WO2024167980A1 - Systems and methods for enhancing fiber-to-the-building/distribution point (fttb/dp) - Google Patents

Abstract

A device may include a fiber optic cable interface configured to couple with one or more fiber optic cables and further configured to receive and send optical networking signals. A device may include a conductor-based networking interface, configured to couple with one or more than one conductor-based networking cable, each conductor-based networking cable associated with one or more end user, each end user connecting one or more networking devices to each conductor-based networking cable, and each networking device configured to send networking signals to the conductor-based networking interface, receive networking signals from the conductor-based networking interface, and remotely power the optical network terminating device.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING FIBER-TO-THE- BUILDING/DISTRIBUTION POINT (FTTB/dP)

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

[001] This application claims priority from commonly owned US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/483,537, entitled: Enhancing Fiber-To-The-Building, filed on February 7, 2023. The disclosure of this aforementioned application is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND

[002] During the last couple of years, demand for reliable/high-speed Internet connections, propelled by the pandemic renewing consumer’s interest in such services, is rapidly gaining traction.

[003] The telecom industry, after exploring for more than a decade, through VDSL Vectoring, the (200Mbps) limits of copper-based networks, is finally taking a decisive step towards Gigabit- capable solutions, and heavily invests in deploying modern Fiber To The Home (FTTH) networks.

[004] In the process of moving towards such fiber optic based networks, several problems, which were overlooked by the sheer challenge of deploying fiber infrastructure along the streets, are becoming apparent, specifically with respect to extending fiber from the street towards MultiDwelling Units/Multi-Tenant Units (MDU/MTU) and Single-Dwelling Units/Single-Tenant Units (SDU/STU), herein after also interchangeably referred to as “buildings".

[005] Vertically Cabling MDU/MTU with fiber poses additional challenges, mostly due to legal and/or regulatory inconsistences in matters related to common spaces use (in apartment and small office complexes), but also due to lack of consensus among tenants on approving related (small scale) civil works.

[006] Consumers (subscribers, End-Users) may also be reluctant to deploy fiber infrastructure within their apartments and small office spaces, at least to the extent that most rooms will get a wired/fiber connection port, to which End-User networking equipment may connect and access the local LAN and the Internet.

[007] To address these challenges, Fiber-To-The-Building/distribution Point (FTTB/dP) may take advantage of readily available cabling infrastructure and use that infrastructure to eventually access the End Users’ residential space. Such readily available infrastructure may comprise Power lines cables, (Plain-Old) Telephony cables, and/or Network cables already installed in buildings as well as in individual houses and apartments. [008] There exist more than a few Physical Layer (PHY) solutions for delivering gigabit speeds networking across such readily available infrastructure, with IEEE 802.3bp and ITU- G.hn probably be the most well perceived ones.

[009] However, some limitations in the building-side cabling infrastructure (its topology), and/or in higher network layer mechanisms (above the PHY) may prevent efficient, cost effective, scalable, and thus wide spread deployment of FTTB/dP technologies.

SUMMARY

[0010] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an optical network terminating device comprising: a fiber optic cable interface configured to couple with one or more fiber optic cables and further configured to receive and send optical networking signals; and a conductorbased networking interface, configured to couple with one or more than one conductor-based networking cable, each conductor-based networking cable associated with one or more end user, each end user connecting one or more networking devices to each conductor-based networking cable, and each networking device configured to send networking signals to the conductor-based networking interface, receive networking signals from the conductor-based networking interface, and remotely power the optical network terminating device.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an end user networking device comprising at least: a conductor-based networking interface, configured to couple with one or more conductor-based networking cables and configured to send networking signals and receive networking signals through the conductor-based networking interface, wherein the end user networking device is additionally configured to send power on the coupled, one or more, conductor-based networking cables, when power, on the coupled, one or more, conductor-based networking cables, is not available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES:

[0013] In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views. The figures together with a detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate the embodiments and explain various principles and advantages, in accordance with the illustrative embodiments where: [0014] FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a Multi-Dwelling Unit/Multi-Tenant Unit (MDU/MTU) building [F], where a Fiber Optic Cable, terminating an optical network, is located in the Basement [C] of the building (the Optical Network’s Building Entrance Point or BEP).

[0015] FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a Single-Dwelling Unit/Single-Tenant Unit (SDU/STU) building [F], where a Fiber Optic Cable, terminating an optical network, is located on a Telephony Pole [H] near the building (the Optical Network’s Distribution Point or dP).

[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Terminal Equipment (TE) devices, installed at End-User premises.

[0017] FIG. 4 is an illustrative embodiment of a Bias Tee circuit used to couple and decouple low frequency (DC) and High Frequency (HF) signals.

[0018] FIG. 5 is an illustrative embodiment of an isolated, through an opto-coupler, voltage sensing circuit implemented using a resistor network and a Zener diode.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow-chart illustration of the steps End-User Terminal Equipment (TE) devices, installed at End-User premises, need to follow during their boot-up sequence and/or when an active connection to the Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination device is suddenly lost.

[0020] FIG.7 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in a non-isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 7 illustrates the r/s ONT-to-TE devices interface (before Figure 9).

[0021] FIG.8 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in a non-isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 8 details the MOSFET control circuit.

[0022] FIG.9 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in a non-isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 9 illustrates the power consumption sharing circuit (after Figure 7 and before Figure 10).

[0023] FIG.10 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in a non-isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 10 illustrates the DC/DC conversion stage (after Figure 9). [0024] FIG.ll is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in an isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 11 illustrates the r/s ONT-to-TE devices interface (before Figure 13).

[0025] FIG.12 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in an isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 12 details the MOSFET control circuit.

[0026] FIG.13 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in an isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 13 illustrates the power consumption sharing circuit (after Figure 11 and before Figure 14).

[0027] FIG.14 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of Remote/Shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) devices, in an isolated r/s ONT power consumption sharing setup - Specifically, Figure 10 illustrates the DC/DC conversion stage (after Figure 13).

[0028] It may be noted that to the extent possible, like reference numerals have been used to represent like elements in the drawings. Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not necessarily have been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, one or more elements may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

[0030] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof. [0031] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0032] Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect”, “another aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment”, and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0033] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub- systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

Terms

[0034] The term ‘PTN’ (Power, Telephony, Network) is used to broadly describe conductor based, cabling infrastructure that may comprise Power lines cables, (Plain-Old) Telephony cables, and/or Network cables, typically readily available in buildings as well as in individual houses and apartments, and within the scope of this document is used indistinguishably with other terms describing the same thing, such as, for example, ‘conductor based cabling’

[0035] The term ‘BEP’ (Building Entrance Point) within the scope of this document is used to broadly describe the point where the optical network terminates and may connect to End-User devices via PTN cabling. Within the scope of this document is used indistinguishably with other terms describing the same thing, such as, for example, ‘dP’ (distribution Point).

[0036] The term ‘BEP equipment’ is used to broadly describe active and passive equipment installed at the point where the optical network terminates, and within the scope of this document is used indistinguishably with other terms describing the same thing, such as ‘remote/shared Optical Network Terminal’, or ‘r/s ONT’.

[0037] Preserving the notion of ownership hierarchy/management of End-User Terminal Equipment (TE) connecting to the remote/shared ONT, together with properly (reverse) powering the remote/shared ONT from a plurality of TE, provides the key/basic infrastructure of this invention, while transparently bringing PTN and TE management under G.988 (OMCI) or similar provisions, targets to further improve End-User experience. [0038] Compared to other proposed systems and methods for terminating Optical Networks at a certain point and using, from that point, (typically readily available) conductor based (typically copper) cabling infrastructure to reach a plurality of final points-of-use (typically End-User Terminal Equipment/TE), this invention focuses in addressing the following inefficiencies: a. Other proposed systems and methods completely ignore the problem of electrical power been unavailable at the Optical Network Termination (ONT) point (e.g. the BEP), for powering active electronic equipment at that point (e.g. the r/s ONT).

This invention considers reverse powering the r/s ONT from (a plurality of) End-User TE, a ‘must have’ feature. b. Other proposed systems and methods, foresee some kind of a reverse powering scheme, e.g. from End-User TE to the r/s ONT, but fail to foresee a power sharing/management mechanism that will split power use among the (plurality of) active End-User TE at any given time. That creates unfair use conditions between the End-Users while fails to properly describe the response of such systems in dynamic environments where End-Users power up/down their equipment (e.g. how the r/s ONT work and how these transitions effect other End-Users).

This invention considers power sharing among the plurality of active End-User TE a prerequirement. c. Some proposed systems and methods foresee both a reverse powering scheme and a power sharing/management mechanism. These proposals however typically fail in efficiently addressing other critical/practical problems such as: i. Navigating Bootstrap Phase: some proposed power sharing/management mechanisms (incorrectly) assume that there is remote power available to boot them up initially, in order start commanding the power sharing/management process afterwards - which is technically not possible with the methods described. ii. One TE per End-User assumption (or failure to respect TE ownership hierarchies): previous art assumes only one TE installed at each End-User apartment/small-office, limiting the utilization of the actual capabilities of the underlying, PTN networks.

We know for example that (Plain Old, 2-wire or 4- wire) telephony networks reaching one apartment/small-office, provide more than one termination points (telephone plugs) - typically one in various rooms. If only one of these plugs, in one room, is used to connect a TE device, via conductor-based cabling, to the r/s ONT, additional type of networks will need to be deployed to provide network access on other rooms. With the ‘one TE per End-User assumption’, prior art does not have to detail how reverse power and power sharing works in such arrangements, but by not doing so fails to address true, real-life use-case scenarios.

Deploying additional networks to provide network access, from a single room to other rooms within an apartment/small-office, requires additional cable or radio infrastructure. Cable might be difficult to deploy and radio might be incapable to provide the needed coverage, requiring extra repeater and extender installations.

All of the above add costs and complexity, resulting in a poor End-User experience.

Topology

[0039] As mentioned herein before, in FTTB/dP deployments, some limitations in the buildingside cabling infrastructure (its topology), and/or limitations in higher network layer mechanisms (above the PHY) may prevent efficient, cost effective, scalable, and thus wide spread deployment of such (FTTB/dP) technologies.

[0040] A first limitation may relate to the need to establish, between End-User TE devices and the r/s ONT, network connections that align with the Power/Telephone/Network (PTN) physical cabling, but without losing the notion of the hierarchy of ownership and/or management of End- User TE connecting to the r/s ONT.

[0041] The r/s ONT may comprise one or more Optical Network interfaces, e.g. GPON interfaces, connecting the r/s ONT to an optical network and through that optical network to one or more service providers, for example, Internet, Telephony, Over-The-Top (OTT) media and/or the like. The r/s ONT may further comprise a conductor-based networking interface, configured to couple with one or more than one conductor-based PTN cables, connecting to individual/the End-User TE devices.

[0042] As such, all network traffic going through each of the End-User connections, between the End-User TE at the different apartments/small-offices, and the optical network, may pass through the r/s ONT.

[0043] A building’s cabling network, connecting individual End-User devices (e.g., router, access point, computer, smartphone, smart-television, tablet, connected device, etc.) to the fiber infrastructure reaching the r/s ONT, may employ one or more topologies, for example, point-to- point, multi-port bus, ring, mesh, and/or the like.

[0044] As such, it may be impossible to distinguish between traffic (links) from/to multiple (two or more) End-User devices connecting to r/s ONT from the same apartment/small-office (one End- User), and traffic from/to multiple End-User devices connecting to r/s ONT from one or more other apartments/small-offices (other End-Users). [0045] To overcome such limitations, the r/s ONT may map End-User devices and the building’s PTN cabling network details in order to address situations such as: a. For example, as seen in Figure 1, two End-User connections [l.a(5)] and [2.a(5)] may connect to the r/s ONT [4] via separate telephony twisted pairs. The r/s ONT [4] may comprise a GPON interface connecting the r/s ONT [4] to an optical network’s fiber infrastructure [3]. Such that all network traffic going between the End-User TE and the optical network goes through the r/s ONT [4].

The r/s ONT may therefore employ one or more mapping mechanism, for example, a routing table, and/or the like, for mapping each telephony twisted pair cable to respective End-Users. Through such mapping mechanisms the r/s ONT may offer advanced networking services such as dynamically allocating its available optical network bandwidth to specific End-Users based on the type of the service needed or asked. For example, IGbps optical network bandwidth shared as 1x500Mbps, 2x200Mbps and 1x100Mbps to four End-Users across their four, separate, telephony twisted pair cables.

Optionally, in order to ensure security, privacy, and/or integrity of the data exchanged between the r/s ONT and each of the End-User TE devices, via the PTN connections, the network traffic may be encrypted. For example, each of the End-Use TE device may be associated with a respective cryptographic key, for example, a symmetric cryptographic key, an asymmetric cryptographic key, and/or the like which may be used to encrypt the interwork traffic over the PTN connections going to the apartment/small-office associated with the respective End-User. b. As seen in Figure 1, traffic from/to two or more End-User TE devices plugged at [l.a(5)] and [l.b(5)] may connect to the r/s ONT from the same apartment/small-office such that they may reach the r/s ONT for connecting to the optical network via its e.g. GPON interface, but also connect to each other and/or other network devices (e.g. TE devices) in the same apartment.

In order to facilitate network connectivity between End-User TE devices in the same apartment/small-office, the r/s ONT device may act (operate), for example, like a Layer 2 switch routing the network traffic between End-User TE devices. In another example, assuming the End-User TE devices are capable of directly handling the communications between them, the r/s ONT may be adapted to ignore the network traffic exchanged between such End-User TE devices.

Optionally, network traffic encryption may apply in these use-case scenario too.

Power Supply

[0046] Another limitation may relate to the power consumption-sharing mechanisms for BEP devices, such as the r/s ONT, which are reverse powered from the End-User TE devices, via the PTN connections, typically connections other than the ones based on power-line cabling. [0047] Since, typically a plurality of End-User TE devices connect to a single BEP device, the BEP device power consumption may need to be shared between the multitude of End-User TE devices, which may be typically associated with (owned by) multiple different End-Users.

[0048] The alternative of statically assigning BEP device remote power feed to a single End-User is not only unfair on the basis of having all cost of BEP device power consumption covered by just one End-User, it also introduces a single point of failure in the related network. If the single End- User device statically assigned to reverse power the BEP device, such as the r/s ONT, faces a technical problem, or is just shut down, the BEP device and its connections, to other End-User TE devices and/or connection to the optical network, may collapse.

[0049] To avoid that, the BEP device may comprise one or more consumption balancing circuits, as the one appearing in Figures 7-10 (non-isolated balancing circuit) and 11-14 (isolated balancing circuit) with the two (non-isolated/isolated circuits) been equivalent and the functional description of either applies to both.

[0050] In Figure 7 for example, the balancing circuit may accept (e.g.) 12VDC, 24VDC, or 48VDC voltage and/or the like, along with High-Frequency (HF) data signaling over (e.g.) a pair of telephony wires reaching the BEP device from each End-User TE device [710 and 720]. The balancing circuit may be adapted to separate the HF and DC components such that:

[0051] The DC component (from each wire pair) may go through a Low Pass Filtering stage [714 and 724], and eventually DC/DC conversion [Figure 10] to one or more voltages needed for powering the BEP device (e.g. r/s ONT) electronics, for example, 10VDC, 5VDC, 3.3VDC, 1.5VDC, and/or the like.

[0052] The HF component may go through a High Pass Filtering stage [712 and 722] before headed towards the Analog Front End (AFE) of a PHY to recover the stream of data.

[0053] Power to the DC/DC conversion unit may be controlled by the BEP device (e.g. r/s ONT) to be equally shared among the active End-User connections.

[0054] Optionally, power to the DC/DC conversion unit may be controlled by the BEP device (e.g. r/s ONT) to be shared according to the number of End-User networking devices each End-User has connected, rather than per the sheer number of active connections, favoring End-Users with only one TE device connected.

[0055] Optionally, power to the DC/DC conversion unit may be controlled by the BEP device (e.g. r/s ONT) to be shared according to the volume of networking traffic each End-User is generating, favoring End-Users generating smaller volumes of network traffic.

[0056] Optionally, the BEP device (e.g. r/s ONT) may further control the reverse power mechanism to prohibit End-User TE devices from accessing the optical network if power is not delivered along with networking signaling. [0057] Moreover, the End-User TE devices may control the reverse power mechanism by sensing the presence of power on PTN cabling, to ensure that multiple End-User TE devices associated with a single End-User (consumer), do not feed (power) a single pair of wires in parallel.

Equipment Management and Firmware Upgrades

[0058] The functionalities outlined herein before, namely, preserving the notion of ownership over diverse PTN media and BEP equipment reverse power sharing, may be carried out by one or more discreet Integrated Circuits (ICs), electronics and even discreet devices having specialized PHYs, compute capabilities and/or their own Firmware.

[0059] FTTH networks have standardized ways to manage and control ONTs, such as, for example, the ones described in G.988 Optical network Management and Control Interface (OMCI).

[0060] In order to support interoperability, reduce cost and/or advance functionality, BEP devices, through their ONT functionalities, may be adapted to transparently (to the rest of the optical network) extend OMCI provisions to support management and control of the ICs, electronics and/or devices handling the communications over the PTN connections.

[0061] For example, but not limited to, ONT Software Image Download functionalities of G.988 may be used to download firmware images that combines, in binary, the images of one or more devices, for example, an ONT device, a PTN communication hardware at the BEP device end, a PTN communication hardware at the End-User’s end, the End-User’s TE device and the like.

[0062] As such, in order to upgrade the one or more, and potentially all, of these devices, a single unified firmware image, integrating multiple corresponding firmware images, may be downloaded to the BEP device which may extract the embedded firmware images from the unified image and upgrade the devices in the background optionally transparently from the optical network and/or the Optical Line Terminal (OLT).

End-User Terminal Equipment (TE) LED Synchronization

[0063] Finally, since the BEP device (r/s ONT) is deployed remotely from the End-User (consumer) apartment/small-office where the End-User TE devices are located, the End-Users TE devices may have no access to status information related to the optical network since the optical network terminates (ends) at the BEP device.

[0064] In order to promote End-User awareness on the status of the full network stack in operation, the BEP device (r/s ONT) may be adapted to relay (communicate) the information related to the optical network (e.g. GPON) status, optionally in-band, to one or more End-User TE devices and/or the equipment terminating the PTN connections at the End-User(s) premises.

[0065] For example, but not limited to, the BEP device may be adapted to remotely operate and/or control one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LED) of one or more of the devices at the End-User’s premises, for example, the TE device, according to the GPON status. For example, the BEP device (r/s ONT) may remotely control a LED to: blink (e.g. green) when the BEP device is connected to the optical (e.g. GPON) network, but not authenticated by the OLT, stay constantly on (e.g. green) when BEP device is connected to the optical (e.g. GPON) network and authenticated by the OLT, or stay constantly on (e.g. red) when no fiber is connected or the fiber is cut.

Multi and Single Dwelling/Tenant Units

[0066] Figure 1 illustrates a setup where a remote/shared ONT (r/s ONT) is installed in the basement of a Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) building, servicing as the Building Entrance Point (BEP) of an Optical Network. Two apartments, representing two End-Users, are illustrated as DI and D2, even though more apartments, representing more End-Users, may exist.

[0067] An equivalent installation, for a Single Dwelling Unit (SDU) this time, having the r/s ONT installed on a pole [H], servicing as the Distribution Point [dP] of an Optical Network, appears on Figure 2. One apartment, representing one End-User, is illustrated as D, even though more Single Dwelling Units, representing more End-Users, connecting to the same pole [H] may exist.

[0068] The r/s ONT connects to an Optical Network through a fiber optic cable [3], and to the End-Users through: the Plain old telephony wiring board [G], the individual 2-wire telephony cables extending from [G] to each individual apartment, and the telephony plugs [5] in apartment rooms. Alternatively, r/s ONT can connect to End-Users though any other type of electrically conductive cabling infrastructure.

[0069] 2-wire, twisted pair telephony cables appear as solid lines, power line cables appear as dashed lines. These two cable networks broadly illustrate the physical cabling of the building, termed PTN (Power, Telephony, and Network) within the scope of this document - with Network, or any other type of electrically conductive cable, not implicitly illustrated.

[0070] End-User Terminal Equipment (TE) connect to telephony plugs [5], power line plugs [6], or other cable terminals, such as Ethernet RJ45 plugs -with the latest not illustrated in Figure 1 to preserve reading clarity- depending on the type of PTN cabling used.

[0071] The r/s ONT is remotely powered by a plurality of TE devices, since many apartments (and maybe more TE devices) connect to it from within the building.

The r/s ONT - TE connection implements a high-speed/data electrical interface, such as ITU-G.hn or 1Gb Single-pair Ethernet, while additionally carries a low power (typically 10W or less), low frequency (typically DC) feed, directed from the plurality of TEs towards the r/s ONT to (remotely) power the r/s ONT.

[0072] The high-speed/data signal is superimposed to the power feed (e.g. a 24VDC or 48VDC) with the use of typical Bias Tee circuits (Figure 4). [0073] In the case the high-speed/data electrical interface is deployed over power line cables, reverse powering might not be needed, and this invention might not apply, unless coupling, isolating and converting many high-power line/voltages to the low power ones needed to operate the r/s ONT electronics is not practical (economically or technically), and employing different cables, such as the telephony cables, to reverse power the r/s ONT, makes sense.

[0074] In the case the high-speed/data electrical interface is deployed over other types of cabling, when more than one TE devices are associated with a single End-User, and connect to the r/s ONT from that single End-User’s apartment/small-office, additional provisions are needed to ensure that only one such TE device remotely powers the r/s ONT.

Terminal Equipment (TE) Provisions

[0075] Figure 3 illustrate in a block diagram the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) provisions such TE devices need to have. The microcontroller [316], which appears in this diagram as an independent component for clarity, can actually be part of any other component that can provide the needed functionality, for example the G.hn Digital Base Band System on Chip (DBB SoC) [336].

[0076] Figure 6 provides a flow-chart illustration of the steps such TE devices need to follow during boot-up in order to properly add the (reverse) power feed bias across the TE-r/s ONT interface.

[0077] The TE in the Figure 3/Figure 6 example has a G.hn interface towards the r/s ONT (external network), and a 1G Ethernet interface towards other End-User devices such as routers, access points, computers etc. (internal network), however the same applies to other high-speed/data electrical interfaces too.

[0078] Figure 3 shows that the microcontroller [316] orchestrating the TE operations has access to one ‘Relay Control’ (output from the microcontroller) and an analog ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ signal (input to the microcontroller).

[0079] The ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ enables the microcontroller [316] to sense that sufficient voltage (and maybe current) appears across the RJ-11 connector [342] and the Telephony Wall Plug [344]. ‘Sence’, in the context of the previous sentence can mean ‘actually measure’ the voltage through an A/D converter, or simply check if the voltage exceeds a certain threshold, for example through a resistor-Zener diode arrangement [Figure 5].

[0080] The ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ appears to interface the microcontroller to the ‘Sense’ circuitry through an optocoupler (or opto-isolator) [324 and Figure 5]. However, any type of interface that is not jeopardizing the electrical stability and safety of the interface and/or the microcontroller can be used. [0081] Through ‘Relay Control’, the microcontroller controls a solid-state relay, an electromechanical relay, or any other type of electrically controlled switch [322]. That switch connects (or not) the Wall Mount Adapter [310] delivering (to TE) voltage, through a DC Connector [312], to the Bias Tee [340], effectively providing the power component that reverse powers the r/s ONT. Normally, that switch is open, and no voltage is applied to the Bias Tee.

[0082] Further, a rectifier bridge [326] corrects possible polarity inconsistencies across the RJ-11 connector wiring [324]

[0083] Figure 3 also shows that the microcontroller may additionally need access to least one byte of Flash memory [318], or any other type of programmable non-volatile memory, internal to the microcontroller or external, to efficiently operate the ‘Relay Control’.

[0084] During TE boot/power-up sequence, the TE follows the Figure 6 flow-chart to decide about enabling the ‘Relay Control’, which is normally disabled, and as a result close the Relay [322], which is normally open. Specifically:

[0085] The TE checks the status of its internal network interface [610]. Unless there is an internal network device connected (a home router [330] in Figure 3 example) and active, the process of changing ‘Relay Control’ status is halted [618].

[0086] The word ‘active’ in the context of the previous sentence can mean either a) the internal network device is simply connected (auto-negotiate process complete and Eink Integrity/Normal Link pulses are successfully exchanged), b) that actual data are exchanged over the interface, or c) that data exchanged over the interface need to be communicated to r/s ONT. Choosing if a, b or c moves to the next flow-chart step is up to each specific application preferences.

[0087] If the internal network interface is connected and active, the microcontroller checks if the external network interface is connected and active too [612], by querying G.hn DBB SoC [336] in Figure 3.

[0088] If the external interface is connected and/or active too, the microcontroller stores the value 0x00 in its programmable Non-volatile memory address termed ‘Previous Powering Status Value’ [320] and the process of changing ‘Relay Control’ status is halted [618].

[0089] Alternatively, the TE then checks [614] for the presence of voltage across the RJ-11 connector [342] and the Telephony Wall Plug interface [344] (‘External Network Voltage Sense’ input). If there is voltage, the microcontroller stores the value 0x00 in its programmable Nonvolatile memory address termed ‘Previous Powering Status Value’ [320] and the process of changing ‘Relay Control’ status is halted [618]. [0090] If the internal interface is connected and active, the external interface is not connected, and there is no Voltage sensed on ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ input [324], the microcontroller [316] checks [616] for the stored value in its programmable Non-volatile memory address ‘Previous Powering Status Value’ [320].

[0091] If the value stored is 0x01, the microcontroller [316] enables the ‘Relay Control’ output, providing voltage to the Bias Tee [340]. If the value stored is 0x00, the microcontroller waits a random amount of time [622], increases an internal counter that can be named ‘Just A Counter’ (JAC) [624] and checks ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ again [626].

[0092] If voltage is now sensed, the process of changing ‘Relay Control’ status is halted [618].

[0093] If not, the process of waiting a random amount of time [622] and checking ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ [626] is repeated for a given or random number of times (randomly chosen 5 times in Figure 6 example).

[0094] If all checks [628] confirm no voltage on the ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ input, the microcontroller stores the value 0x01 in its programmable Non-volatile memory address termed ‘Previous Powering Status Value’ [320] and enables the ‘Relay Control’ output [620], providing voltage to the Bias Tee [340].

[0095] The random amount of waiting time can for example be 1-10 time units, and time units can for example be 0.1-0.5sec long, depending on the type of relay used, while the random amount of times the ‘External Network Voltage Sense’ check is repeated can for example be 1-5 times.

[0096] The TE boot/power-up sequence process can also be invoked when an active connection to the r/s ONT is suddenly lost.

[0097] More advanced TE boot/power-up management techniques may be applied to limit the chances of having multiple customer TE devices entering a race condition for powering up the r/s ONT. Such techniques may involve prioritizing the power provision sequence by direct priority assignments, use of unique IDs, such as the MAC address of the 1G ethernet interface, etc. and can be part of a r/s ONT-TE management protocol.

[0098] Less advanced TE boot/power-up management techniques may be applied to limit the cost of TE devices, by replacing the Relay [322] with a manually operated switch.

[0099] Additionally, when more than one TE devices are associated with a single End-User and one such TE device is reverse powering the r/s ONT, additionally to reverse powering the r/s ONT only, that TE device can be used to reverse power the other TE devices too, assuming the reverse powering electronics are properly sized to feed, additionally to the r/s ONT, more TE devices.

Remote/shared Optical Network Termination (r/s ONT) provisions

[00100] Figures 7-10 and 11-14 illustrate in two block diagrams the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) provisions r/s ONT devices need to have depending on if a full-isolated or a non-isolated interface is needed between the r/s ONT and the TE devices (Figures 11-14 and Figure 7-10 respectively). The key differentiation between the two possibilities is highlighted in Figure 8 (non-isolated) and Figure 12 (isolated). Other than that highlighted differentiation, the two (non-isolated/isolated) block diagrams are equivalent and the functional description of either applies to both.

[00101] Figures 7-10 and 11-14 additionally illustrate two End-User devices connecting to the r/s ONT. All End-User circuitry is symmetric and the description of either End-User circuit functionality applies to both. In Specific: 710, 712, 714, 910 are equivalent to 720, 722, 724, 930 and/or 1110, 1112, 1114, 1310 and/or 1120, 1122, 1124, 1330.

[00102] At the r/s ONT end, the combined high-speed/data signal (HF) and the power feed (DC signal) from each End-User [710] is originally split into its DC and HF components, through a pair of Low-Pass [714] and High-Pass [712] filters (Practically a Bias Tee - as in Figure 4), reversing the procedure followed by each End-User’s TE equipment.

[00103] Only two End-User TE devices are illustrated in these Figures for clarity, but more can connect from other End-Users (different apartments/small-offices) and/or from these End-Users (same apartments/small-offices) having more than one TE device.

[00104] The r/s ONT in these examples have G.hn interface towards the End-User TE devices (internal network), and a GPON interface towards the optical network it connects to (external network). Other types of network interfaces can be used on either, internal and external, network sides.

[00105] The high-speed/data (HF) Bias Tee output signal, ‘x.a. Data out to AFE’ in Figure 7 connects to the G.hn Analog Front End (AFE) [Figure 3, 338], and eventually to a G.hn DBB [Figure 3, 336] for processing and data insertion-extraction.

[00106] The DC components are originally sampled (‘x.a. Sence’ signals in Figure 7 and Figure 9) by a microcontroller [920] to sense the presence (or not) of an active End-User Device/power feed.

[00107] A Pulse-Width modulated microcontroller output is driving the gate of a MOSFET [910], regulating the amount of power (%) each source will be contributing in a time-sharing, for example, manner. [00108] MOSFET outputs (Figure 9) go through a DC/DC Converter (Figure 10), generating a regulated voltage that will power all r/s ONT electronics, such as the ones of the internal (G.hn in this example) and external (GPON in this example) network interfaces, as well as the MOSFET controlling microcontroller itself.

[00109] Figure 8, as previously mentioned, details the electronic circuitry needed to drive the gate of the MOSFETs, to make sure that powering the MOSFET controlling microcontroller during boot-up will be possible, when a non-isolated interface between the TE and the r/s ONT is needed.

[00110] Figure 12, as previously mentioned, details the electronic circuitry needed to drive the gate of the MOSFETs, to make sure that powering the MOSFET controlling microcontroller during boot-up will be possible, when a fully isolated interface between the TE and the r/s ONT is needed.

Equipment management

[00111] The availability of high speed/data interfaces between the r/s ONT and the TEs, and the fact that most (probably all) modern electronic communication integrated circuits (IC) actually are Systems on Chip (SoCs) with important computing capabilities, allows r/s ONTs and TEs to interact in software-defined ways.

[00112] For example, the r/s ONT external network interfacing SoC, e.g. GPON SoC, in order to comply with G.988 Optical network Management and Control Interface (OMCI) standard, needs/has important integrated computing capabilities.

[00113] For example, the r/s ONT internal network interfacing SoC, as well as TE external network interfacing SoC, e.g. G.hn SoCs, in order to allow End-Users and Network Operator’s field engineers to connect and configure their operational parameters, typically host light-weight html and/or JSON servers, so typically need/have important integrated computing capabilities too.

[00114] Through that/these high speed/data interfaces and integrated computing capabilities, r/s ONT and TE devices can advance the functionalities and interoperabilities presented herein.

[00115] For example, but not limited to, r/s ONT Software Image Download functionalities of G.988 may be used to download firmware images that combines, in binary, the images of both the r/s ONT and the TE, split the TE part of the firmware image binary and trigger TE devices, typically through their html or JSON interfaces, to download and install the/that TE part of the firmware image binary.

[00116] For example, but not limited to, r/s ONT can communicate to TE devices the status of a LED, typically available to ONTs, and command a TE device LED to: blink (e.g. green) when the r/s ONT device is connected to the optical (e.g. GPON) network, but not authenticated by the OLT, stay constantly on (e.g. green) when r/s ONT device is connected to the optical (e.g. GPON) network and authenticated by the OLT, or stay constantly on (e.g. red) when no fiber is connected to the r/s ONT or the fiber is cut.

[00117] For example, but not limited to, the r/s ONT could also assign the reverse powering sequence priority of the TE devices operated from a single apartment/small-office though setting the values on each TE device programmable, Non-volatile memory address termed ‘Previous Powering Status Value’ (Figure 3 and Figure 6) to, for example ‘rotate’ the reverse powering device, among the ones operated by a single End-User, so not always one TE device offers the reverse powering bias, limiting that/each particular TE device thermal stresses.

[00118] While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

[00119] The figures and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An optical network terminating device comprising: a fiber optic cable interface configured to couple with one or more fiber optic cables and further configured to receive and send optical networking signals; and a conductor-based networking interface, configured to couple with one or more conductorbased networking cable, each conductor-based networking cable associated with one or more end user, each end user connecting one or more networking devices to the conductorbased networking cable, and each networking device configured to send networking signals to the conductor-based networking cable, receive networking signals from the conductorbased networking cable, and remotely power the optical network terminating device.

2. The optical network terminating device of Claim 1, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to selectively prohibit access to the optical network if power is not delivered along with networking signaling by the end user networking devices.

3. The optical network terminating device of Claim 1, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to share its power consumption among end user networking devices.

4. The optical network terminating device of Claim 3, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to share its power consumption among end user networking devices equally.

5. The optical network terminating device of Claim 3, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to share its power consumption among end user networking devices according to the number of end-user networking devices each end-user has connected.

6. The optical network terminating device of Claim 3, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to share its power consumption among end user networking devices according the volume of networking traffic each end-user is generating.

7. The optical network terminating device of Claim 3, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to share its power consumption among end user networking devices according the volume of networking traffic each end-user networking device is generating.

8. The optical network terminating device of Claim 1, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized optical network management and control interfaces to transparently manage and control end user networking devices.

. The optical network terminating device of Claim 8, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use ONT Software Image Download functionalities of G.988 to download binary images for end user networking devices.

10. The optical network terminating device of Claim 1, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized or proprietary end user device interfaces to manage and control end user networking devices.

11. The optical network terminating device of Claim 10, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized or proprietary interfaces on the end user devices to upload binary images to end user networking devices.

12. The optical network terminating device of Claim 10, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized or proprietary interfaces on the end user devices to relay optical network status information to end user networking devices.

13. The optical network terminating device of Claim 10, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized or proprietary interfaces on the end user devices to control visual or auditory apparatus of end user networking devices.

14. The optical network terminating device of Claim 10, wherein the optical network terminating device is configured to use standardized or proprietary interfaces on the end user devices to control the remote power functionality of the end user networking devices.

15. An end user networking device comprising at least: a conductor-based networking interface, configured to couple with one or more conductorbased networking cable, each conductor-based networking cable associated with an end user having one or more end user networking devices coupled thereto, and each such end user networking device configured to send networking signals to the conductor-based networking cable, receive networking signals from the conductor-based networking cable, and power the conductor-based networking cable, when power, on the conductor-based networking cable, is not available.

16. The end user networking device of Claim 15, further configured to selectively receive power from the coupled, one or more, conductor-based networking cables, when power, on the coupled, one or more, conductor-based networking cables, is available.

17. The end user networking device of claim 15, wherein the end user device is using a switch to send power on the coupled, one or more, conductor-based networking cables.

18. The end user networking device of Claim 17, wherein the switch is at least one of a solid- state relay, an electromechanical relay, and an electrically controlled switch.

19. The end user networking device of Claim 17, wherein the switch is a dip-switch, a jumper switch or any other type of manually controlled switch.

20. The end user networking device of Claim 15, further comprising: at least one of a flash memory, or any other type of programmable non-volatile memory.