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 Digital Subscriber Line (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 Direct Current (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 Digital Subscriber Line (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 a first local loop and a second local loop selected from the plurality of local loops;
- and
- a loop extender communications module having a power supply coupled to the first local loop and the second local loop for receiving power and control signal and providing power and control signal to the first local loop and the second local loop, and coupled to the plurality of loop extenders for providing the control signal and power to the plurality of loop extenders.
A method for improving transmission of DSL signals, the method comprising:
- providing power to a loop extender communications module having a power supply by supplying a voltage between a first local loop of a plurality of local loops and a second local loop of the plurality of local loops for providing power to a plurality of loop extenders;
- and
- transmitting control signals to a loop extender communications module having a power supply via the first local loop and the second local loop, receiving the control signals, and broadcasting the control signals via the loop extender communications module having a power supply 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 and via the first means 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 module having a 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 module having a power supply including
- a second modem for communication with the plurality of loop extenders;
- and
- a central office controller having a 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 module having a power supply, generating the control signals, and sending the control signals to the loop extender communications module having a power supply, the central office controller having a power supply including
- a first modem for communication with the loop extender communications module having a power supply,
- a processor coupled to the first modem, and
- loop extender management software executable by the processor for generating the control signals wherein the power or the control signals are supplied as a voltage between the first local loop and the second local loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.