METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE

• US 20160164573A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birk, Martin, Henry, Paul Shala
• Granted Patent: US 10,009,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/03 Hybrid circuits for transceivers H04B1/52, H04B1/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for exchanging electrical signals and guided electromagnetic waves between customer premises equipment and service provider equipment to provide uplink and/or downlink communication services. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a digital subscriber line (DSL) device, guided electromagnetic waves propagating along a non-conductive material of a first transmission medium coupled to the DSL device; and

transmitting, by the DSL device, first electrical signals into a conductive material internal to a second transmission medium coupled to the DSL device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission medium and the second transmission medium are component parts of a combined transmission medium.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the combined transmission medium comprises a telephone cable comprising a bundle of insulated twisted pair wires surrounded by a layer of insulation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first transmission medium comprises the layer of insulation surrounding the bundle of insulated twisted pair wires.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate at least partially along an outer surface of the layer of insulation.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate inside the layer of insulation.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first transmission medium comprises the bundle of insulated twisted pair wires.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate at least partially along an outer surface of the bundle of insulated twisted pair wires.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the second transmission medium comprises the bundle of insulated twisted pair wires.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electrical signals propagate in at least two conductors of the bundle of insulated twisted pair wires.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the DSL device comprises a DSL modem and a network interface device, wherein the network interface device is coupled to the first transmission medium and the DSL modem, and wherein the method further comprises:

converting, by the network interface device, the guided electromagnetic waves to second electrical signals; and

supplying, by the network interface device, the second electrical signals to the DSL modem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the network interface device is coupled to the DSL modem by way of a first pair of twisted wires, and wherein the network interface device supplies the second electrical signals to the DSL modem by way of the first pair of twisted wires.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the conductive material of the second transmission medium comprises a first pair of twisted wires coupled to the DSL modem for conducting the first electrical signals.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission medium comprises a power line.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission medium comprises a downlink communication path, wherein the second transmission medium comprises an uplink communication path having a bandwidth that is expanded to include a sum of a legacy uplink bandwidth and a legacy downstream bandwidth.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver that facilitates receiving first electrical signals via at least a first pair of conductors coupled to the apparatus, wherein the first electrical signals comprise first data; and

a transmitter that facilitates transmitting second electrical signals via at least a second pair of conductors, wherein the second electrical signals are converted by a network interface device to electromagnetic waves guided by a transmission medium without an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic waves comprise second data supplied by the second electrical signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first pair of conductors and the transmission medium are component parts of a combined transmission medium.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the combined transmission medium comprises a telephone cable comprising a bundle of insulated twisted pair wires surrounded by an insulator, wherein the first pair of conductors corresponds to at least one of the insulated twisted pair wires in the bundle, and wherein the transmission medium guiding the electromagnetic waves corresponds to the insulator of the telephone cable.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the combined transmission medium comprises a coaxial cable comprising a center conductor and a ground shield separated by a first insulator, wherein the first pair of conductors corresponds to the center conductor and the ground shield, and wherein the transmission medium guiding the electromagnetic waves corresponds to a second insulator surrounding the ground shield.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the network interface device.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a modem for providing data services, wherein the modem receives the first electrical signals, and transmits the second electrical signals.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

an optical receiver that facilitates receiving optical signals from a fiber cable and extracting first data from the optical signals;

a transmitter that facilitates generating guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium without an electrical return path to convey the first data; and

an electrical receiver that facilitates receiving electrical signals via a pair of conductors, wherein the electrical signals comprise second data.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus comprises a digital subscriber line access multiplexer.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein transmission medium and the pair of conductors are integrated in a combined transmission medium.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the combined transmission medium comprises a telephone cable or a coaxial cable.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein transmission medium comprises a power line, and wherein the pair of conductors correspond to first and second conductors of a telephone cable or first and second conductors of a coaxial cable.