Methods and apparatus to deploy fiber optic based access networks

• US 8,275,262 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), Agencourt Bioscience Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cui, Zhi, Anschutz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US12/268,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20100119235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 398/59, 398/67, 398/79, 398 82- 85, 398/139, 398/183, 370/201, 370/420, 370/430, 370/493, 385/16, 385/24
• US Class Current: 398/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/27 Arrangements for networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/278 Bus-type networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/028 WDM bus architectures

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to deploy fiber optic based access networks are disclosed. An example access network comprises a first fiber optic cable segment to couple an optical access head-end to a first pedestal and to transport user data, a second fiber optic cable segment to couple the first pedestal to a second pedestal and to transport a first portion of the user data to the second pedestal, a drop cable segment to couple the first pedestal to a customer premises and to transport a second portion of the user data to the customer premises, and a switch at the first pedestal to route the first portion of the user data between the first and second fiber optic cable segments and to route the second portion of the user data between the first fiber optic cable segment and the drop cable segment.

Claims

1. An access network comprising:

an optical access head-end apparatus to implement communication services for respective ones of a plurality of subscribers;

a first pedestal apparatus comprising;

a first communication interface module comprising a first optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) to communicatively couple the first pedestal apparatus to the optical access head-end apparatus via a first fiber optic cable segment, the first fiber optic cable segment to transport user data associated with the plurality of subscribers served by the optical access head-end apparatus;

a second communication interface module comprising a second OADM to communicatively couple the first pedestal apparatus to a second fiber optic cable segment, the second fiber optic cable segment to transport a first portion of the user data;

a third communication interface module to communicatively couple the first pedestal apparatus to a first customer premises and to transport a second portion of the user data associated with a first of the plurality of subscribers to the first customer premises; and

a first switch to route the first portion of the user data between the first and second communication interface modules and to route the second portion of the user data between the first and third communication interface modules; and

a second pedestal apparatus comprising;

a fourth communication interface module comprising a third OADM to communicatively couple the first pedestal apparatus to the second pedestal apparatus via the second fiber optic cable segment;

a fifth communication interface module to communicatively couple the second pedestal apparatus to a second customer premises and to transport a third portion of the user data associated with a second of the plurality of subscribers to the second customer premises, the second portion of the user data comprising the third portion of the user data; and

a second switch to route the third portion of the user data between the fourth and fifth communication interface modules.

2. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the first switch comprises at least one of an Ethernet switch or an Ethernet hub, and the user data is packetized in accordance with an Ethernet protocol.

3. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the third communication interface module comprises at least one of a digital subscriber line transceiver, an optical transceiver, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless transceiver, or an analog terminal adapter.

4. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical access head-end comprises at least one of a serving area interface, a remote terminal or a central office.

5. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the first OADM is to extract a one of a plurality of optical signals active on the first fiber optic cable segment without interrupting a second of the plurality of optical signals present on the first fiber optic cable segment.

6. An access network as defined in claim 5, wherein the first communication interface module further comprises an optical-to-electrical converter to convert the extracted optical signal to a first digital signal representing the user data.

7. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the second OADM is to insert a first optical signal onto the second fiber optic cable segment without disturbing a second optical signal present on the second fiber optic cable segment, and wherein the second communication interface module further comprises an electrical-to-optical converter to form the first optical signal from a second digital signal representing the first portion of the user data.

8. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the first pedestal apparatus further comprises an optical bypass to optically couple a first optical signal present on the first fiber optic cable segment between the first and second OADMs without the first optical signal being converted to an electrical signal.

9. A method to deploy a fiber optic based access network, the method comprising:

receiving a first request for a first communication service to a first customer premises;

installing a first fiber optic cable segment between an optical access head-end and a first pedestal associated with the first customer premises, the first fiber optic cable segment routed through a second pedestal geographically located between the optical access head-end and the first pedestal;

installing a first distributor at the first pedestal to route first data between the first fiber optic cable segment and the first customer premises;

receiving a second request for a second communication service to a second customer premises associated with the second pedestal, the second request received subsequent to the installation of the first fiber optic cable segment and the first distributor;

splitting the first fiber optic cable segment at the second pedestal to form second and third fiber optic cable segments; and

installing a second distributor at the second pedestal between the second and third fiber optic cable segments, the second distributor to route second data between the second fiber optic cable segment, the third fiber optic cable segment and the second customer premises.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a third request for a third communication service to a third customer premises associated with a third pedestal, the third request received subsequent to the installation of the first optic cable segment and the first distributor;

installing a fourth fiber optic cable segment between the first pedestal and the third pedestal; and

installing a third distributor at the third pedestal to route third data between the fourth fiber optic cable segment and the third customer premises.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the fourth fiber optic cable segment is routed through a fourth pedestal geographically located between the first and third pedestals.

12. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the optical access head-end comprises at least one of a serving area interface, a remote terminal or a central office.

13. An apparatus for use at a first pedestal location comprising:

a first interface module comprising a first optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) to receive user data associated with a plurality of subscribers served by an optical access head-end via a first fiber optic cable segment;

a second interface module comprising a second OADM to transport a first portion of the user data to another apparatus at another pedestal location via a second fiber optic cable segment, the second fiber optic cable segment different from the first fiber optic cable segment, wherein the first pedestal location is geographically distinct from the second pedestal location;

a third interface module to transport a second portion of the user data associated with a first of the plurality of subscribers to a customer premises; and

a switch to route the first portion of the user data between the first and second interface modules and to route the second portion of the user data between the first and third interface modules.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the switch comprises an Ethernet switch, and the user data is packetized in accordance with an Ethernet protocol.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the first interface module further comprises an optical-to-electrical converter to convert the user data from an optical signal to an electrical signal that can be processed by the switch.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the optical signal comprises a first wavelength, and additional optical signals having other wavelengths are also transported on the first fiber optic cable segment.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the third interface module comprises at least one of a DSL transceiver, an optical transceiver, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless transceiver, or an analog terminal adapter.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the optical access head-end comprises at least one of a serving area interface, a remote terminal or a central office.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the first OADM is to extract a one of a plurality of optical signals active on the first fiber optic cable segment without interrupting a second of the plurality of optical signals active on the first fiber optic cable segment.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising an optical bypass to optically couple a first optical signal present on the first fiber optic cable segment between the first and second OADMs without the first optical signal being converted to an electrical signal.