Field-Configurable Optical Network Terminal Device

• US 20090041467A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jinwoo, Carleton, William A., Smedley, Kimberley A., Niesley, Charles F., Scullin, Frank J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2885 Arrangements interfacing with optical systems optical network equipment H04B10/00; optical multiplexers H04J14/05 and H04J14/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2889 Multiservice, e.g. MSAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2892 characterised by the access multiplexer architecture
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0079 Operation or maintenance aspects

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for a field-configurable optical network terminal (ONT) device at a subscriber to provide one or more communication services to the subscriber. The field-configurable ONT device is of a modular design operable for the insertion of additional communication modules or removal of existing communication modules from the ONT device for scaling the device to increased or decreased communication capacity as desired.

Claims

1. An optical network termination (ONT) device for deployment at a subscriber of at least one communication service provided via a fiber optic network, the device comprising:

a first communication module that operates to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network;

a plurality of slots that operate to interface with the first communication module to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network;

a system controller module that operates to control the first communication module and any other communication module through the plurality of slots to effect the at least one communication service to the subscriber; and

a backplane communication bus that operates to electrically connect the plurality of slots to the system controller module;

wherein the ONT device is field configurable to provide a decrease in a communication capacity of the at least one communication service to the subscriber through a removal of the first communication module from interfacing with at least one of the plurality of slots.

2. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the ONT device is further field configurable to provide an increase in the communication capacity of the at least one communication service to the subscriber through one of:

a) a re-interfacing of the first communication module with one of the plurality of slots, and b) an interfacing of both the first communication module and a second communication module with two of the plurality of slots.

3. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication service includes at least a voice communication service, a data communication service, and a video service.

4. The ONT device of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication service comprises a first communication service and a second communication service that are different from each other.

5. The ONT device of claim 4, wherein the first communication module operates to provide the first communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network, and the second communication module operates to provide the second communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network.

6. The ONT device of claim 4, wherein the first and second communication modules operate to provide the first communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network.

7. The field-configurable ONT device of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic network is a passive optical network (PON).

8. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber is a multi-dwelling unit.

9. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the system controller module is operable to interface with any one of the plurality of slots to control any other communication module interfaced with another one of the plurality of slots.

10. The ONT device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply module that is operable to interface with any one of the plurality of slots to provide power to the system controller module and any other communication module interfaced with another one of the plurality of slots.

11. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication service includes a video communication service, and the first communication module operates to provide the video communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network and to provide a demodulation of optical signals from the fiber optic network for both the first and second communication modules.

12. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one communication service includes a video communication service, and the first communication module operates to provide the video communication service to the subscriber via the fiber optic network; and

the ONT device further comprises a third communication module that operates to provide a demodulation of optical signals from the fiber optic network for both the first and second communication modules.

13. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication service includes a phone communication service, and the first communication module provides multiple phone lines for the phone communication service.

14. The ONT device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication service includes a data communication service, and the first communication module provides either multiple Ethernet data ports or digital subscriber line (DSL) ports for the data communication service.

15. A method for providing a scalable optical network terminal (ONT) device at a subscriber to provide at least one communication service to the subscriber via a passive optical network (PON), the method comprises:

implementing a plurality of communication modules in the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the PON;

implementing a plurality of slots in the ONT device to interface with the plurality of communication modules;

implementing a system controller module in the ONT device to control the plurality of communication modules through the plurality of slots to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the PON;

implementing a power supply module in the ONT device to provide power to the system controller module and the plurality of communication modules; and

facilitating a removal of one of the plurality of communication modules to decrease a communication capacity of the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

facilitating an addition of at least one new communication module other the plurality of communication modules to increase a communication capacity of the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein facilitating an addition of one or more communication modules comprises:

determining that the at least one new communication module is interfacing with one of the plurality of slots in the ONT device;

detecting a type of the at least one new communication module based on a communication service provided by the at least one new communication module;

determining whether the implemented system controller module is provisioned with configuration data for the detected type of the at least one new communication module; and

upon the determining that the implemented system controller module lacks the configuration data for the detected type of the at least one new communication module, provides an indication of a failure to configure and activate the at least one new communication module.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein facilitating an addition of one or more communication modules further comprises:

upon the determining that the implemented system controller module is provisioned with configuration data for the detected type of the at least one new communication module, configure and activate the at least one new communication module to provide the at least one communication service.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein facilitating a removal of at least one of the plurality of communication modules comprises:

determining that at least one of the plurality of communication modules is removed from interfacing with one of the plurality of slots in the ONT device;

providing a notification of the removal of the removed communication module;

removing an application for the removed module from the implemented system controller module; and

deactivating a communication service as previously provided by the removed module when interfaced with one of the plurality of slots in the ONT device.

20. An optical network terminal (ONT) device having a computer-readable medium (CRM) therein to provide at least one communication service to the subscriber via a passive optical network (PON), and encoded on the CRM is computer-executable programming code executed by a programmable logic device to:

implement a plurality of communication modules in the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the PON;

implement a plurality of slots in the ONT device to interface with the plurality of communication modules;

implement a system controller module in the ONT device to control the plurality of communication modules through the plurality of slots to provide the at least one communication service to the subscriber via the PON;

implement a power supply module in the ONT device to provide power to the system controller module and the plurality of communication modules;

facilitate a removal of one of the plurality of communication modules to decrease a communication capacity of the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service; and

facilitate an addition of at least one new communication module other the plurality of communication modules to increase a communication capacity of the ONT device to provide the at least one communication service.