VDSL modem divided into a digital and an analog part

• US 7,023,907 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics NV
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics NV
• Inventors: Isaksson, Mikael, Hakansson, Siwert, Ohman, Hans, Johansson, Magnus, Bengtsson, Daniel, Olsson, Lennart, Isaksson, Anders, Okvist, Goran, Ljunggren, Lis-Mari, Lungberg, Hans, Olofsson, Sven-Rune, Stefansson, Tomas, Johansson, Joachim, Bahlenberg, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayard, Emmanuel
• Application Number:
  US09/446,357
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/257, 709/217, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A VDSL-modem which is divided into an analog part which is placed in an optical node and a digital part which is placed in a local station. The analog part of the VDSL-modem includes an A/D-converter and D/A-converter, a filter, an amplifier, a hybrid/balun, an adaptive noise attenuator, an optical interface, and possibly an echo canceller. The digital part of the modem includes an FFT/IFFT-processor, a synchronizer, an equalizer, an interleaving unit, an error correction unit, a protocol manager, and an optical interface. The VDSL-modem simplifies synchronization of the modem and reduces power consumption in the optical node. A multiplexor function in the optical node in addition is simpler because it need not manage a protocol.

Claims

1. A VDSL-modem comprising:

an optical node for connection to at least one subscriber, and including an analog unit comprising an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for converting analog signals received from the at least one subscriber to digital signals for transmission;

at least one local station, at a separate location from the optical node, and including a digital unit in communication with the analog unit for receiving the digital signals therefrom; and

an optical fiber connecting the analog unit and the digital unit.

2. A VDSL-modem according to claim 1, wherein the digital unit includes a protocol manager.

3. A VDSL-modem according to claim 1, wherein the analog unit further includes a D/A converter, a filter, an amplifier, a hybrid/balun, an adaptive noise attenuator, and an optical interface.

4. A VDSL-modem according to claim 3, wherein the analog unit further comprises an echo canceller.

5. A VDSL-modem according to claim 1, wherein the digital unit comprises an FFT/IFFT-processor, a synchronizer, an equalizer, an interleaving device, an error correction unit, a protocol manager and an optical interface.

6. A DSL-modem comprising:

an optical node for connection to at least one subscriber, and including an analog unit comprising an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for converting analog signals received from the at least one subscriber to digital signals for transmission; and

at least one local station, at a separate location from the optical node, and including a digital unit in communication with the analog unit for receiving the digital signals therefrom.

7. A VDSL-modem according to claim 6, wherein the digital unit includes a protocol manager.

8. A VDSL-modem according to claim 6, wherein the analog unit further includes a D/A converter, a filter, an amplifier, a hybrid/balun, an adaptive noise attenuator, and an optical interface.

9. A VDSL-modem according to claim 8, wherein the analog unit further comprises an echo canceller.

10. A VDSL-modem according to claim 6, wherein the digital unit comprises an FFT/IFFT-processor, a synchronizer, an equalizer, an interleaving device, an error correction unit, a protocol manager and an optical interface.

11. A method of providing a Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) to a subscriber comprising:

connecting an optical node to the subscriber, the optical node including an analog unit comprising an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for converting analog signals received from the subscriber to digital signals for transmission;

providing a digital unit in at least one local station at a separate location from the optical node, the digital unit in communication with the analog unit for receiving the digital signals therefrom; and

connecting the analog unit and the digital unit with an optical fiber.