Method for sharing optical fiber for cloud-based wired and wireless access network, and system and apparatus for same

A system for delivering uplink signals and downlink signals between a plurality of donor units and a plurality of remote units in cloud-based radio access network (C-RAN), the system comprising:

• a centralization device connected to the plurality of donor units;
• and
• a plurality of distribution devices, each distribution device connected to a respective subset of the plurality of remote units,
• wherein the centralization device and the plurality of distribution devices are interconnected through optical fibers forming an optical ring network,
• wherein the centralization device is configured to
• receive a plurality of downlink signals from the plurality of donor units and
• optically transmit the plurality of downlink signals to the plurality of distribution devices at respective wavelengths assigned to the each distribution devices, and
• said each distribution device is configured to
• receive a plurality of uplink signals from the respective subset of the plurality of remote units and
• optically transmit the plurality of uplink signals to the centralization device at the assigned wavelengths, and
• wherein the plurality of donor units includes a plurality of wireless donor units and a plurality of wired donor units, and
• the plurality of remote units include a plurality of wireless remote units and a plurality of wired remote units,
• wherein the centralization device comprises
• a first converter configured to:
• receive downlink signals from a rest of the plurality of donor units;
• and
• convert the received downlink signals at different wavelengths to generate optical wavelength-converted signals,
• wherein the first converter comprises:
• a first wavelength converter configured to
• optically receive downlink signals from a rest of the plurality of wireless donor units, and
• convert the received downlink signals at different wavelengths to generate optical wavelength-converted signals;
• and
• a first electro-optical converter configured to
• electrically receive downlink signals from a rest of the plurality of wired donor units, and
• convert the received downlink signals at different wavelengths to generate optical wavelength-converted signals.

A method performed by the system for delivering uplink signals and downlink signals between a plurality of donor units and a plurality of remote units in cloud-based radio access network (C-RAN), the method comprising:

• receiving, by the centralization device, a plurality of downlink signals from the plurality of donor units at low transmission rates;
• processing, by the centralization device, a part of the plurality of downlink signals to generate a plurality of summing signals, each summing signal carrying at least two downlink signals;
• converting, by the centralization device, the plurality of summing signals at different wavelengths to generate a plurality of converted optical signals of high transmission rates, and convert a rest of the plurality of downlink signals at different wavelengths to generate a plurality of converted optical signals;
• multiplexing, by the centralization device, the plurality of converted optical signals to generate a multiplexed optical signal;
• distributing, by the centralization device, the multiplexed optical signal into the optical ring network;
• receiving, by each distribution device, the multiplexed optical signal from the optical ring network;
• demultiplexing, by each distribution device, the multiplexed optical signal to generate the plurality of converted optical signals;
• processing, by each distribution device, optical signal of the wavelength associated with the summing signal to generate at least two downlink signals;
• and
• transmitting, by each distribution device, a plurality of downlink signals to the respective subset of the plurality of remote units.