Power and optical fiber interface

A method for providing electrical power and communication signals to an outdoor located active device, the method comprising:

• converting the electrical power from an AC voltage to a DC voltage at a first location;
• transmitting the electrical power having the DC voltage through a hybrid cable from the first location to an interface device at a second location, the interface device being adapted for outside environmental use and having an environmentally sealed construction;
• transmitting the communication signals in an optical form through the hybrid cable from the first location to the interface device at the second location;
• converting the electrical power at the interface device to an active device compatible DC voltage;
• converting the communication signals at the interface device from the optical form to an electrical form;
• and
• transmitting the electrical power having the active device compatible DC voltage and the communication signals in the electrical form from the conversion device to the outdoor located active device via an Ethernet cable having twisted pair conductors.

A powered fiber system comprising:

• a hybrid cable having an electrical conductor and an optical fiber;
• a first interface device including voltage conversion circuitry for converting electrical power from a AC voltage to a first DC voltage, the first interface device having a power interface for sending electrical power having the first DC voltage through the electrical conductor of the hybrid cable and an optical interface for sending optical signals through the optical fiber of the hybrid cable;
• an Ethernet cable including first and second wires arranged in a twisted pair configuration;
• a second interface device that is adapted for outside environmental use and that has an environmentally sealed construction, the second interface device including a housing defining an interior, the housing including a first port for allowing the hybrid cable to be routed into the interior of the housing and a second port for allowing the Ethernet cable to be routed into the interior of the housing, the second interface device including electrical power management circuitry positioned within the interior of the housing, the electrical power management circuitry being configured to be coupled between the electrical conductor of the hybrid cable and the twisted pair wires of the Ethernet cable, the electrical power management circuitry having a DC-to-DC voltage converter for converting the electrical power received from the hybrid cable to a voltage suitable for transmission over the first and second wires of the Ethernet cable, the second interface device also including optical-to-electrical conversion circuitry positioned within the interior of the housing for connecting the optical fiber of the hybrid cable to the first and second wires of the Ethernet cable, the optical-to-electrical conversion circuitry being configured to convert the optical signals from the optical fiber into electrical signals that are transmitted over the first and second wires of the Ethernet cable.