Provisioning of new broadband communication services using reverse power feeding

An access node comprising:

• a transceiver adapted to operate a new broadband communication service over a terminal segment of a subscriber loop;
• a power supply unit adapted to supply power to the access node from a power feeding signal injected by a power sourcing equipment over the terminal segment of the subscriber loop;
• a switch having a first pair of terminals for coupling to the terminal segment of the subscriber loop, a second pair of terminals for coupling to a further segment of the subscriber loop, and a third pair of terminals coupled to the transceiver and to the power supply unit;
• a switch controller adapted to configure the switch in a first switching state wherein the first and second pairs of terminals are connected to each other, or in a second switching state wherein the first and third pairs of terminals are connected to each other,
• wherein the access node further comprises a power accumulator adapted to accumulate an electrical charge from at least one command signal of a sequence of successive command signals transmitted over the terminal segment of the subscriber loop by the power sourcing equipment while the switch is configured in the first switching state,
• wherein the access node further comprises a receiver coupled to the power accumulator and adapted to detect a valid command signal in the sequence of successive command signals by means of the so-accumulated electrical charge,
• and wherein the switch controller is coupled to the power accumulator and is further adapted, upon detection of the valid command signal, to configure the switch in the second switching state by means of the so-accumulated electrical charge.

A power sourcing equipment comprising:

• a power injector adapted to inject a power feeding signal over a terminal segment of a subscriber loop for reverse power feeding of an access node, wherein the access node is located between the power sourcing equipment and a service provider on the subscriber loop;
• and
• a transmitter adapted to transmit a sequence of successive command signals over the terminal segment of the subscriber loop prior to the insertion of the power feeding signal, wherein
• the sequence of successive command signals are transmitted for initial and partial reverse power feeding of the access node, and further for connection of the terminal segment of the subscriber loop to
• a transceiver of the access node adapted to operate a new broadband communication service, and to
• a power supply unit of the access node adapted to supply power to the access node from the power feeding signal.

A subscriber device comprising:

• a power sourcing equipment including,
• a power injector adapted to inject a power feeding signal over a terminal segment of a subscriber loop for reverse power feeding of an access node, wherein the access node is located between the power sourcing equipment and a service provider on the subscriber loop, and
• a transmitter adapted to transmit a sequence of successive command signals over the terminal segment of the subscriber loop prior to the insertion of the power feeding signal, wherein
• the sequence of successive command signals are transmitted for initial and partial reverse power feeding of the access node, and further for connection of the terminal segment of the subscriber loop to
• a transceiver of the access node adapted to operate a new broadband communication service, and to
• a power supply unit of the access node adapted to supply power to the access node from the power feeding signal.