PROVIDING DIGITAL DATA SERVICES AS ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AND RADIO-FREQUENCY (RF) COMMUNICATIONS OVER OPTICAL FIBER IN DISTRIBUTED COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, AND RELATED COMPONENTS AND METHODS

• US 20130330086A1
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Berlin, Igor, Cune, William Patrick, Heidler, Christian, Register, James Arthur III, Schweiker, Wolfgang Gottfried Tobias, Greene, Jason Elliott
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/808 Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/44 Arrangements for feeding power to a repeater along the transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Distributed antenna systems providing and supporting radio frequency (RF) communication services and digital data services, and related components and methods are disclosed. The RF communication services can be distributed over optical fiber to client devices, such as remote antenna units for example. Power can also be distributed over electrical medium that is provided to distribute digital data services, if desired, to provide power to remote communications devices and/or client devices coupled to the remote communications devices for operation. In this manner, as an example, the same electrical medium used to transport digital data signals in the distributed antenna system can also be employed to provide power to the remote communications devices and/or client devices coupled to the remote communications devices. Power may be injected and switched from two or more power sources over selected electrical medium to distribute power for power-consuming components supporting RF communications services and digital data services.

Claims

1. A power unit for distributing power in a distributed antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of electrical input links each configured to convey digital data signals and power signals;

at least one electrical communications output configured to distribute the digital data signals to at least one communications interface of at least one remote antenna unit (RAU);

at least one electrical power output configured to distribute the power signals to at least one power interface of the least one RAU; and

a circuit configured to couple electrically the electrical input link among the plurality of electrical input links containing power signals to at least one electrical power output.

2. The power unit of claim 1 disposed in the at least one RAU.

3. The power unit of claim 1 disposed in a interconnect unit disposed between the at least one RAU and head-end equipment (HEE) configured to distribute the digital data signals over the plurality of electrical input links.

4. The power unit of claim 1 disposed in an HEE configured to distribute the digital data signals over the plurality of electrical input links.

5. The power unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of optical RF communications inputs comprised of a plurality of optical RF communications input links each configured to convey optical RF communications signals; and

a plurality of optical RF communications outputs optically coupled to the plurality of optical RF communications input links, the plurality of optical RF communications outputs configured to distribute the optical RF communications signals to the at least one RAU.

6. The power unit of claim 5, further comprising an optical fiber coupled to either one of the plurality of optical RF communications inputs or one of the plurality of optical RF communications outputs.

7. The power unit of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrical input links are coupled to respective power sources.

8. The power unit of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a diode bridge.

9. The power unit of claim 1, further comprising a digital data services controller configured to provide power to one of the at least one of the plurality of electrical input links.

10. A method for distributing power in a distributed antenna system using a power unit, comprising:

conveying digital data signals and power signals through a plurality of electrical input links;

distributing the digital data signals to at least one communications interface of at least one remote antenna unit (RAU) through at least one electrical communications output;

distributing the power signals to at least one power interface of the at least one RAU through at least one electrical power output; and

electrically coupling, with a circuit, an electrical input link among the plurality of electrical input links containing power signals to at least one electrical power output.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing the power unit in the at least one RAU.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing the power unit in an interconnect unit disposed between the at least one RAU and head-end equipment (HEE) configured to distribute the digital data signals over the plurality of electrical inputs.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing the power unit in an HEE configured to distribute the digital data signals over the plurality of electrical inputs.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

conveying optical RF communications signals through a plurality of optical RF communications input links; and

distributing the optical RF communications signals to the at least one RAU.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein distributing the optical RF communications signals comprises distributing the optical RF communications signals over an optical fiber.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising coupling two power sources to respective ones of the plurality of electrical input links.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein electrically coupling with a circuit comprises electrically coupling with a diode bridge.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing power to one of the at least one of the plurality of electrical input links from a digital data services controller.

19. A distributed antenna system, comprising:

at least one remote antenna unit (RAU), comprising;

an optical input; and

a data medium input comprising a data input and a power input;

at least one optical fiber configured to couple head-end equipment (HEE) to the at least one RAU through the optical input, the optical input, the optical fiber configured to carry radio frequency (RF) communications signals thereon between the HEE and the at least one RAU;

an electrical medium comprising at least one data path and at least one power path, the electrical medium configured to convey digital data services and power between the HEE and the at least one RAU; and

circuitry configured to direct power onto the at least one power path.

20. The distributed antenna system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry comprises a diode bridge.

21. The distributed antenna system of claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of optical RF communications inputs coupled to the at least one optical fiber and each configured to convey optical RF communications signals; and

a plurality of optical RF communications outputs coupled to the at least one optical fiber configured to distribute the optical RF communications signals to the at least one RAU.

22. The distributed antenna system of claim 19, further comprising a digital data services controller configured to provide power on the at least one power path.