Radio-over-fiber (ROF) system for protocol-independent wired and/or wireless communication

• US 9,219,879 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: George, Jacob, Sauer, Michael, Thelen, Dean Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US14/146,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 398/115, 398/116, 398/117, 398/118, 398/128, 398/130, 398/45, 398/48, 398/49, 398/50, 398/58, 398/79, 398/66, 398/68, 398/72, 398/57, 398/126, 455/561, 455/562.1, 455/562, 455/445, 455/422, 455/524, 455/560, 455/403, 370/329, 370/315, 370/328, 370/318, 370/351, 370/352, 370/465, 370/466, 370/503, 370/474
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25751 Optical arrangements for CATV or video distribution adaptations of television systems for optical transmission H04N7/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• 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: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A switched wireless system is used to increase the range of peer-to-peer communications. The optically-switched fiber optic communication system includes a head-end unit (HEU) having a switch bank. Cables couple the HEU to one or more remote access points in different coverage areas. The switch bank in the HEU provides a link between the remote access points in the different coverage areas such that devices in the different cellular coverage areas communicate with each other, such as through videoconferencing. By using the switched communication system, the range and coverage of communication between devices may be extended such that devices in different coverage areas and devices using different communication protocols can communicate.

Claims

1. A method of videoconferencing between a first peer device in a first coverage area and a second peer device in a second different coverage area, comprising:

linking a plurality of broadband access points to a head-end unit (HEU) via a plurality of cables, each of the plurality cables having at least one optical fiber and being configured to carry a signal from the HEU to the plurality of broadband access points;

forming a first coverage area associated with a first one of the plurality of broadband access points;

forming a second coverage area associated with a second one of the plurality of broadband access points different from the first coverage area;

using an optical switch bank to dynamically establish a link over at least one of the plurality of cables to allow the first peer device to videoconference with the second peer device at least in part over the link;

receiving a request to establish videoconferencing between the first peer device and the second peer device from one of the first and second peer devices, wherein

the first one of the plurality of broadband access points communicates with the first peer device and the second one of the plurality of broadband access points communicates with the second peer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to establish videoconferencing is received by a first remote access point located in the first coverage area and in wireless communication with the first peer device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving communications from the second peer device communicated wirelessly to a second remote access point located in the second coverage area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second remote access points are Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second WLAN remote access points each include an electrical-to-optical converter pair and an antenna system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second WLAN remote access points are located on different floors of a building infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second broadband access points are located on different floors of a building infrastructure.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the remote access points comprises at least one of a radio frequency (RF) input/output, a DC input/output, and an optical input/output.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second broadband access points are located on different floors of a building infrastructure.

10. A wireless communication system configured to provide videoconferencing, comprising:

a head-end unit (HEU) having an optical switch bank; and

a plurality of fiber optic cables each comprising at least one optical fiber and configured to carry a Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) signal from the HEU to a plurality of remote access points, wherein a first one of the plurality of remote access points is configured to form a corresponding first coverage area, and a second one of the plurality of remote access points is configured to form a corresponding second, different coverage area,

wherein the optical switch bank is configured to establish a RoF-based optical link over at least one of the plurality of fiber optic cables such that a first peer device in the first coverage area can videoconference with a second peer device in the second coverage area over the RoF-based optical link, and

wherein the HEU is further configured to receive a request from a first one of the first and second peer devices to videoconference with a second one of the first and second peer devices via at least one WLAN access point associated with at least one of the first and second peer devices.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the first one of the plurality of remote access points is configured to wirelessly communicate with the first peer device and the second one of the plurality of remote access points is configured to wirelessly communicate with the second peer device.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein the first and second ones of the plurality of remote access points are broadband access points.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein the HEU is optically coupled to the at least one WLAN access point via a fiber optic cable comprising at least one optical fiber.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein the first and second remote access points each include an electrical-to-optical converter pair and an antenna system.

15. An optical fiber-based wireless communication system configured to provide videoconferencing, comprising:

a head-end unit (HEU) having an optical switch bank;

a plurality of fiber optic cables configured to carry a signals from the HEU to a plurality of broadband access points, wherein a first one of the plurality of broadband access points is configured to form a corresponding first coverage area, and a second one of the plurality of broadband access points is configured to form a corresponding second, different coverage area; and

at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access point,

wherein the optical switch bank is configured to establish an RoF-based optical link over at least one of the plurality of fiber optic cables such that a first peer device in the first coverage area can communicate with a second peer device in the second coverage area at least in part over the RoF-based optical link, and

the at least one WLAN access point is configured to receive a request from either of the first and second peer devices to establish videoconferencing between the first and second peer devices.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 15, wherein the first and second broadband access points each include an electrical-to-optical converter pair and an antenna system.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 16, wherein the first and second broadband access points are located on different floors of a building infrastructure.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the first one of the plurality of broadband access points is configured to wirelessly communicate with the first peer device using a different wireless communication protocol than a protocol used by the second one of the plurality of broadband access points to wirelessly communicate with the second peer device.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the optical switch bank further comprises at least one optical amplifier.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the HEU further comprises a video broadcast unit configured to split a video signal received at the HEU to a plurality of devices over a plurality of fiber optic cables.