Method and system for supporting multiple services with a subscriber optical interface located outside a subscriber's premises

• US 7,529,485 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Solutions, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enablence USA Fttx Networks, Inc. (Enablence Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Farmer, James O., Thomas, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello; Agustin
• Application Number:
  US10/739,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 398 66- 73, 398106-114, 725/151
• US Class Current: 398/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0226 Fixed carrier allocation, e.g. according to service
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0232 for downstream transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0247 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0252 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/028 WDM bus architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0282 WDM tree architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0286 WDM hierarchical architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 Adaptations for optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface

Abstract

A system and method for tuning a broadcast receiver such as a television set with a subscriber optical interface (SOI) that can be located outside a subscriber'"'"'s premises and can be adjacent to the subscriber'"'"'s premises. For example, a subscriber optical interface can be mounted on a side of a home which converts optical data and optical video signals received from an optical waveguide to electrical signals. Because of the hardware contained in the subscriber optical interface, any video processing hardware that is present within the subscriber'"'"'s premises for tuning video programs can be reduced or substantially eliminated without sacrificing a range of services available to a subscriber from a fiber-to-the-home optical network.

Claims

1. A method for formatting programming for a television coupled to an optical network comprising:

receiving an optical signal from the optical network comprising digital and analog programming with a subscriber optical interface contained within a first housing;

converting the optical signal into an electrical domain with the subscriber optical interface;

receiving a wireless request with a control interface from a wireless remote controller, the control interface contained within a second housing separate from the first housing;

converting the wireless request into an electrical domain with a wireless receiver that is part of the control interface, the wireless request being formed into an electrical request;

relaying the electrical request from the control interface in the electrical domain over an electrical waveguide to the subscriber optical interface;

receiving the electrical request from the control interface with the subscriber optical interface to tune the television to a first channel contained within the electrical domain of the converted optical signal;

processing the electrical request from the control interface with the subscriber optical interface; and

instructing the remote controller with the subscriber optical interface via the control interface to tune to a second channel comprising programming of the first channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the first channel into the second channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the wireless request from the remote controller further comprises receiving and converting an infrared signal comprising the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the wireless request from the remote controller further comprises receiving and converting a wireless radio frequency signal comprising the request.

5. A method for formatting programming for a television coupled to an optical network comprising:

with a subscriber optical interface, receiving an optical signal from the optical network through an optical waveguide comprising digital and analog programming, the subscriber optical interface contained within a first housing;

with a subscriber optical interface, converting the optical signal into the electrical domain;

propagating the electrical signal in a downstream direction over an electrical waveguide towards the television;

receiving a wireless request with a control interface to tune the television to a first channel present within the electrical domain of the converted optical signal, the control interface contained within a second housing separate from the first housing;

converting the wireless request with a wireless receiver which is part of the control interface to the electrical domain in a form of an upstream electrical radio-frequency signal;

with the control interface, propagating the upstream electrical radio-frequency signal over the electrical waveguide in an upstream direction to the subscriber optical interface;

upon receiving the upstream electrical radio-frequency signal from the electrical waveguide with the subscriber optical interface, determining with the subscriber optical interface if the television can tune to the first channel; and

if the television cannot tune to the first channel, then with the subscriber optical interface performing the following;

converting the first channel to an analog frequency domain;

identifying a second channel within the analog frequency domain that is available to the television and is tunable by the television;

modulating the converted analog first channel onto a frequency of the identified second channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a request to tune the television to a first channel further comprises receiving a request from a remote controller to tune the television to the first channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if the television can tune to the first channel further comprises scanning a database of television types.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying a capability for a particular type of television.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein converting the first channel to an analog frequency domain further comprises converting a digital television channel to an analog frequency domain.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein converting the first channel to an analog frequency domain further comprises converting internet protocol television signals into an analog frequency domain.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying a second channel within the analog frequency domain that is available to the television further comprises scanning a database of channels available to the television and identifying an unused channel.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a message to a remote control to tune the television to the second channel.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a command to the television to tune to the second channel.