WO2008045359A2 - Cable indicators, cable mapper, and cable system - Google Patents

Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2801—Broadband local area networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/02—Details
  • H04L12/10—Current supply arrangements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/10—Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
  • H04N7/102—Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02D—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
  • Y02D30/00—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
  • Y02D30/50—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Definitions

• Cable systems generally include a fiber backbone, for example a fiber ring, with a plurality of nodes. Off each node, a main trunk cable delivers RF cable signals over a coaxial cable. This trunk cable typically includes power of 60 to 90 volts of alternating current at 20 amp, as well as the RF signal.
• the trunk cable may send signals to branch cables off the trunk cable.
• the branch signals generally will have a plurality of taps, often for eight cables which feed directly to the home or office.
• the branch cable typically will have power similar to the trunk cable, but after the tap, the power is disconnected so as not to provide power into a dwelling or office.
• the tap will typically have an inlet for the branch cable, and then an outlet for the branch cable to continue.
• EOL end-of-line
• the present invention provides a cable system having a fiber node, a truck cable off the fiber node, branch cables off the truck cable, and a plurality of location indicators connected to the branch cables or the trunk cable, each location indicator including a cable modem and being powered by the branch cable or trunk cable.
• the present invention also provides a cable indicator including a cable modem and an AC-DC power converter, the power converter supplying the cable modem with DC power.
• the present invention also provides a cable system mapper comprising a plurality of location indicators located on a cable system and being located separately from service recipients at known locations, and a database storing the location of each location indicator and a MAC address of the location indicator.
• Fig. 1 shows a cable system 10 with a fiber optic loop 12.
• a fiber node 20 provides cable signals and power to a trunk cable 30, off of which a plurality of branch cables 42, 44, 46, 48, each also having cable signals and power, branch.
• branch cables 42, 44, 46, 48 each also having cable signals and power, branch.
• a fiber node will supply 100 to 500 homes via the trunk and branch cables.
• Tap lines 62, 64, 66 branch off the taps, and typically do not include power, but solely cable signals.
• the tap 52 for example may have eight ports for the tap lines to eight homes.
• each branch and trunk cable typically is an end of line tap 70, 72, 74, 76, shown at the right as well.
• the end of line tap 72 receives power and a signal from cable 42 at an inlet 73, and has a serial outlet with power and a signal at 75.
• a location indicator 80 can be connected to the outlet 75, via a coaxial cable. As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality, but not necessarily all of the branch cables and the trunk cable, will have a location indicator 80, 82, 88 attached.
• Each location indicator 80 receives power and a signal at an input 81. As shown in Fig. 3, the input is split so power passes to an AC-DC power converter circuit 86 which converts the 60-90V AC power supplies by the cable into a 12VDC output to power both a microcontroller 84 and a cable modem 82.
• the microcontroller 84 may be programmed to send a modem signal at a known interval, for example every 10 minutes, as a function of the MAC address of the cable modem.
• the microcontroller 84 also could send a dynamically or statically assigned IP address (typically inked to the MAC address), assigned for example at a head end by the cable service provider.
• a database is updated assigning the location, by for example address or branch or trunk cable indicator, to the MAC address of the location indicator, for example as follows:
• the cable company may or may not need the actual location or branch cable information, depending on the mapping they require.
• a mapper 90 for example a processor with software, or circuitry, of the cable system sends a request to the cable modems of location indicators 80, 82, 88 (for example via a dynamically assigned IP addresses linked to the MAC addresses) to send back a replies. If for example, the location indicator 88 fails to respond, the cable company can know that a problem is occurring on branch cable 48. The cable company also knows that cables 42 and 44 are fine, if proper signals are received. [0023] The use of the power directly from the cable system has a great advantage in that power outages from the utility grid need not affect the location indicator, nor does unplugging by customers.
• the power converter may be for example convert the cable power to 12 volts at 300 milliamps, and may include a transformer or recitifler.
• the cable modem may be one commercially available for example from Scientific-Atlantic or Cisco.
• the location indicators preferably, but need not, be located at the end-of-line taps.
• the indicators 80, 82 need also not be location indicators, but could be used for other service possibilities, such as indicating signal power or other characteristics of the cable.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Cable Transmission Systems, Equalization Of Radio And Reduction Of Echo (AREA)
• Insulated Conductors (AREA)

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=39283392

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Citations (4)

• 2007
  • 2007-10-05 EP EP07839321A patent/EP2070324A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-10-05 WO PCT/US2007/021454 patent/WO2008045359A2/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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