Line powered loop extender with communications, control, and diagnostics
Assignee2Wire, Inc.
InventorsAndrew L. Norrell, James T. Schley-May
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A DSL network for improving the transmission of DSL signals includes a plurality of local loops for transmission of upstream and downstream DSL signals, control signals, and DC power, a plurality of loop extenders with communications, control, and diagnostic functionality for amplifying the DSL signals, a loop extender communications/power supply for receiving the DC power and control signals, providing DC power to the plurality of loop extenders, and broadcasting the received control signals to the plurality of loop extenders, and a central office controller/power supply for controlling access to the plurality of local loops and controlling the plurality of loop extenders.
Claims49
A system for improving transmission of DSL signals, the system comprising:
- a plurality of loop extenders coupled to a plurality of local loops for amplifying upstream and downstream DSL signals transmitted over the plurality of local loops;
- a central office controller/power supply coupled to a first local loop of the plurality of local loops and coupled to a second local loop of the plurality of local loops for providing power to the first local loop and the second local loop;
- and
- a loop extender communications/power supply coupled to the central office controller/power supply via the first local loop and the second local loop for receiving power via the first local loop and the second local loop, and coupled to the plurality of loop extenders for providing power to the plurality of loop extenders.
A method for improving transmission of DSL signals, the method comprising the steps of:
- amplifying upstream and downstream DSL signals transmitted over a plurality of local loops via a plurality of loop extenders coupled to the plurality of local loops;
- providing power to a loop extender communications/power supply via a first local loop of the plurality of local loops and via a second local loop of the plurality of local loops for providing power to the plurality of loop extenders;
- sending control signals to a loop extender communications/power supply via the first local loop and via the second local loop, receiving the control signals, and broadcasting the control signals to the plurality of loop extenders.
A system for improving transmission of DSL signals, the system comprising:
- means for transmitting DSL signals;
- means for amplifying the transmitted DSL signals;
- first means for providing power to the means for amplifying;
- second means for providing power via the means for transmitting DSL signals to the first means for providing power;
- means for controlling the means for amplifying to improve performance of the means for amplifying;
- means for broadcasting to the means for controlling;
- means for generating control signals;
- means for sending the control signals via the means for transmitting DSL signals to the means for broadcasting.
A system for improving transmission of DSL signals, the system comprising:
- a plurality of local loops, including
- a first local loop for transmitting control signals and power, and
- a second local loop for transmitting control signals and power;
- a plurality of loop extenders for amplifying DSL signals, coupled to the plurality of local loops, each loop extender including
- a POTS loading coils coupled to a local loop from the plurality of local loops,
- DSL amplification circuitry coupled to the local loop via bypass switches,
- an AMADC coupled to the DSL amplification circuitry via diagnostic lines and control lines, for sampling DSL signals via the diagnostic lines and controlling the DSL amplification circuitry via the control lines, and
- a DCP coupled to the local loop and the AMADC for processing the control signals received via the local loop and processing the sampled DSL signals received via the AMADC;
- a loop extender communications/power supply coupling the first local loop and the second local loop to the plurality of loop extenders for providing power and broadcasting the control signals to the plurality of loop extenders, the loop extender communications/power supply including
- a second modem for communication with the plurality of loop extenders;
- and
- a central office controller/power supply coupled to the first local loop via a first transformer and coupled to the second local loop via a second transformer for providing power to the loop extender communications/power supply, generating the control signals, and sending the control signals to the loop extender communications/power supply, the central office controller/power supply including
- a first modem for communication with the loop extender communications/power supply,
- a processor coupled to the first modem, and
- loop extender management software executable by the processor for generating the control signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.