMAX transceiver.

6. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the Ethernet switch is coupled to the CO by way of an optical cable, and wherein the Ethernet switch is coupled to the plurality of buildings by way of twisted pair cables or coaxial cable.

7. The CCS of claim 1, wherein the CO supplies a first portion of multimedia services to the plurality of buildings by way of the Ethernet switch.

8. The CCS of claim 7, wherein the CO supplies by way of the WiMAX transceiver a second portion of multimedia services to a select number of the plurality of buildings having a corresponding WiMAX transceiver.

9. The CCS of claim 8, wherein the CO adjusts a bandwidth of each of the first and second portions of multimedia services according to bandwidth utilization needs of the select number of the plurality of buildings.

10. The CCS of claim 9, wherein the CO determines the bandwidth utilization needs of the select number of the plurality of buildings according to measurements taken from at least one among the WiMAX transceiver, the Ethernet switch, and at least one digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) that couples the CO to the Ethernet switch.

11. The CCS of claim 8, wherein the first and second portions of multimedia services comprise in whole or in part internet protocol television (IPTV) services, and internet data services.

12. A method, comprising:

supplying internet and multimedia services as an aggregated service over one or more corresponding digital subscriber line (DSL) ports having a limited capacity; and

augmenting the limited capacity of at least one of the DSL ports by distributing a portion of the aggregated service over a wireless access point.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless access point is connected to a high-speed port operating at one gigabit per second or greater.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the internet and multimedia services are supplied to one or more buildings housing a multimedia subsystem.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the multimedia subsystem comprises at least one among a gateway, and a set-top box (STB).

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the DSL ports are supplied by an Ethernet switch.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the Ethernet switch is coupled over an optical cable with a central office (CO) that supplies the internet and multimedia services to the Ethernet switch.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless access point comprises one among a WiMAX transceiver, and a cellular base station.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising monitoring bandwidth utilization of at least one of the DSL ports to identify the portion of the aggregated service to distribute over the wireless access point.

20. A network management system (NMS), comprising a controller element that manages services of a cross-connect system (CCS) that supplies dual-mode digital subscriber line (DSL) services and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) services.

21. The NMS of claim 20, wherein the CCS houses an Ethernet switch that supplies the DSL services to a plurality of buildings, and in whole or in part a WiMAX transceiver that supplies the WiMAX services to at least one among roaming communication devices and at least one of the plurality of buildings.

22. The NMS of claim 21, wherein the WiMAX transceiver is connected to a high-speed port of the Ethernet switch operating at one gigabit per second or greater.

23. The NMS of claim 21, wherein the CCS supplies an aggregated service comprising internet and multimedia services, and wherein the controller element distributes portions of the aggregated services between one or more DSL ports of the Ethernet switch and the WiMAX transceiver for use by at least one of the plurality of buildings.

24. The NMS of claim 23, wherein the controller element distributes said portions according to a request for additional bandwidth by a consumer of a select one of the plurality of buildings.

25. The NMS of claim 23, wherein the controller element determines bandwidth utilization needs of a select number of the plurality of buildings according to measurements taken from at least one among the WiMAX transceiver, the Ethernet switch, and at least one digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) that couples the CO to the Ethernet switch.

26. The NMS of claim 20, wherein the controller element generates a work order request to deploy one or more WiMAX transceivers for installation at a corresponding one or more buildings to manage bandwidth utilization of communication services supplied by the CCS.

27. A method, comprising augmenting bandwidth of an aggregated communication service by combining bandwidth from a digital wireline service and bandwidth from a wireless service.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the aggregated communication service comprises at least two among a multimedia programming service, an Internet service, a voice communication service, and a video communication service.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the multimedia programming service comprises at least one among an IPTV multimedia service, and a cable multimedia service, and wherein the voice communication service comprises at least one among a voice service from a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and a voice over IP (VoIP) service.