METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING WIMAX OVER CATV, DBS, PON INFRASTRUCTURE

• US 20110055875A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alvarion Limited
• Original Assignee: Clariton Networks Ltd. (Alvarion Limited)
• Inventors: Zussman, Mordechai
• Application Number:
  US12/665,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/65
• 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: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing WiMAX coverage via a wired network are provided. For example, systems and methods are discussed in which a Cable TV (“CATV”) network, Direct Broadcasting Satellite (“DBS”) and/or Passive Optical Network (PON) are used in order to deliver the native WiMAX signals into the buildings or an area in which WiMAX coverage is desired, where a small Consumer Premise Device is used to transmit and receive the signals to and from the WiMAX devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing WiMAX communication through a wired network, comprising:

communicating WiMAX signals and signals of the wired network, over the wired network, between an access point of the wired network and a termination point of the wired network;

providing, at the termination point of the wired network, a customer premise equipment that converts WiMAX signals received through the wired network to native WiMAX signals and that converts WiMAX signals to be transmitted from the termination point to the access point into signals to be sent via the wired network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the termination point of the wired network is an indoor termination point of the wired network.

3. A method for providing WiMAX communication through a Cable TV (CATV) network, comprising:

providing a bypass device at an active point in a CATV network; and

communicating frequency shifted WiMAX signals and CATV signals, over the CATV network, between an access point of the CATV network and a termination point of the CATV network, wherein the CATV signals are communicated via the active point and the frequency shifted WiMAX signals are communicated via the bypass device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the termination point of the CATV network is an indoor termination point of the CATV network.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising, at the termination point of the CATV network:

receiving shifted downlink WiMAX signals from the CATV network;

converting the shifted downlink WiMAX signals to original frequency downlink WiMAX signals;

outputting the original frequency downlink WiMAX signals to an antenna;

receiving original frequency uplink WiMAX signals from the antenna;

converting the original frequency uplink WiMAX signals to frequency shifted uplink WiMAX signals; and

outputting the shifted uplink WiMAX signals to the CATV network.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising, at the termination point of the CATV network, communicating CATV signals between the CATV network and at least one CATV device by coaxial cable.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one CATV device is one or more of a TV, a set top box, and a cable modem.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the shifted uplink WiMAX signals have a frequency above 905 MHz.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the shifted downlink WiMAX signals have a frequency above 905 MHz.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the original frequency WiMAX signals are shifted to a band higher in frequency than the CATV signals.

11. The method according to claim 3, further comprising, at the access point of the CATV network:

receiving shifted uplink WiMAX signals from the CATV network;

converting the shifted uplink WiMAX signals to original frequency uplink WiMAX signals;

outputting the original frequency uplink WiMAX signals to a WiMAX base transceiver station/repeater (BTS);

receiving original frequency downlink WiMAX signals from the BTS;

converting the original frequency downlink WiMAX signals to shifted downlink WiMAX signals; and

outputting the shifted downlink WiMAX signals to the CATV network.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the bypass device:

receives, as a coupled signal, the CATV signals and the frequency shifted WiMAX signals;

differentiates between the CATV signals of the coupled signal and the frequency shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signal;

passes the CATV signals of the coupled signal through the active component of the CATV network;

passes only the frequency shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signals around the active point of the CATV network; and

after passing the CATV signals and the frequency shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signal, recombining the CATV signals with the frequency shifted WiMAX signals to provide a signal for further communication over the CATV network.

13. A system for communicating WiMAX signals over a cable television (CATV) network, comprising:

an access device at an access point of the CATV network, receiving original downlink signals, including downlink signals from one or more WiMAX networks from one or more WiMAX Base Station/Repeaters (BTS), and shifting the original downlink signals to a frequency band higher than CATV signals of the CATV network to provide shifted WiMAX signals, the access device having a frequency converter for providing frequency conversion in accordance with a predetermined frequency plan into predetermined sub-bands of said frequency band,

a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) at a termination point of the CATV network, adapted to receive original uplink signals, and shifting the original uplink signals to a frequency band higher than CATV signals of the CATV network to provide shifted WiMAX signals; and

a bypass device at an active component of the CATV network, the shifted WiMAX signals being communicated over the CATV network between the access device and CPE via the bypass device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the frequency band higher than the CATV signals of the CATV network is a band of 945-1120 MHz.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the frequency band higher than the CATV signals of the CATV network is a band of 960-1155 MHz.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the access device:

receives downlink CATV signals from the CATV network;

shifts of the original downlink WiMAX signals to provide the shifted downlink WiMAX signals;

couples the downlink CATV signals and the shifted downlink WiMAX signals to provide a coupled downlink signal;

transports the coupled downlink signal through the CATV network;

receives a coupled uplink signal from the CATV network;

decouples the coupled uplink signal to provide uplink CATV signals and shifted uplink WiMAX signals;

shifts the shifted uplink WiMAX signals to provide restored uplink WiMAX signals corresponding in frequency to the original uplink WiMAX signals;

transports the uplink CATV signals to the CATV network; and

transports the restored uplink WiMAX signals to the one or more WiMAX network through the one or more WiMAX Base Station/Repeaters.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the CPE:

receives uplink CATV signals;

receives original uplink WiMAX signals over a bi-directional antenna;

shifts the original uplink WiMAX signals to provide the shifted uplink WiMAX signals;

couples the uplink CATV signals and the shifted uplink WiMAX signals to provide a coupled uplink signal;

transports the coupled uplink signal through the CATV network;

receives the coupled downlink signal from the CATV network;

decouples the coupled downlink signal to provide downlink CATV signals and the shifted downlink WiMAX signals;

shifts the shifted downlink WiMAX signals to provide restored downlink signals corresponding in frequency to the original downlink WiMAX signals;

transports the downlink CATV signals to a television signal receiver; and

transmits the restored downlink WiMAX signals over the bi-directional antenna.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the bypass device:

receives, as a coupled signal, one of the coupled uplink signal and the coupled downlink signal;

differentiates between CATV signals of the coupled signal and shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signal;

passes the CATV signals of the coupled signal through the active point of the CATV network;

passes the shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signal around the active point of the CATV network; and

after passing the CATV signals and the shifted WiMAX signals of the coupled signal, recombines the CATV signals of the coupled signal with the shifted WiMAx signals of the coupled signal to provide a restored coupled signal for transmission over the CATV network.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the CPE at the termination point of the CATV network is at an indoor termination point of the CATV network.

20. An apparatus for supporting WiMAX communication at a termination point of a CATV network, comprising:

one or more frequency converters for;

converting original frequency uplink WiMAX signals of a WiMAX system of one or more WiMAX systems, received from an antenna, to corresponding shifted uplink WiMAX signals, and

converting shifted downlink WiMAX signals, received from the CATV network, to original frequency downlink WiMAX signals of the WiMAX network; and

wherein the shifted WiMAX signals of each WiMAX system has a respective sub-band frequencies in accordance with a predetermined frequency plan.

21. A system for communicating WiMAX signals, comprising:

a passive optical network (PON) between a central office (CO) and network subscribers, the CO having an optical line terminal (OLT) and a WiMAX base station;

an RF/Optic converter converting WiMAX base station radio frequency (RF) signals to and from corresponding optical signals;

an optical combiner combining signals of the OLT and signals of the RF/Optic converter for communication over the PON with at least one optical network unit (ONU) at a location of one or more of the network subscribers, whereby signals of the OLT and converted WiMAX signals are carried together over the PON;

a fiber mounted wireless antenna unit (FMCA) having an optical interface and a WiMAX antenna, and communicating WiMAX signals of the WiMAX antenna with the ONU, including performing conversions between WiMAX signals and optical signals;

wherein the FMCA obtains the converted WiMAX signals from the PON and converts them back to provide reconverted RF signals for transmission by the FMCA using the WiMAX antenna, and obtains WiMAX signals from the WiMAX antenna and converts them to provide optical signals for communication over the PON to the WiMAX base station at the CO, thereby providing WiMAX coverage at the location of the one or more of the network subscribers.

22. The system for communicating WiMAX signals as set forth in claim 21, wherein the FMCA and the ONU are integrated together.

23. The system for communicating WiMAX signals as set forth in claim 21, wherein the WiMAX signals converted to optical signals are carried over the PON on dedicated frequencies.

24. The system for communicating wireless signals as set forth in claim 23, wherein the native frequency of the WiMAX signals is frequency-converted prior to conversion to optical signals.

25. The system for communicating WiMAX signals as set forth in claim 21, wherein the WiMAX signals are combined with other RF signals to be carried over the PON prior to the conversion to optical signals.

26. The system for communicating WiMAX signals as set forth in claim 25, wherein the native frequency of the WiMAX signals is frequency-converted prior to conversion to optical signals.

27. A central office (CO) configured to operate in the system as set forth in claim 21.

28. A fiber mounted wireless antenna unit (FMCA) configured to operate in the system as set forth in claim 21.

29. A method for providing WiMAX coverage for a WiMAX device to communicate with a WiMAX network of a WiMAX system, the method comprising:

receiving direct broadcast satellite (DBS) programming signals through a DBS antenna connected to a DBS cable system;

receiving WiMAX signals of the WiMAX system;

communicating both the DBS programming signals and the WiMAX signals over the DBS cable system;

communicating the WiMAX signals, via the DBS cable system, between the WiMAX device and the WiMAX network.

30. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, further comprising shifting the original frequency of the WiMAX signals to an unused part of the spectrum of the DBS cable system when the WiMAX signals are communicated over the DBS cable system.

31. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, wherein the WiMAX device communicates the WiMAX signals through an indoor antenna.

32. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, wherein the DBS cable system includes a bypass device, at each active component, for bypassing the WiMAX signals around the active component.

33. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, further comprising an access device communicating the WiMAX signals to and from the WiMAX network, and shifting the original frequency of the WiMAX signals received from the WiMAX network to an unused part of the spectrum of the DBS cable system.

34. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, further comprising an Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) for shifting the original frequency of the WiMAX signals received from the WiMAX device to an unused part of the spectrum of the DBS cable system.

35. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, wherein the CPE comprises:

an antenna for communicating the WiMAX signals received from at the original frequency; and

the CPE;

performs frequency shifting to provide shifted WiMAX signals, and

communicates the shifted WiMAX signals between the CPE and the DBS cable system.

36. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 35, wherein the CPE performs the frequency shifting for more than one WiMAX system.

37. The method for providing WiMAX coverage as set forth in claim 29, wherein:

DBS cable system is the DBS cable system of a building;

the WiMAX device is an indoor WiMAX device;

the WiMAX coverage is indoor WiMAX coverage.

38. A method of communicating WiMAX signals over a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) network, comprising:

providing a access device in communication with a WiMAX base transceiver station/repeater (BTS) of a WiMAX network;

providing a customer premise equipment (CPE) at a termination point of said DBS network; and

providing a bypass device at every active component of said DBS network;

receiving, at said access device, unmodified down-link WiMAX signals, and, at said CPE, unmodified up-link WiMAX signals; and

shifting the frequency of the unmodified WiMAX signals, at the access device and the CPE, for communication over the DBS network at frequencies below the DBS programming signals of the DBS network.

39. A method of communicating WiMAX signals over part of a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) network, comprising:

providing an access device in communication with a WiMAX base transceiver station/repeater (BTS) of a WiMAX network;

providing an customer premise equipment (CPE) at a termination point of the DBS network;

providing a bypass device at an active component of the DBS network so as to provide a signal path around the active component;

receiving original WiMAX signals, including;

at said access device, original down-link WiMAX signals, and

at said CPE, original up-link WiMAX signals;

shifting said original WiMAX signals to a frequency band lower than the DBS programming signals of said DBS network to provide shifted WiMAX signals, including;

at said access device, shifted down-link WiMAX signals, and

at said CPE, shifted up-link WiMAX signals; and

communicating said shifted WiMAX signals along a signal path, between said access device and said CPE, using an access section of the DBS, and via said bypass device.

40. The method of communicating mobile radio traffic according to claim 39, wherein said original WiMAX signals are received in a frequency and format meeting a WiMAX standard.

41. The method of communicating cellular traffic according to claim 40, wherein said frequency band lower than said DBS programming signals of said DBS network is a band of 100-950 Mhz.

42. A method for transmitting Time Division Duplex 9TDD) WiMAX signals over a wired network comprising:

converting the TDD WiMAX signals into Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) WiMAX signals for transmission over the wired network between a headend equipment and a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE);

converting the received FDD WiMAX signals back to TDD WiMAX signals

wherein a synchronization signal from a WiMAX base station is used to switch the signal from down link to up link.

43. A method to synchronize a WiMAX base station with both a headend equipment (UDC) and a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) connected to a wired network, comprising

injecting, into a signal path between the UDC to the CPE, one or more modulated pilot signals;

and

using, by the UDC and CPE, said pilot signal in performing synchronization with the WiMAX base station.