System and method for managing fiber-to-the-curb network elements

A method of displaying information about a plurality of network elements in a Fiberto-the-Curb (FTTC) system, said FTTC system being coupled in communications with a computer, said method comprising:

• displaying a graphical representation of a Host Digital Terminal (HDT) with at least one HDT circuit pack and a graphical representation of an Optical Network Unit (ONU) with an ONU designator;
• receiving a selection of a selected ONU using said ONU designator;
• displaying a graphical representation of a connection between said HDT circuit pack and said selected ONU;
• receiving a selection of said selected ONU for equipment provisioning;
• displaying a graphical representation of at least one ONU circuit pack;
• and
• displaying a graphical representation of a connection between said ONU circuit pack and a drop cable.

A method of provisioning a network element in a network, said network including a computer system, a host data terminal (HDT) and an optical network unit (ONU), said computer system being coupled in communications with said HDT and said ONU, said computer system having a processor coupled to a memory, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting an SNMP agent message to said HDT;
• said HDT responding to said SNMP agent message with state information of said network element;
• displaying a graphical representation of said network element including a representation of said state information;
• receiving a request to modify said state information;
• transmitting a second SNMP agent message to said HDT to modify said state information;
• and
• said HDT causing a change of said state information to effect said provisioning of said network element.

A method for provisioning of telephony services in a Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) telecommunications system having a plurality of network elements and including at least one Central Processing Unit (CPU), said CPU coupled to a display for displaying data, and a user input means, said CPU further coupled to said network elements, said FTTC system including a plurality of ONU circuit packs and a plurality of ONU drop cables, said method comprising:

• displaying a graphical representation of said plurality of ONU circuit packs and said plurality of ONU drop cables;
• displaying telephony services provisioning choices and means of selection for said provisioning of telephony services;
• receiving a selection of one of said choices;
• displaying further telephony services provisioning choices for analog telephony services and Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) services and a means of selection for said further telephony services provisioning choices;
• receiving a selection of one of said further telephony services provisioning choices;
• and
• provisioning said at least some of said plurality of network elements in said FTTC telecommunications system corresponding to said one of said further telephony provisioning choices telephony services.

A method for displaying dynamic cross-connects in a Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) system having a plurality of network elements, said FTTC system being coupled in communications with a computer system, said method comprising:

• displaying a graphical representation of a cross-connect including a DS1 identifier, a DS0 identifier, and an analog line identifier;
• obtaining current cross-connect information from at least a first network element of said plurality of network elements;
• and
• displaying a graphical representation of a connection based upon said cross-connect information in said graphical representation of a cross-connect.

A method of provisioning broadband services in a Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) system having a plurality of network elements, said FTTC system coupled to a computer system, said method comprising:

• displaying a broadcast program channel identifier;
• displaying a first interface element for selecting a broadcast program channel;
• displaying broadcast program parameters;
• displaying a second interface element for selecting said broadcast program parameters;
• displaying a third interface element for applying said broadcast program parameters;
• displaying a broadband program virtual channel configuration;
• displaying a fourth interface element for selecting said broadband program virtual channel configuration;
• selecting said broadcast program channel;
• selecting said broadcast program parameters;
• applying said broadcast program parameters to at least one of said network elements in said FTTC system;
• selecting a virtual channel configuration;
• applying said virtual channel configuration to at least one of said network elements in said FTTC system.

A method of provisioning a network element in a network, said network element being coupled in communications with a server and a computer system, said method including:

• transmitting a state information request to said server including a request for state information for said network element;
• generating a hypertext markup language (HTML) representation of said state information;
• displaying said HTML representation on said computer system;
• receiving input requesting a change to said state information;
• transmitting a change of state request to said server;
• and
• said server provisioning said network element by changing said state information of said network element.

A method of providing network element information about a network element in a Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) network, said network including a computer system, said network element including a database, said method comprising:

• accessing said network element information from said database;
• converting said network element information for transmission as hypertext information;
• transmitting said hypertext information to said computer system;
• and
• displaying a graphical representation of said hypertext information on said computer system.