Network termination and methods for use therewith

• US 20160360533A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• 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: Bennett, Robert, HENRY, PAUL SHALA, GERSZBERG, IRWIN, BARZEGAR, FARHAD, BARNICKEL, DONALD J., WILLIS, THOMAS M. III
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components
• 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 repeater device having a first coupler to extract downstream channel signals from first guided electromagnetic waves bound to a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system. An amplifier amplifies the downstream channel signals to generate amplified downstream channel signals. A channel selection filter selects one or more of the amplified downstream channel signals to wirelessly transmit to the at least one client device via an antenna. A second coupler guides the amplified downstream channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A network termination comprising:

a first interface configured to receive first data from a communication network and to send second data to the communication network;

a channel modulator configured to convert, based on a first reference signal, the first data from a first spectral segment into first channel signals in a first frequency channel of a distributed antenna system, wherein the distributed antenna system facilitates wireless network connectivity to at least one client device via an antenna;

a second interface configured to send the first channel signals and the first reference signal to the distributed antenna system and to receive second channel signals and a second reference signal corresponding to a second frequency channel from the distributed antenna system; and

a channel demodulator configured to convert, based on the second reference signal, the second channel signals from the second frequency channel to the second data in a second spectral segment.

2. The network termination of claim 1, wherein the second reference signal reduces a phase error in conversion of the second channel signals from the second frequency channel to the second spectral segment.

3. The network termination of claim 1, wherein the first reference signal facilitates reduction of a phase error in reconversion by a network element of the distributed antenna system of the first channel signals from the first frequency channel to the first spectral segment.

4. The network termination of claim 1, wherein the second interface sends a control channel associated with the first channel signals and the control channel includes instructions to at least one client node device of the distributed antenna system to dynamically select one or more of the first channel signals for wireless transmission to the at least one client device via the antenna.

5. The network termination of claim 4, wherein the first reference signal is transmitted at an out of band frequency relative to the control channel.

6. The network termination of claim 4, wherein the first reference signal is transmitted at an in band frequency relative to the control channel.

7. The network termination of claim 4, wherein the control channel is transmitted via ultra-wideband signaling.

8. The network termination of claim 1, wherein the second interface couples to a host node device of the distributed antenna system via a fiber optic cable to send the first channel signals and receive the second channel signals.

9. The network termination of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second channel signals and at least a portion of the first channel signals are formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

10. The network termination of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second channel signals and at least a portion of the first channel signals are formatted in accordance with a fifth generation (5G) mobile wireless protocol.

11. A method comprising:

receiving first data from a communication network and

converting, based on a first reference signal, the first data from a first spectral segment into first channel signals in a first frequency channel of a distributed antenna system, wherein the distributed antenna system facilitates wireless network connectivity to at least one client device via an antenna;

sending the first channel signals and the first reference signal to the distributed antenna system;

receiving second channel signals and a second reference signal corresponding to a second frequency channel from the distributed antenna system;

converting, based on the second reference signal, the second channel signals from the second frequency channel to second data in a second spectral segment; and

sending the second data to the communication network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second reference signal reduces a phase error in conversion of the second channel signals from the second frequency channel to the second spectral segment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first reference signal facilitates reduction of a phase error in reconversion by a network element of the distributed antenna system of the first channel signals from the first frequency channel to the first spectral segment.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending a control channel associated with the first channel signals, wherein the control channel includes instructions to at least one client node device of the distributed antenna system to dynamically select one or more of the first channel signals for wireless transmission to the at least one client device via the antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first reference signal is transmitted at an out of band frequency relative to the control channel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first reference signal is transmitted at an in band frequency relative to the control channel.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the control channel is transmitted via ultra-wideband signaling.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the second channel signals and at least a portion of the first channel signals are formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification protocol or a fifth generation (5G) mobile wireless protocol.

19. A network termination comprising:

a first interface configured to receive first data from a communication network and to send second data to the communication network;

a channel modulator configured to convert, based on at least one first reference signal, the first data from a first spectral segment into first channel signals in first frequency channels of a distributed antenna system, wherein the distributed antenna system facilitates wireless network connectivity to at least one client device via an antenna, wherein the at least one first reference signal facilitates reduction of a phase error in reconversion by a network element of the distributed antenna system of the first channel signals from the first frequency channels to the first spectral segment;

a second interface configured to send the first channel signals and the at least one first reference signal to the distributed antenna system and to receive second channel signals and at least one second reference signal corresponding to second frequency channels from the distributed antenna system; and

a channel demodulator configured to convert, based on the at least one second reference signal, the second channel signals from the second frequency channels to the second data in a second spectral segment, wherein the at least one second reference signal reduces a phase error in conversion of the second channel signals from the second frequency channels to the second spectral segment.

20. The network termination of claim 19, wherein the distributed antenna system includes a plurality of client node devices at differing locations that each include client node antennas that facilitate wireless network connectivity to other client devices.