Network architecture and system for delivering bi-directional xDSL based services

• US 7,136,397 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SLT Logic LLC
• Inventors: Sharma, Viswa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, NGUYEN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/223,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 370/218, 370/420, 370/465, 370/535, 370/466, 370/490, 370/493, 370/494, 370/495, 370/352, 709/201
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2865 Logical combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A simple network comprises of: xDSL service equipment located at a distribution center coupled to an Aggregator Separator (AGSEP) System located at a DC; AGSEP system at the DC is coupled, using a high-speed link, to another AGSEP system located at a remote site, which is coupled to subscriber equipment using drop cables. The AGSEP systems aggregate the xDSL signals originating at either DC xDSL equipment or subscriber equipment, are carried over the high-speed link. The AGSEP systems and separate the aggregated signals at either end to distribute the separated signal to the respective equipment.

Claims

1. A network system for delivering bi-directional digital subscriber loop (xDSL) services to a plurality of subscribers connected to a Distribution Center by an existing Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) twisted wire pair infrastructure, the network system comprising:

a first aggregator separator system provided proximate the Distribution Center and operably coupled to a plurality of broadband service systems via the Distribution Center that aggregates xDSL services from the plurality of broadband services and destined for the plurality of subscribers as an outward radio frequency stream and that separates xDSL services received from the plurality of subscribers as an inward radio frequency stream into separated xDSL services which are delivered to the plurality of broadband services; and

a second aggregator separator system provided at a location remote from the Distribution Center and remote from the plurality of subscribers and operably coupled to each of the plurality of subscribers by a twisted wire pair drop line in the existing POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure that aggregates xDSL services from the plurality of subscribers and destined for the Distribution Center as the inward radio frequency stream and that separates xDSL services received from the plurality of broadband services as the outward radio frequency stream into separated xDSL services, each of which is delivered to one of the plurality of subscribers by the corresponding twisted wire pair drop line in the existing POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure for that subscriber; and

a high speed link between the first aggregator separator system and the second aggregator separator system that is separate from the POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure over which the outward radio frequency stream and the inward radio frequency stream are communicated,

wherein each aggregator separator system further includes;

a plurality of first modules that each group a number of analog signals of the xDSL services to form a sub-channel of the corresponding radio frequency stream that is aggregated by the aggregator separator system;

an up-converter module to multiplex the plurality of sub-channels formed by the plurality of first modules into the corresponding radio frequency stream;

a down-converter module to de-multiplex the corresponding radio frequency stream that is separated by the aggregator separator system into a plurality of sub-channels; and

a plurality of second modules that each derive a number of analog signals of the xDSL services from a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-channel de-multiplexed by the down-converter module.

2. The network system of claim 1 wherein the high speed link is programmable for variable numbers, bandwidths and formats of the xDSL services by selectively altering at least one of the number, bandwidth and format of the plurality of sub-channels.

3. The network system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sub-channels includes at least one management channel that communicates at least one of provisioning information, status information, statistical information and management information that is utilized or generated by the aggregator separator systems.

4. The network system of claim 1 wherein the xDSL services comprise more than one of type of DSL service selected from the set consisting of DSL, HDSL, ADSL and VDSL services.

5. The network system of claim 1 wherein the xDSL services comprise more than one of type of coding format selected from the set consisting of CAP, DMT, QAM and 2B1Q coding formats.

6. The network system of claim 1 wherein the high speed link is selected from the set consisting of:

coaxial cable, fiber and free air radio transmission.

7. A method for delivering bi-directional digital subscriber loop (xDSL) services to a plurality of subscribers connected to a Distribution Center by an existing Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) twisted wire pair infrastructure, the method comprising:

providing a first aggregator separator system at a location proximate the Distribution Center and operably coupled to a plurality of broadband service systems via the Distribution Center;

providing a second aggregator separator system at a location remote from the Distribution Center and remote from the plurality of subscribers and operably coupled to each of the plurality of subscribers by a twisted wire pair drop line in the existing POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure;

providing a high speed link between the first aggregator separator system and the second aggregator separator system that is separate from the POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure;

using the first aggregator separator system to;

aggregate xDSL services from the plurality of broadband services and destined for the plurality of subscribers as an outward radio frequency stream transmitted over the high speed link, and

separate xDSL services received from the plurality of subscribers as an inward radio frequency stream into separated xDSL services which are delivered to the plurality of broadband services;

using the second aggregator separator system to;

aggregate xDSL services from the plurality of subscribers and destined for the Distribution Center as the inward radio frequency stream transmitted over the high speed link, and

separate xDSL services received from the plurality of broadband services as the outward radio frequency stream into separated xDSL services, each of

which is delivered to one of the plurality of subscribers by the corresponding twisted wire pair drop line in the existing POTS twisted wire pair infrastructure for that subscriber.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the steps of using the first and second aggregator separator system further include:

separately grouping a number of analog signals of the xDSL services to form one of a plurality of sub-channels of the corresponding radio frequency stream that is aggregated by the aggregator separator system;

multiplexing the plurality of sub-channels front the separately grouping step into the corresponding radio frequency stream;

de-multiplexing the corresponding radio frequency stream that is separated by the aggregator separator system into a plurality of sub-channels; and

separately deriving a number of analog signals of the xDSL services from each of the plurality of sub-channel from the de-multiplexing step.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising selectively altering at least one of the number, bandwidth and format of the plurality of sub-channels such that the high speed link is programmable for variable numbers, bandwidths and formats of the xDSL services.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sub-channels includes at least one management channel and wherein the method further comprises communicating at least one of provisioning information, status information statistical information and management information on the at least one management channel that is utilized or generated by the aggregator separator systems.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the steps to aggregate and separate xDSL services utilize more than one of type of DSL service selected from the set consisting of DSL, HDSL, ADSL and VDSL services.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein steps to aggregate and separate the xDSL services utilize more than one of type of coding format selected from the set consisting of CAP, DMT, QAM and 2B1Q coding formats.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of providing the high speed link is accomplished by providing a high speed link selected from the set consisting of:

coaxial cable, fiber and free air radio transmission.

14. A method for transferring broadband multi-media signals using an existing Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) infrastructure, the method comprising:

providing a distribution side aggregation separation device and at least one subscriber side aggregation separation device, the distribution side and the subscriber side aggregation separation devices configured to receive and transmit signals in at least one subchannel selected from a plurality of subchannels contained within a programmable bandwidth;

configuring at least one subchannel from the plurality of subchannels with provisioning information;

receiving a plurality of inputs signals at the distribution side aggregation separation device wherein the plurality of signals originate from one or more inputs, the input signals characterized by varying bandwidth and varying format;

based upon the provisioning information, grouping a second plurality of the input signals selected from the plurality of input signals to form the at least one subchannel wherein the at least one subchannel is contained within the programmable bandwidth;

multiplexing the plurality of subchannels into a radio frequency signal stream;

transferring the radio frequency signal stream over a high-speed link from the distribution side aggregator separator system to the subscriber aide aggregrator separator system; and

receiving and de-multiplexing the radio frequency signal stream at the subscriber side aggregator separator system to retrieve the plurality of subchannels.