Flexible head-end chassis supporting automatic identification and interconnection of radio interface modules and optical interface modules in an optical fiber-based distributed antenna system (DAS)

• US 9,929,810 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications Wireless Ltd. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Berlin, Igor, Cune, William Patrick, Mizrahi, Gavriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Dalzid
• Application Number:
  US15/427,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 398 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining

Abstract

Flexible head-end chassis supporting automatic identification and interconnection of radio interface modules (RIMs) and optical interface modules (OIMs) in an optical fiber-based distributed antenna system (DAS) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the flexible head-end chassis includes a plurality of module slots each configured to receive either a RIM or an OIM. A chassis control system identifies an inserted RIM or OIM to determine the type of module inserted. Based on the identification of the inserted RIM or OIM, the chassis control system interconnects the inserted RIM or OIM to related combiners and splitters in head-end equipment for the RIM or OIM to receive downlink communication signals and uplink communications signals for processing and distribution in the optical fiber-based DAS. In this manner, the optical fiber-based DAS can easily be configured or reconfigured with different combinations of RIMs and OIMs to support the desired communications services and/or number of remote units.

Claims

1. A chassis for a distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of module slots disposed in the housing, each module slot among the plurality of module slots configured to receive a connected module comprised of a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit;

a backplane disposed in the housing, the backplane comprising;

a plurality of backplane interconnects each associated with a circuit slot among a plurality of circuit slots, each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects configured to interconnect with a connected circuit inserted into the circuit slot associated with the backplane interconnect;

each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects comprises;

a backplane downlink input configured to receive an electrical downlink communications signal from a radio interface circuit;

a backplane downlink output configured to couple an electrical split downlink communications signal to an optical interface circuit;

a backplane uplink input configured to receive an electrical uplink communications signal from an optical interface circuit; and

a backplane uplink output configured to couple an electrical split uplink communications signal to a radio interface circuit;

a plurality of first downlink inputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects, the plurality of first downlink inputs configured to receive a plurality of electrical downlink communications signals from a plurality of radio interface circuits;

a second downlink input configured to couple a plurality of electrical split downlink communications signals on a plurality of first downlink outputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects;

a plurality of first uplink inputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects, the plurality of first uplink inputs configured to receive a plurality of electrical uplink communications signals from at least one optical interface circuit;

a second uplink input configured to couple a plurality of electrical split uplink communications signals on a plurality of first uplink outputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects;

a plurality of downlink switches each configured to selectively couple, in response to a downlink switch selector, either the backplane downlink input of a backplane interconnect connected to a radio interface circuit, to a corresponding first downlink input among the plurality of first downlink inputs to couple the electrical downlink communications signal from the radio interface circuit, or the backplane downlink output of the backplane interconnect connected to an optical interface circuit, to a corresponding first downlink output among the plurality of first downlink outputs to couple the electrical split downlink communications signal to the optical interface circuit; and

a plurality of uplink switches each configured to selectively couple, in response to an uplink switch selector, either the backplane uplink output of a backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to a corresponding first uplink output among the plurality of first uplink outputs to couple the electrical split uplink communications signal to the radio interface circuit, or the backplane uplink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit, to a corresponding first uplink input among the plurality of first uplink inputs to couple the electrical uplink communications signal from the optical interface circuit.

2. The chassis of claim 1, further comprising a chassis control system configured to:

provide the downlink switch selector to each of the plurality of downlink switches; and

provide the uplink switch selector to each of the plurality of uplink switches.

3. The chassis of claim 2, wherein the chassis control system comprises:

a chassis controller; and

a switch controller configured to provide the downlink switch selector to each of the plurality of downlink switches, and provide the uplink switch selector to each of the plurality of uplink switches;

the chassis controller configured to;

detect a connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots;

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit;

if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit, the chassis controller configured to;

instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause a downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to the corresponding first downlink input; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause an uplink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane uplink output of the backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to a corresponding second uplink output;

if the connected circuit is an optical interface circuit, the chassis controller configured to;

instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane downlink output of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit, to the corresponding first downlink output; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane uplink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit to the corresponding first uplink input.

4. The chassis of claim 3, wherein the chassis controller is configured to automatically:

detect the connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots;

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit; and

instruct the switch controller to generate the downlink switch selector and the uplink switch selector.

5. The chassis of claim 3, wherein the chassis controller is configured to:

detect the connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots and determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit for each circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots; and

instruct the switch controller to generate the downlink switch selector and the uplink switch selector corresponding to each circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots, based on whether the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit.

6. The chassis of claim 3, wherein each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects further comprises a circuit ID input configured to interconnect with a circuit ID output from a radio interface circuit or optical interface circuit inserted into the circuit slot associated with the backplane interconnect;

the chassis controller configured to;

detect the connection of the connected circuit to the backplane interconnect of the circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots based on a circuit ID signal received from the circuit ID output on the circuit ID input; and

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit based on the circuit ID signal received on the circuit ID input.

7. The chassis of claim 3, wherein the chassis control is further configured to:

determine if a backplane interconnect for a circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots is unconnected; and

if the backplane interconnect for the circuit slot is unconnected, the chassis controller is further configured to instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink input of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first downlink input; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane uplink output of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first uplink output.

8. The chassis of claim 3, wherein the chassis control is further configured to:

determine if a backplane interconnect for a circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots is unconnected; and

if the backplane interconnect for the circuit slot is unconnected, the chassis controller is further configured to instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink output of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first downlink output; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane uplink input of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first uplink input.

9. The chassis of claim 1 provided in an indoor optical fiber-based DAS.

10. The chassis of claim 1, further comprising:

a downlink combiner comprising the plurality of first downlink inputs;

a downlink splitter comprising the second downlink input, the downlink splitter configured to receive an electrical combined downlink communications signal from a combiner downlink output, split the received electrical combined downlink communications signal into a plurality of electrical split downlink communications signals;

an uplink combiner comprising the plurality of first uplink inputs and configured to combine the received plurality of electrical uplink communications signals into an electrical combined uplink communications signal; and

an uplink splitter comprising the second uplink input and configured to split the received electrical combined uplink communications signal into a plurality of electrical split uplink communications signals.

11. A distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:

a central unit, comprising;

a plurality of radio interface circuits each configured to;

receive an electrical downlink communications signal;

receive an electrical split uplink communications signal from at least one optical interface circuit;

a plurality of optical interface circuits each configured to;

receive an electrical split downlink communications signal;

convert the received electrical split downlink communications signal into an optical split downlink communications signal;

distribute the optical split downlink communications signal to a plurality of remote units;

receive a plurality of optical uplink communications signals from the plurality of remote units;

convert the received plurality of optical uplink communications signals to a plurality of electrical uplink communications signals;

each of the plurality of remote units configured to;

receive the optical split downlink communications signal from the central unit;

convert the received optical split downlink communications signal into an electrical split downlink communications signal;

distribute the electrical split downlink communications signal to at least one client device;

receive an electrical uplink communications signal from the at least one client device;

convert the received electrical uplink communications signal into an optical uplink communications signal; and

distribute the optical uplink communications signal to the central unit;

the central unit further comprising a head-end chassis, comprising;

a housing;

a plurality of module slots disposed in the housing, each module slot among the plurality of module slots configured to receive a connected module comprised of a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit;

a backplane disposed in the housing, the backplane comprising;

a plurality of backplane interconnects each associated with a circuit slot among a plurality of circuit slots, each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects configured to interconnect with a connected circuit inserted into the circuit slot associated with the backplane interconnect;

each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects comprises;

a backplane downlink input configured to receive an electrical downlink communications signal from a radio interface circuit;

a backplane downlink output configured to couple an electrical split downlink communications signal to an optical interface circuit;

a backplane uplink input configured to receive an electrical uplink communications signal from an optical interface circuit; and

a backplane uplink output configured to couple an electrical split uplink communications signal to a radio interface circuit;

a plurality of first downlink inputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects, the plurality of first downlink inputs configured to receive a plurality of electrical downlink communications signals from a plurality of radio interface circuits;

a second downlink input configured to couple a plurality of electrical split downlink communications signals on a plurality of first downlink outputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects;

a plurality of first uplink inputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects, the plurality of first uplink inputs configured to receive a plurality of electrical uplink communications signals from at least one optical interface circuit;

a second uplink input configured to couple a plurality of electrical split uplink communications signals on a plurality of first uplink outputs each corresponding to a backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects;

a plurality of downlink switches each configured to selectively couple, in response to a downlink switch selector, either the backplane downlink input of a backplane interconnect connected to a radio interface circuit, to a corresponding first downlink input among the plurality of first downlink inputs to couple the electrical downlink communications signal from the radio interface circuit, or the backplane downlink output of the backplane interconnect connected to an optical interface circuit, to a corresponding first downlink output among the plurality of first downlink outputs to couple the electrical split downlink communications signal to the optical interface circuit; and

a plurality of uplink switches each configured to selectively couple, in response to an uplink switch selector, either the backplane uplink output of a backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to a corresponding first uplink output among the plurality of first uplink outputs to couple the electrical split uplink communications signal to the radio interface circuit, or the backplane uplink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit, to a corresponding first uplink input among the plurality of first uplink inputs to couple the electrical uplink communications signal from the optical interface circuit.

12. The DAS of claim 11, further comprising a chassis control system configured to:

provide the downlink switch selector to each of the plurality of downlink switches; and

provide the uplink switch selector to each of the plurality of uplink switches;

wherein the chassis control system comprises;

a chassis controller; and

a switch controller configured to provide the downlink switch selector to each of the plurality of downlink switches, and provide the uplink switch selector to each of the plurality of uplink switches;

the chassis controller configured to;

detect a connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots;

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit;

if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit, the chassis controller configured to;

instruct the switch controller to;

 

generate the downlink switch selector to cause a downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to the corresponding first downlink input; and

 

generate the uplink switch selector to cause an uplink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane uplink output of the backplane interconnect connected to the radio interface circuit, to a corresponding second uplink output;

if the connected circuit is an optical interface circuit, the chassis controller configured to;

instruct the switch controller to;

 

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane downlink output of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit, to the corresponding first downlink output; and

 

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the module slot to couple the backplane uplink input of the backplane interconnect connected to the optical interface circuit to the corresponding first uplink input.

13. The DAS of claim 12, wherein the chassis controller is configured to automatically:

detect the connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots;

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit; and

instruct the switch controller to generate the downlink switch selector and the uplink switch selector.

14. The DAS of claim 12, wherein the chassis controller is configured to:

detect the connection of the connected circuit to a backplane interconnect of a circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots and determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit for each circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots; and

instruct the switch controller to generate the downlink switch selector and the uplink switch selector corresponding to each circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots, based on whether the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit.

15. The DAS of claim 12, wherein each backplane interconnect among the plurality of backplane interconnects further comprises a circuit ID input configured to interconnect with a circuit ID output from a radio interface circuit or optical interface circuit inserted into the circuit slot associated with the backplane interconnect;

the chassis controller configured to;

detect the connection of the connected circuit to the backplane interconnect of the circuit slot in the plurality of circuit slots based on a circuit ID signal received from the circuit ID output on the circuit ID input; and

determine if the connected circuit is a radio interface circuit or an optical interface circuit based on the circuit ID signal received on the circuit ID input.

16. The DAS of claim 12, wherein the chassis control is further configured to:

determine if a backplane interconnect for a circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots is unconnected; and

if the backplane interconnect for the circuit slot is unconnected, the chassis controller is further configured to instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink input of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first downlink input; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane uplink output of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first uplink output.

17. The DAS of claim 12, wherein the chassis control is further configured to:

determine if a backplane interconnect for a circuit slot among the plurality of circuit slots is unconnected; and

if the backplane interconnect for the circuit slot is unconnected, the chassis controller is further configured to instruct the switch controller to;

generate the downlink switch selector to cause the downlink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane downlink output of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first downlink output; and

generate the uplink switch selector to cause the uplink switch corresponding to the circuit slot to couple the backplane uplink input of the unconnected backplane interconnect to the corresponding first uplink input.

18. The DAS of claim 11, wherein the chassis further comprises:

a downlink combiner comprising the plurality of first downlink inputs;

a downlink splitter comprising the second downlink input, the downlink splitter configured to receive an electrical combined downlink communications signal from a combiner downlink output, split the received electrical combined downlink communications signal into a plurality of electrical split downlink communications signals;

an uplink combiner comprising the plurality of first uplink inputs and configured to combine the received plurality of electrical uplink communications signals into an electrical combined uplink communications signal; and

an uplink splitter comprising the second uplink input and configured to split the received electrical combined uplink communications signal into a plurality of electrical split uplink communications signals.