System and method for extending the range of xDSL services

• US 6,829,246 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DSL Extension LLC (Bradley David Liddle)
• Original Assignee: Rad Data Communications Limited (Zisapel Family)
• Inventors: Stein, Ysakov, Eitane, Tsvi (Henri), Silberman, Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US09/815,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 370/463, 370/465, 370/493, 370/524, 370/527, 370/529, 370/535, 370/537, 359/117, 359/125, 359/164, 359/110, 359/123, 359/124, 359/132, 375/220, 375/263, 375/290, 375/225, 375/222, 379/93.14, 379/93.28
• US Class Current: 370/463
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2878 Access multiplexer, e.g. DSLAM generic distributed time multiplexers, e.g. TDM/TDMA H04J3/1694
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2885 Arrangements interfacing with optical systems optical network equipment H04B10/00; optical multiplexers H04J14/05 and H04J14/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/00 Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems multiplex systems H04J
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13094 Range extender

Abstract

A system and method for extending the distance that xDSL services are able to be provided to subscribers. A DSLAM located at a Central Office is connected to a general-purpose network, such as the Internet. The DSLAM is additionally connected to a first fiber optic transceiver. The first fiber optic transceiver is connected via a fiber optic link to a second fiber optic transceiver located proximate to the subscribers'"'"' premises, preferably in a street cabinet. Each subscriber premise'"'"'s equipment is connected to the broadband transceiver via subscriber lines. Electrical signals to be transmitted between the Central Office and the subscribers'"'"' premises are utilized to form a frequency division multiplexed signal. The frequency division multiplexed signal is used to modulate a light subcarrier for transmission across the fiber optic link. At the respective receiving transceiver, the frequency division multiplexed signal is reconverted to the electrical signals, which are then applied to the subscriber premises equipment or DSLAM, depending upon the direction of communication.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to a subcriber data unit using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over a distance greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, said system comprising:

a general-purpose network-to-subscriber data unit interface, said interface receiving data from a general-purpose network and formatting it for transmission to said subscriber data unit;

a first broadband transceiver connected to said interface, said first broadband transceiver unit receiving said formatted data from said interface,

a second broadband transceiver unit receiving said formatted data in a channel of one or more frequency division multiplexed signals transmitted from said first broadband transceiver via a broadband communication link, said second broadband transceiver removing said formatted data from said channel and transmitting said formatted data to said subscriber data unit via a subscriber line connected to said second broadband transceiver; and

wherein said second broadband transceiver receives upstream data from said subscriber data unit via said subscriber line, said second broadband transceiver transmits said data in an upstream channel of a frequency division multiplexed signal to said first transceiver, said first transceiver removes said data from said upstream channel and transmits said data to said interface, said interface formats said data received from said first transceiver for transmission to said general-purpose network and said interface transmits said received data from said first transceiver to said general-purpose network.

2. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said general-purpose network-to-subscriber data unit interface is a DSL access multiplexer.

3. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said first broadband transceiver is a fiber optic transceiver.

4. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said broadband communications link is an optical fiber link.

5. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said second broadband transceiver is a fiber optic transceiver.

6. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said subscriber data unit is a subscriber xDSL modem.

7. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, said system further comprising:

a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) splitter connected between said second broadband transceiver and said subscriber data unit, said POTS splitter splitting POTS signals from xDSL signals, and

wherein xDSL signals are transmitted to said interface via said second broadband transceiver, said first broadband transceiver and said broadband communication link and said POTS signals are transmitted to a Central Office of said Public Switched Telephone Network via legacy UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pairs) lines.

8. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) signals are transmitted via said first transceiver, said broadband communications link and said second broadband transceiver.

9. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said interface is located at a Central Office of a Public Switched Telephone Network.

10. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein said second broadband transceiver is located in a street cabinet of a Public Switched Telephone Network.

11. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 1, wherein channel bandwidth of said frequency division multiplexed signal is dynamically set.

12. The system for transmitting data, as per claim 11, wherein said channel bandwidth is set at said first broadband transceiver and said setting is communicated to said second broadband transceiver via a management protocol.

13. A The system for extending a distance that general DSL services are capable of providing between subscriber'"'"'s premises and a Central Office, said system comprising:

a DSL access multiplexer located at said Central Office, said DSL access multiplexer receiving data from a general-purpose network, said DSL access multiplexer generating a plurality of electrical signals from said received data, each of said plurality of electrical signals representing a portion of said received data to be transmitted to a corresponding subscriber DSL modem;

a first fiber optic transceiver connected to said DSL access multiplexer, said first fiber optic transceiver receiving said plurality of electrical signals from said DSL access multiplexer, said first fiber optic transceiver constructing one or more frequency division multiplexed signals from said plurality of signals and transmitting said one or more frequency division multiplexed signals across an analog fiber optic link,

a second fiber optic transceiver, said second fiber optic transceiver connected to said analog fiber optic link and receiving said one or more frequency division multiplexed signals, said second fiber optic transceiver reconstructing said plurality of electrical signals from said one or more frequency division multiplexed signals and providing each of said plurality of signals to said corresponding subscriber DSL modem via a subscriber line, and

wherein upstream data is received by said second fiber optic transceiver from said subscriber DSL modems, said second fiber optic transceiver constructs one or more upstream frequency division multiplexed signals from said upstream data and transmits said one or more upstream frequency division multiplex signals to said first fiber optic transceiver via said analog fiber optic link, said first fiber optic transceiver reconstructs said upstream data and transmits said upstream data to said DSL access multiplexer, said DSL access multiplexer transmits said received upstream data to said general-purpose network.

15. The system for extending a distance that general DSL services are capable of providing between subscribers'"'"' premises and a Central Office, as per claim 13, wherein POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) signals are transmitted via said second fiber optic transceiver, said first fiber optic transceiver and said analog fiber optic link.

16. The system for extending a distance that general DSL services-are capble of providing between subscribers'"'"' premises and a Central Office, as per claim 13, wherein said second fiber optic transceiver is located in a street cabinet of a Public Switched Telephone Network.

17. The system for extending a distance that general DSL services are capable of being provided between subscribers'"'"' premises and a Central Office, as per claim 13, wherein channel bandwidth of said frequency division multiplexed signal is dynamically set.

18. The system for extending a distance that general DSL services are capable of providing between subscribers'"'"' premises and a Central Office, as per claim 17, wherein said channel bandwidth is set at first fiber optic transceiver and said setting is communicated to said second fiber optic transceiver via a management protocol.

14. The system for extending a distance that general DSL services are capable of providing between subscriber'"'"'s premises and a Central Office, as per claim 14, said system further comprising:

a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) splitter connected between said second fiber optic transceiver and said subscriber DSL modems, said POTS splitter splitting POTS signals from xDSL signals, and

wherein xDSL signals are transmitted to said access multiplexer via said second fiber optic transceiver, said first fiber optic transceiver and said analog fiber optic link and said POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) signals are transmitted to said Central Office via legacy UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pairs) lines.

19. A method of transmitting data received from a general-purpose network between a Central Office of a Public Switched Telephone Network and a subscriber'"'"'s premises, said method comprising:

receiving data from said general-purpose network;

converting said data into a plurality of signals, each of said signals representing a portion of said received data to be transmitted to a corresponding subscriber'"'"'s premises;

generating at least one wideband frequency division multiplexed signal from said plurality of signals;

transmitting said at least one frequency division multiplexed signal to a remote distribution point over a broadband communication link;

reconstructing said plurality of signals at said remote distribution point from said at least one wideband frequency division multiplexed signals;

transmitting each of said plurality of signals to said corresponding subscriber'"'"'s premise from said remote distribution point, and

wherein upstream data is received from said subscriber'"'"'s premises and one or more upstream frequency division multiplexed signals are constructed from said upstream data and transmitted to said general-purpose network.

20. A system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, said system comprising:

a centrally located broadband transceiver connected to pre-existing equipment and receiving the plurality of analog signals required to be transmitted to subscribers, said centrally located broadband transceiver combining said analog signals into one or more composite broadband analog signals by frequency domain multiplexing (FDM), said centrally located broadband transceiver then transmitting said composite broadband analog signal(s) in the downstream direction, and

a downstream direction broadband communications link, and

a remotely located broadband transceiver receiving said composite broadband analog signal(s) transmitted from said centrally located broadband transceiver via said downstream direction broadband communication link, said remotely located broadband transceiver reconstituting said plurality of analog signals and transmitting said analog signals required to be transmitted to the appropriate subscriber via said subscriber lines, and

wherein upstream data is received from said subscribers and one or more upstream frequency division multiplexed signals are constructed from said upstream data and transmitted to said general-purpose network.

21. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said analog signals are xDSL signals.

22. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said centrally located pre-existing equipment is a DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM).

23. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said upstream analog signals are generated by subscriber premises xDSL modems.

24. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said analog signals are wireless signals.

25. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, said system further comprising:

POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) splitters to separate POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) signals from xDSL signals, and

wherein xDSL signals are transmitted to said centrally located broadband transceiver via said broadband communication link and said POTS signals are transmitted to a Central Office of a Public Switched Telephone Network via legacy UTP (Unshielded Twisted Parts) lines.

26. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) signals are transmitted via said broadband communications link.

27. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said centrally located broadband transceiver is located at a Central Office of a Public Switched Telephone Network.

28. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said remotely located broadband transceiver is located in a street cabinet of a Public Switched Telephone Network.

29. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein channel bandwidth of said frequency division multiplexed signals is dynamically set.

30. The system for transmitting data from a general-purpose network to subscribers using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, as per claim 20, wherein said channel bandwidths are set at said centrally located broadband transceiver and said settings are communicated to said remotely located broadband transceiver via a management protocol.

31. A system for transmitting data from subsribers to a general-purpose data communication network using pairs of copper wire such as lines serving subscribers of the conventional telephone system over distances greater than that generally allowed by said subscriber lines, said system comprising:

a remotely located broadband transceiver unit receiving a plurality of analog signals from said subscribers via said subscriber lines, said remotely located broadband transceiver combining said analog signals into one or more composite broadband analog signals by frequency domain multiplexing (FDM), said remotely located broadband transceiver then transmitting said composite broadband analog signal(s) in the upstream direction, and

an upstream direction broadband communication link, and

a centrally located broadband transceiver unit receiving said composite broadband analog signal(s) transmitted from said remotely located broadband transceiver via said upstream direction broadband communications link, said centrally located broadband transceiver reconstituting said plurality of analog signals and delivering said analog signals to pre-existing equipment for delivery to said general-purpose data communications network, and

wherein upstream data is received from subscriber'"'"'s premises and one or more upstream frequency division multiplexed signals are constructed from said upstream data and transmitted to said general-purpose network.