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US 12,719,578 B2Granted
Wireless network architecture using optical cabling
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsBrian D. Hart, Ardalan Alizadeh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wireless network architecture with optical connections is described, the architecture enables fronthaul connections that ensure reliable communication between RH and central controllers without being hampered by impairments and other interference in the connections. The architecture includes a central control system, a plurality of radio heads, and a plurality of optical fiber fronthaul connections between the central control system and the plurality of radio heads.
Claims14
A method comprising:
- receiving, at a central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection, an uplink (UL) optical signal from a connected radio head (RH) in a communication network;
- processing, at the central control system, the UL optical signal into a plurality of data streams for a network layer in the communication network, wherein the UL optical signal comprises a filtered UL digital signal, the processing comprising:
- demultiplexing the filtered UL digital signal to isolate a plurality of antenna signals,
- processing the plurality of antenna signals using a mixer module, a decimation module and a switch matrix to produce a plurality of mixed and decimated signals,
- processing the plurality of mixed and decimated signals using digital signal processing to produce decoded data, and
- providing the decoded output to a media access control module;
- receiving, from the network layer, a downlink (DL) data stream for transmission to the connected RH;
- and
- processing the DL data stream into a DL optical signal;
- and
- transmitting the DL optical signal to the connected RH.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, from a client device, a plurality of received (Rx) signals via a plurality of antennas in a radio head (RH);
- processing the plurality of Rx signals at the RH to generate an uplink (UL) optical signal, wherein the UL optical signal comprises filtered digital signals, the processing comprising:
- filtering the plurality of Rx signals,
- converting the plurality of Rx signals to a plurality of analog optical signals, and
- multiplexing the plurality of analog optical signals into the UL optical signal;
- transmitting the UL optical signal from the RH to a central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection;
- receiving downlink (DL) optical signal from the central control system via the optical fiber fronthaul connection, wherein the DL optical signal comprises upsampled and mixed digital signals;
- processing the DL optical signal at the RH to generate a plurality of transmission (Tx) signals, wherein processing the DL optical signal to generate a plurality of transmission (Tx) signals comprises:
- demultiplexing the DL optical signal into a plurality of DL optical signals;
- converting the DL optical signals to DL upsampled and mixed digital signals;
- and
- converting the of DL upsampled and mixed digital signals into the plurality of Tx signals;
- and
- transmitting the plurality of Tx signals via the plurality of antennas.
11 more elements
A networking system comprising:
- a central control system;
- a plurality of radio heads;
- and
- a plurality of optical fiber fronthaul connections between the central control system and the plurality of radio heads;
- wherein the central control system comprises a plurality of hardware components, a control processor coupled to the plurality of hardware components and configured to perform a control operation comprising:
- receiving, at the central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection, an uplink (UL) optical signal from a radio head (RH) of the plurality of RHs in a communication network, wherein the UL optical signal comprises a mixed and filtered digital signal;
- processing, at the central control system, the UL optical signal into a plurality of data streams for a network layer in the communication network, the processing comprising:
- demultiplexing the UL optical signal to isolate a plurality of mixed and filtered digital signals,
- processing the plurality of mixed and filtered digital signals using a switch matrix, and
- processing an output of the switch matrix using digital signal processing to produce decoded data;
- receiving, from the network layer, a downlink (DL) data stream for transmission to the RH;
- and
- processing the DL data stream into a DL optical signal;
- and
- transmitting the DL optical signal to the RH using the optical fiber fronthaul connection;
- and
- wherein the RH comprises a plurality of hardware components and a RH processor coupled to the plurality of hardware components and configured to perform a RH operation comprising:
- receiving, from a client device, a plurality of received (Rx) signals via an antenna in the RH;
- processing the plurality of Rx signals to generate the uplink (UL) optical signal;
- transmitting the UL optical signal to the central control system via the optical fiber fronthaul connection;
- receiving the downlink (DL) optical signal from the central control system via the optical fiber fronthaul connection;
- processing the DL optical signal to generate a plurality of transmission (Tx) signals;
- and
- transmitting the plurality of Tx signals via the antenna.
21 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.