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US 9,883,260 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for unifying an EPON access network and a coax-based access network
AssigneeEntropic Communications, Inc.
InventorWu Zong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A MSO deploying a standard OLT, and installed with ONUs to be used by customers to whom the MSO can connect using optical fiber. For customers that cannot be reached with optical fiber, the MSO deploys a converter between the optical fiber and the coax network so that the MSO can use the same standard OLT, and use CNUs for those customers attached to the coax network.
Claims14
A method of communication, the method comprising:
- in a network comprising an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of coaxial network units (CNUs), and an optical coax bridge (OCB) comprising a plurality of virtual optical network units (vONUs) each comprising a plurality of logical link identifiers (LLIDs) and having its own MAC address, each vONU uniquely mapped to one CNU:
- forming, in the OCB, each of the plurality of vONUs when a respective CNU is admitted to a coax network coupled to the OCB;
- converting data transmissions over an optical fiber network to data transmissions over the coax network, and data transmissions of the coax network to data transmissions over the optical fiber network, via said OCB;
- and
- transmitting and receiving the data packets between the OLT and the at least one CNU.
2 more elements
A system for communication, the system comprising:
- an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of coaxial network units (CNUs), and an optical coax bride (OCB) coupled to the CNU and comprising a plurality of virtual optical network units (vONUs) each comprising a plurality of logical link identifiers (LLIDs) and having its own MAC address, each vONU uniquely mapped to one CNU, said OCB being operable to:
- form, in the OCB, each of the plurality of vONUs when a respective CNU is admitted to a coax network coupled to the OCB;
- convert data transmissions over an optical fiber network to data transmissions over the coax network, and data transmissions of the coax network to data transmissions over the optical fiber network;
- and
- communicate the data packets between the OLT and the at least one CNU.
2 more elements
A method of data communication, the method comprising:
- in a network comprising an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of coaxial network units (CNUs), and an optical coax bridge (OCB) comprising a plurality of virtual optical network units (vONUs) each comprising a plurality of logical link identifiers (LLIDs) and having its own MAC address, each vONU uniquely mapped to one CNU:
- forming, in the OCB, each of the plurality of vONUs when a respective CNU is admitted to a coax network coupled to the OCB;
- converting data transmissions over an optical fiber network to data transmissions over the coax network, and data transmissions over the coax network to data transmissions over the optical fiber network, via said optical coax bridge (OCB);
- and
- transmitting and receiving the data packets between the OLT and the at least one CNU.
2 more elements
A system for data communication, the system comprising
- an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of coaxial network units (CNUs), and an optical coax bridge (OCB) comprising a plurality of virtual optical network units (vONUs) each comprising a plurality of logical link identifiers (LLIDs) and having its own MAC address, each vONU uniquely mapped to one CNU, the OCB being operable to:
- form, in the OCB, each of the plurality of vONUs when a respective CNU is admitted to a coax network coupled to the OCB;
- convert data transmissions over an optical fiber network to data transmissions over the coax network, and data transmissions over the coax network to data transmissions over the optical fiber network, via an optical coax bridge (OCB);
- and
- communicate the data packets between the OLT and the at least one CNU.
2 more elements
A method of data communication, the method comprising:
- in a network comprising an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) optical line terminal (OLT), at least one second network, and an optical coax bridge (OCB) comprising a plurality of virtual optical network units (vONUs) each comprising a plurality of logical link identifiers (LLIDs) and having its own MAC address, each vONU uniquely mapped to one coaxial network unit (CNU):
- forming, in the OCB, each of the plurality of vONUs when a respective CNU is admitted to a second access medium network coupled to the OCB;
- converting data transmissions over the first access network comprising, an optical fiber network, to data transmissions over the at least one second access medium network, and data transmissions of the at least one second access medium network to data transmissions over the first access network, via said OCB;
- and
- transmitting and receiving the data packets between the OLT and the network unit of the at least one second access medium network.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.