U.S. patent application number 12/511795 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for methods and apparatus to upgrade communication services in subscriber distribution areas.
Invention is credited to Zhi Cui, James William Rembert.
Application Number | 20110026930 12/511795 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43527131 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110026930 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cui; Zhi ; et al. |
February 3, 2011 |
METHODS AND APPARATUS TO UPGRADE COMMUNICATION SERVICES IN
SUBSCRIBER DISTRIBUTION AREAS
Abstract
Example methods and apparatus to upgrade communication services
in subscriber distribution areas are disclosed. A disclosed example
method involves installing an optical network unit communicatively
coupled to an optical line terminal serving a subscriber
distribution area communicatively coupled to the optical line
terminal. The optical network unit includes a first subscriber
downlink interface to serve a first subscriber premises and a
second subscriber downlink interface to serve a second subscriber
premises. A first communication service is provided to the first
subscriber premises via a first electrically conductive medium
communicatively coupled to the first subscriber downlink interface
via a first removably attachable subscriber downlink module. A
second communication service is provided to the second subscriber
premises via a second electrically conductive medium
communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface
via a second removably attachable subscriber downlink module. In
response to receiving a request to upgrade the first communication
service, the first removably attachable subscriber downlink module
is replaced with a third removably attachable subscriber downlink
module, an optical transmission medium is connected between the
third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first
subscriber premises while retaining the second electrically
conductive medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber
downlink interface to provide the second communication service to
the second subscriber premises.
Inventors: |
Cui; Zhi; (Marietta, GA)
; Rembert; James William; (Atlanta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AT&T Legal Department - HFZ;ATTN. Patent Docketing
One AT&T Way, Room 2A-207
Bedminstor
NJ
07921
US
|
Family ID: |
43527131 |
Appl. No.: |
12/511795 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
398/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04Q 2011/0079 20130101;
H04B 10/272 20130101; H04Q 11/0071 20130101; H04L 41/082 20130101;
H04Q 11/0067 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
398/115 |
International
Class: |
H04B 10/02 20060101
H04B010/02 |
Claims
1. A method of upgrading communication services in a subscriber
distribution area, the method comprising: installing an optical
network unit communicatively coupled to an optical line terminal
serving a subscriber distribution area, the optical network unit
including a first subscriber downlink interface to serve a first
subscriber premises and a second subscriber downlink interface to
serve a second subscriber premises; providing a first communication
service to the first subscriber premises via a first electrically
conductive medium communicatively coupled to the first subscriber
downlink interface via a first removably attachable subscriber
downlink module; providing a second communication service to the
second subscriber premises via a second electrically conductive
medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink
interface via a second removably attachable subscriber downlink
module; receiving a request to upgrade the first communication
service; and in response to the request, replacing the first
removably attachable subscriber downlink module with a third
removably attachable subscriber downlink module and connecting an
optical transmission medium between the third removably attachable
subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises while
retaining the second electrically conductive medium communicatively
coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface to provide the
second communication service to the second subscriber premises.
2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising, after
installing the optical network unit, updating a first subscriber
profile associated with the first subscriber premises and a second
subscriber profile status record associated with the second
subscriber premises to indicate that a first subscriber line
associated with the first subscriber premises and a second
subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are
enabled for upgrading to an optical type of transmission
medium.
3. The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising, after
connecting the optical transmission medium between the third
removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first
subscriber premises, updating the first subscriber profile status
record associated with the first subscriber premises to indicate
that the first subscriber line comprises the optical transmission
medium.
4. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first subscriber
line communicatively couples the optical network unit to customer
equipment at the first customer premises.
5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein connecting the optical
transmission medium between the third removably attachable
subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises
comprises extending the optical transmission medium between the
third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first
subscriber premises.
6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the replacing the
first removably attachable subscriber downlink module with the
third removably attachable subscriber downlink module is performed
in response to determining that a subscriber profile status record
associated with the first subscriber premises indicates that a
subscriber line of the first subscriber premises is capable of
being upgraded to an optical type of transmission medium.
7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the subscriber
distribution area is a residential neighborhood.
8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first electrically
conductive medium is a twisted pair wire or a coaxial cable.
9. A method of tracking subscriber line upgrading capabilities in a
subscriber distribution area, the method comprising: updating a
first subscriber line upgradeable entry in a first subscriber
profile associated with a first subscriber premises and a second
subscriber line upgradeable entry in a second subscriber profile
associated with a second subscriber premises to indicate that a
first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber premises
and a second subscriber line associated with the second subscriber
premises are enabled for replacement with an optical type of
transmission medium; and in response to replacing a transmission
medium type of the first subscriber line, updating a first
subscriber line type entry in the first subscriber profile to
indicate that the first subscriber line comprises the optical type
of transmission medium and maintaining a second subscriber line
type entry in the second subscriber profile to indicate that the
second subscriber line comprises an electrically conductive type of
transmission medium.
10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the updating the
first subscriber line upgradeable entry in the first subscriber
profile associated with the first subscriber premises and the
second subscriber line upgradeable entry in the second subscriber
profile associated with the second subscriber premises to indicate
that the first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber
premises and the second subscriber line associated with the second
subscriber premises are enabled for replacement with the optical
type of transmission medium is performed in response to installing
a fiber-to-the-curb distribution system in a subscriber
distribution area including the first and second subscriber
premises.
11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the upgrading of the
transmission medium type of the first subscriber line comprises
replacing the electrically conductive type of transmission medium
associated with the first subscriber line with the optical type of
transmission medium.
12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the electrically
conductive type of transmission medium is replaced with the optical
type of transmission medium in response to receiving a customer
order associated with the first subscriber premises requesting
services associated with a first data transmission rate capability
that is relatively higher than a second data rate transmission
capability of the electrically conductive type of transmission
medium.
13. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second
subscriber premises are first and second households in a
residential neighborhood.
14. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second
subscriber premises are first and second businesses.
15. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the electrically
conductive type of transmission medium is a twisted pair wire or a
coaxial cable.
16. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon
that, when executed, cause a machine to: update a first subscriber
line upgradeable entry in a first subscriber profile associated
with a first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line
upgradeable entry in a second subscriber profile associated with a
second subscriber premises to indicate that a first subscriber line
associated with the first subscriber premises and a second
subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are
enabled for replacement with an optical type of transmission
medium; and update a first subscriber line type entry in the first
subscriber profile to indicate that the first subscriber line
comprises the optical type of transmission medium and maintaining a
second subscriber line type entry in the second subscriber profile
to indicate that the second subscriber line comprises an
electrically conductive type of transmission medium.
17. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 16 having
instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine
to update the first and second subscriber line upgradeable entries
in response to installing a fiber-to-the-curb distribution system
in a subscriber distribution area including the first and second
subscriber premises.
18. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 16 having
instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine
to update the first subscriber line type entry in response to the
electrically conductive type of transmission medium associated with
the first subscriber line being replaced with the optical type of
transmission medium.
19. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 18, wherein
the electrically conductive type of transmission medium associated
with the first subscriber line is replaced with the optical type of
transmission medium in response to receiving a customer order
associated with the first subscriber premises requesting services
associated with a first data transmission rate capability that is
relatively higher than a second data rate transmission capability
of the electrically conductive type of transmission medium.
20. (canceled)
21. (canceled)
22. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein
the electrically conductive type of transmission medium is a
twisted pair wire or a coaxial cable.
23. (canceled)
Description
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to communication
systems and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus to upgrade
communication services in subscriber distribution areas.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Optical fiber technologies are often used in communication
systems to provide high data rate communication services to
subscriber premises. When new areas are under development for
residential housing or businesses, a communication company and/or
service provider installs optical fibers between a service provider
network (e.g., a central office (CO), a remote terminal (RT), a
serving area interface (SAI), etc.) and all the residential houses
or business premises built in the newly developed area to enable
delivery of high data rate services (e.g., services requiring data
rates greater than 100 megabits per second (Mbps)). In such
developments, the communication company and/or service provider
effectively installs fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) distribution
lines to each subscriber premises regardless of whether the
subscribers of those subscriber premises are interested in ordering
services requiring higher data rates afforded by the installed
optical fiber transmission media.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 depicts a traditional communication services
distribution system having electrically conductive transmission
media extended throughout a subscriber distribution area.
[0004] FIG. 2 is an example communication services distribution
system that can be implemented in accordance with the example
methods and apparatus described herein to enable selectively
upgrading transmission media to individual subscriber premises.
[0005] FIG. 3 depicts a portion of the example communication
services distribution system of FIG. 2 showing a selectively
upgraded subscriber premises.
[0006] FIG. 4 depicts an example optical network unit that can be
used to provide communication services to subscriber premises via
electrically conductive or optical transmission media.
[0007] FIG. 5 depicts an example process of updating an example
subscriber profiles data structure to indicate upgradeable and
upgraded subscriber lines in a subscriber distribution area.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example process that can be
used to provide a subscriber distribution area for selectively
upgrading transmission media to individual subscriber premises.
[0009] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an example process to
selectively upgrade transmission media to individual subscriber
premises.
[0010] FIG. 8 is an example processor system that can be used to
implement the example methods and apparatus disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The example methods and apparatus described herein can be
used to enable upgrading communication services in a subscriber
distribution area by selectively upgrading transmission media of
local loops or subscriber lines to individual subscriber premises.
The example methods and apparatus enable gradually and cost
effectively migrating service subscriber distribution systems from
fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) to fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) in
brownfield serving areas.
[0012] In the illustrated examples described herein, upgrading
transmission media of local loops or subscriber lines involves
replacing or supplementing an existing electrically conductive
medium extending from a pedestal location to a subscriber premises
with an optical fiber transmission medium while not upgrading
subscriber lines of neighboring premises to optical fiber when high
data rate services requiring optical fiber have not been requested
or ordered by subscribers at those neighboring subscriber premises.
In this manner, in established subscriber distribution areas such
as residential neighborhoods, office parks, or industrial parks
already having legacy electrically conductive transmission media
(e.g., copper-based wires or cables such as twisted pair wires or
coaxial cables) to provide individual subscriber premises with
communication services, a communication service provider need not
make a large initial expenditure to convert or upgrade every
existing electrically conductive transmission medium to an optical
transmission medium for every subscriber premises in the subscriber
distribution area. Instead, a communication service provider can
install future-upgrade enabling technologies that enable continued
delivery of communication services to subscriber premises via
existing legacy electrically conductive transmission media while
facilitating selectively upgrading transmission media for
individual subscriber premises without having to also
simultaneously upgrade transmission media of neighboring subscriber
premises.
[0013] The example methods and apparatus described herein can be
advantageously used in brownfield serving areas, which are
subscriber distribution areas such as neighborhoods that are well
established and that have existing legacy transmission media (e.g.,
copper-based wires or cables) installed throughout. Providing
upgraded communication services to higher data rates that exceed
the copper-based Ethernet data rate limit (e.g., 100 Mbps) in such
brownfield serving areas can be costly and difficult due to the
necessary amount of digging through and/or disturbance on
subscribers' private properties to upgrade the existing
distribution infrastructure. For instance, in many established
neighborhoods, electrically conductive (e.g., copper) subscriber
lines are often installed underground extending from pedestals at
or near curb or parkway locations to subscribers' dwellings or
buildings. Replacing or supplementing a legacy subscriber line with
an optical fiber line to enable providing higher data rate services
or expanded service features involves digging up a subscriber's
property (e.g., the subscriber's front lawn or backyard). This
process results in high expenditures for the communication service
provider company and may also result in expenditures for the
subscribers associated with property maintenance or repair. The
example methods and apparatus described herein enable service
providers to perform relatively more economical outside plant
upgrades, especially for such brownfield serving areas, by
targeting upgrades to only subscribers that require, subscribe to,
or request the associated higher bandwidths.
[0014] By installing future-upgrade enabling systems in subscriber
distribution areas that support existing legacy transmission media
as described herein, a communication service provider company can
gradually upgrade communication services in a subscriber
distribution area (e.g., on an individual basis to subscribers that
are ready and willing to undertake this process of replacing or
supplementing existing transmission media on their properties). In
addition, the communication service provider company need not make
a higher initial investment to upgrade transmission media to every
subscriber premises in a subscriber distribution area all at once.
This is significant when many subscribers may not even be
interested in taking advantage of upgraded services enabled by the
upgraded transmission media (e.g., many subscribers may keep
existing communication services that could be provided via legacy
transmission media).
[0015] As described in greater detail below, the example techniques
described herein can be implemented by installing an optical line
terminal (OLT) at a CO or an RT to serve a subscriber distribution
area (e.g., a residential neighborhood, an office park, an
industrial park, etc.) and installing optical network units (ONUs)
at pedestal locations (e.g., curb or parkway locations) in the
subscriber distribution area communicatively coupled to the OLT. In
some example implementations, an ONU may include a subscriber
downlink interface to serve a subscriber premises (e.g., a
subscriber household) and another subscriber downlink interface to
serve an adjacent or neighboring subscriber premises. Initially,
when neither subscriber has ordered or subscribed to communication
services requiring upgraded transmission medium drops to their
dwellings or building, communication services are provided to both
subscriber premises via respective, legacy or existing electrically
conductive media communicatively coupled to respective ones of the
subscriber downlink interfaces via removably attachable subscriber
downlink modules connected to or inserted into the subscriber
downlink interfaces. When one of the subscribers requests an
upgraded communication service, a communication service provider
company can, in response, replace a corresponding removably
attachable subscriber downlink module with a removably attachable
subscriber downlink module configured to communicate over an
optical fiber medium and extend an optical transmission medium
between the newly provided removably attachable subscriber downlink
module and the subscriber premises without needing to upgrade the
existing transmission media for neighboring subscriber premises.
This example process is described in detail below in connection
with FIGS. 1-3.
[0016] Turning now to FIG. 1, a traditional communication services
distribution system 100 having electrically conductive transmission
media extended throughout a subscriber distribution area 102 is
shown. In the illustrated example, the subscriber distribution area
102 is a residential neighborhood having subscriber premises or
households 104a-c. The communication services distribution system
100 can be configured to provide telephone services, Internet
access services, video services, or any other types of
communication/data transmission services to the subscriber
distribution area 102 from a service provider network 106. The
service provider network 106 can be owned and/or operated by a
telephone company, a cable company, etc. that offers one or more
communication/data transmission services.
[0017] The communication services distribution system 100 of FIG. 1
is implemented using electrically conductive transmission media
extended between the service provider network 106 and the
subscriber premises 104a-c. In the illustrated example, the
electrically conductive transmission media are implemented using
copper wires or cables that extend from a service area distribution
terminal 108 (e.g., a remote terminal) to each of a plurality of
curb terminal boxes 110a-c. In the illustrated example, each of the
curb terminal boxes 110a-c serves a respective one of the
subscriber premises 104a-c via a respective one of a plurality of
local loops or subscriber lines 112a-c, which are implemented using
buried electrically conductive transmission media (e.g., buried
copper cables such as twisted pair wires or coaxial cables) to
connect to customer equipment. The material properties and lengths
of electrically conductive transmission media directly affect their
capability for communicating at higher data rates. For instance, in
the illustrated example, the physical layer of the subscriber lines
112a-c is Ethernet or digital subscriber line (DSL), which impose a
100 Mbps data rate limit over copper transmission media. Thus, the
communication/data transmission services that can be provided to
the subscriber premises 104a-c are limited by the data rates that
can be carried by the electrically conductive transmission media of
the subscriber lines 112a-c. To enable providing services requiring
higher data rate communications or to provide a higher quality of
service, it is often necessary to upgrade (e.g., replace or
supplement) electrically conductive transmission media with
transmission media having lower signal attenuation properties and,
thus, higher data rate transmission capabilities. Such transmission
media includes optical fiber transmission media. As discussed
below, transmission media of subscriber lines in a subscriber
distribution area can be upgraded in a phased, gradual, or
selective manner in accordance with the example methods and
apparatus described herein to facilitate selectively upgrading
communication services to individual subscriber premises on an
as-needed or as-ordered basis.
[0018] FIG. 2 is an example communication services distribution
system 200 that can be implemented in accordance with the example
methods and apparatus described herein to enable selectively
upgrading transmission media to individual subscriber premises
(e.g., the subscriber premises 104a-c). In the illustrated example,
to enable the subscriber distribution area 102 for selectively
upgrading transmission media for individual subscriber premises, an
optical line terminal (OLT) 202 that is communicatively coupled to
the service provider network 106 via optical fiber transmission
media is installed at a CO or RT to replace the service area
distribution terminal 108 (FIG. 1). In addition, the curb terminal
boxes 110a-c of FIG. 1 are replaced with an optical network unit
(ONU) 204 installed at, for example, a curb pedestal location. The
OLT 202 is also communicatively coupled to the ONU 204
corresponding to the subscriber distribution area 102 via optical
fiber transmission media creating a fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC)
distribution. The OLT 202 and the ONU 204 can be used to implement
a gigabit-capable passive optical network (GPON), a point-to-point
fiber network, or any other type of communication network. In the
illustrated example, one ONU serves several (typically 4 to 12)
subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber premises 104a-c). In
other example implementations, separate ONUs can be installed, each
of which serves a single, respective subscriber premises.
[0019] In some example implementations, the optical fiber installed
to communicatively couple the OLT 202 to the ONU 204 can completely
replace existing electrically conductive transmission media, while
in other example implementations, the electrically conductive
transmission media can remain in place to supplement the optical
fiber to deliver, for example, electrical power to the ONU 204 at a
pedestal that serves the subscriber premises 104a-c. In any case,
when the subscriber distribution area 102 is initially enabled for
selectively upgrading individual subscriber premises to optical
fiber-based services but no subscriber has yet requested or ordered
such services, the existing buried electrically conductive medium
(e.g., copper wire) used to implement the subscriber lines 112a-c
connecting to customer equipment at the subscriber premises 104a-c
is kept in place and communicatively coupled to the ONU 204. The
ONU 204 is configured to adaptively deliver communication services
via electrically conductive transmission media and/or optical fiber
transmission media. In this manner, when upgraded communication
services are requested or ordered for a particular one of the
subscriber premises 104a-c, the existing electrically conductive
transmission medium used to implement a corresponding one of the
subscriber lines 112a-c can be replaced by an optical fiber
transmission medium on a corresponding interface (e.g., a port, a
connector, etc.) of the ONU 204 to implement a
fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) subscriber line.
[0020] An example selectively upgraded FTTP distribution is shown
in FIG. 3. In particular, FIG. 3 depicts a portion of the example
communication services distribution system 200 of FIG. 2 in which
the subscriber line 112b to the subscriber premises 104b has been
selectively upgraded to an optical fiber transmission medium while
maintaining services to the subscriber premises 104a via an
existing electrically conductive transmission medium 112a.
[0021] Referring back to FIG. 2, an operations support system (OSS)
database 206 in the service provider network 106 is provided to
enable a service provider to track or maintain status records
indicating subscriber distribution areas (e.g., the subscriber
distribution area 102) and/or individual subscriber premises (e.g.,
the subscriber premises 104a-c) that have been enabled for
selective upgrading to optical fiber transmission media and to keep
status records indicating which individual subscriber premises have
already been upgraded to optical fiber transmission media. In this
manner, when a subscriber orders (or attempts to order)
communication/data transmission services requiring higher bandwidth
capabilities (e.g., greater than 100 megabits-per-second (Mbps) as
provided by optical fiber transmission media), the service provider
can check status records in the OSS database 206 to determine
whether the subscriber premises of that subscriber already has an
optical fiber transmission media subscriber line installation from
an ONU (e.g., the ONU 104) or whether the subscriber premises is
enabled for installing an optical fiber transmission medium to a
respective ONU. An example subscriber profiles data structure that
can be stored in the OSS database 206 to track or maintain the
above-described status records to indicate upgradeable and upgraded
subscriber lines in a subscriber distribution area is described
below in connection with FIG. 5.
[0022] FIG. 4 depicts the example ONU 204 of FIGS. 2 and 3 that can
be used to provide communication services to subscriber premises
(e.g., the subscriber premises 104a-c of FIGS. 1-3) via
electrically conductive or optical fiber transmission media. In the
illustrated example, the ONU 204 is provided with an optical uplink
interface 402 and optical downlink connectors (or interfaces) 404a
and 404b. The optical uplink interface 402 is provided to connect
the ONU 204 to the OLT 202 (FIG. 2) via optical fiber. The optical
downlink connectors 404a-b are provided to connect the ONU 204 to
respective subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber premises
104a-c of FIGS. 1-3). Although two optical downlink connectors
404a-b are shown, the ONU 204 may be provided with any number of
optical downlink connectors to serve one or more subscriber
premises. The ONU 204 is also provided with an Ethernet switch 406
to deliver information between the optical uplink interface 402 and
the optical downlink connectors 404a-b. In the illustrated example,
the Ethernet switch 406 can be implemented using an optical
Ethernet switch to enable transferring information in optical form
within the ONU 204. In the illustrated example, the Ethernet switch
406 is provided with identifiers (e.g., customer identifiers, media
access control (MAC) addresses, port identifiers, etc.)
corresponding to the different subscriber premises served by the
ONU 204 to enable transmitting respective information to each
subscriber premises.
[0023] Each of the optical downlink connectors 404a-b is configured
to interchangeably receive an optical-to-electrical converter
downlink module and an optical downlink module. In the illustrated
example, the optical downlink connector 404a is shown as having an
optical-to-electrical converter downlink module 408a removably
connected thereto, and the optical downlink connector 404b is shown
as having an optical downlink module 408b removably connected
thereto. In the illustrated example, the downlink modules 408a and
408b are single-port pluggable modules. In the illustrated example,
an electrically conductive medium (e.g., copper) extending from the
optical-to-electrical converter downlink module 408a implements the
subscriber line 112a as shown in FIG. 3, and an optical fiber
medium extending from the optical downlink module 408b implements
the subscriber line 112b as shown in FIG. 3.
[0024] As discussed above in connection with FIG. 2, when the
service distribution area 102 is initially converted to a FTTC
distribution configuration in which an optical fiber transmission
medium is extended between the service provider network 106 and the
ONU 204, there may be no demand for upgraded communication/data
transmission services that would require upgrading subscriber line
drops from the ONU 204 to subscriber premises with optical fiber.
The ONU 204 depicted in FIG. 4 enables a service provider to
continue delivering services to the subscriber premises 104a-c
using the existing electrically conductive transmission medium to
those premises by connecting optical-to-electrical converter
downlink modules (e.g., the optical-to-electrical converter
downlink module 408a) in all of the optical downlink connectors
(e.g., the optical downlink connectors 404a-b) of the ONU 204. In
this manner, optical-to-electrical converter downlink modules can
convert information between optical and electrical formats to
enable maintaining electrical conductor-based services to the
subscriber premises 104a-c even though the communication services
distribution system 200 is upgraded to an optical fiber-based
system (i.e., a FTTC system).
[0025] As time passes and a subscriber orders upgraded
communication/data transmission services requiring an optical fiber
subscriber line drop to the subscriber premises, the ONU 204
facilitates upgrading the subscriber line to the subscriber
premises with an optical fiber transmission medium. For example,
referring to FIG. 4, a field technician can remove the
optical-to-electrical converter downlink module 408a from the
optical downlink connector 404a and replace it with an optical
downlink module substantially similar or identical to the optical
downlink module 408b. The field technician would also extend (e.g.,
bury) an optical fiber between the newly installed optical downlink
module and the subscriber premises.
[0026] The ONU 204 can be provided with user interface features to
assist field technicians in the upgrade process. For example, the
ONU 204 may be provided with visible or audible alarm or
notification capabilities to alert a field technician when a
downlink module (e.g., the downlink modules 408a-b) is inserted
incorrectly. The ONU 204 may also be provided with visible or
audible notification capabilities to notify a field technician when
the type of downlink module inserted into an optical interface
(e.g., the optical interfaces 404a-b) is incorrect based on a
service status or indicator in the OSS database 206 for a
respective subscriber. For example, if a subscriber has not ordered
services requiring upgraded capabilities, the subscriber's profile
in the OSS database 206 will indicate that the subscriber does not
require an optical fiber subscriber line.
[0027] FIG. 5 depicts an example process 500 of updating an example
subscriber profiles data structure 502 to indicate upgradeable and
upgraded subscriber lines (e.g., the subscriber lines 112a-c of
FIGS. 1-3) in a subscriber distribution area (e.g., the subscriber
distribution area 102 of FIGS. 1-3). The example subscriber
profiles data structure 502 can be stored in the OSS database 206
of FIG. 2 and includes a plurality of subscriber profile record
entries 504a-c, each of which corresponds to a respective
subscriber or subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber premises
104a-c of FIGS. 1-3). To track subscriber line types and subscriber
line upgradeabilities of different subscriber premises, the
subscriber profiles data structure 502 is provided with a
subscriber identifier (ID) column 506, a subscriber line type
column 508, and a subscriber line upgradeable column 510. In the
subscriber ID column 506, identifiers indicative of respective ones
of the subscriber premises 104a-c are stored. In the subscriber
line type column 508, information indicative of the type of
transmission media installed for respective subscriber lines is
stored. In the subscriber line upgradeable column 510, information
indicating whether corresponding subscriber premises are enabled
for having their subscriber lines upgraded to optical fiber is
stored.
[0028] The subscriber profiles data structure 502 is shown in a
time progression process at times (t0), (t1), and (t2) during which
the subscriber profile record entries 504a-c are updated to reflect
different stages of the optical fiber upgrade processes discussed
above in connection with FIGS. 2-4. Initially, the subscriber
profiles data structure 502 as shown at time (t0) indicates that
all of the subscriber lines 112a-c of the subscriber premises
104a-c are provided using electrically conductive transmission
media (e.g., copper) and that none of the subscriber lines 112a-c
are upgradeable to optical fiber. In the illustrated example, the
subscriber profiles data structure 502 as shown at time (t0) is
representative of what the OSS database 206 (FIG. 2) would store
for the subscriber distribution area 102 shown in FIG. 1 when a
FTTC configuration using the OLT 202 and the ONU 204 has not been
implemented.
[0029] After a FTTC configuration using the OLT 202 and the ONU 204
has been implemented for the subscriber distribution area 102 as
described above in connection with FIG. 2, the subscriber profiles
data structure 502 can be updated as shown at time (t1) to indicate
that all of the subscriber lines 112a-c of the subscriber premises
104a-c are provided using electrically conductive transmission
media (e.g., copper) and that all of the subscriber lines 112a-c
are upgradeable to optical fiber.
[0030] After upgrading the subscriber line 112b of the subscriber
premises 104b as described above in connection with FIG. 4, the
subscriber profiles data structure 502 can be updated as shown at
time (t2) to indicate that the subscriber line 112b of the
subscriber premises 104b is provided using optical fiber, while
continuing to provide the subscriber lines 112a and 112c of
neighboring subscriber premises 104a and 104c using electrically
conductive transmission media. In the illustrated example, a
subscriber line upgradeable entry 512 corresponding to the
subscriber premises 104b is disabled or indicated as not applicable
because the corresponding subscriber line 112b is already upgraded.
Other subscriber profile record entries of the subscriber profiles
data structure 502 can be updated in similar fashion when other
subscriber lines of other subscriber premises are upgraded.
[0031] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example process that can be
used to enable a subscriber distribution area for selectively
upgrading transmission media to individual subscriber premises.
FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an example process to selectively
upgrade transmission media to individual subscriber premises. One
or more operations of the example processes of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be
performed using a processor, a controller, and/or any other
suitable processing device. For example, one or more of the
operations of the example processes of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be
implemented in coded instructions stored on a tangible medium such
as a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), and/or a random-access
memory (RAM) associated with a processor (e.g., the example
processor 812 discussed below in connection with FIG. 8).
Alternatively, one or more of the operations of the example process
of FIG. 6 or the example process of FIG. 7 may be implemented using
any combination(s) of application specific integrated circuit(s)
(ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)), field
programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)), discrete logic, hardware,
firmware, etc. Also, one or more of the operations of the example
process of FIG. 6 or the example process of FIG. 7 may be
implemented manually or as any combination(s) of any of the
foregoing techniques, for example, any combination of firmware,
software, discrete logic and/or hardware. Further, although the
example processes of FIGS. 6 and 7 are described with reference to
the flow diagrams of FIGS. 6 and 7, other methods of implementing
the processes of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be employed. For example, the
order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of the
blocks described may be changed, eliminated, sub-divided, or
combined. Additionally, one or both of the example processes of
FIGS. 6 and 7 may be performed sequentially and/or in parallel by,
for example, separate processing threads, processors, devices,
discrete logic, circuits, etc.
[0032] Turning to FIG. 6, the depicted example process can be
implemented by one or more field technicians or installation
specialists of a service provider to convert the communication
services distribution system 100 of FIG. 1 to a FTTC system such as
the communication services distribution system 200 that enables
subsequently selectively upgrading transmission media of subscriber
lines (e.g., the subscriber lines 112a-c of FIGS. 1-3) to
individual subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber premises
104a-c). The example process is described by way of example in
connection with the distribution systems discussed above in
connection with FIGS. 1-3. Initially, a service provider installs
the OLT 202 (FIG. 2) for the existing subscriber distribution area
102 (FIGS. 1 and 2) (block 602) and installs one or more ONU(s) in
the subscriber distribution area 102 (block 604). The ONU(s) may be
substantially similar or identical to the ONU 204 of FIGS. 2-4 and
may be installed at curb pedestal locations. The service provider
then extends optical fiber between the OLT 202 and the ONU(s)
(block 606).
[0033] A field technician then installs (e.g., inserts)
optical-to-electrical converter downlink modules in the ONU(s)
(block 608). In the illustrated example, the optical-to-electrical
converter downlink modules are substantially similar or identical
to the optical-to-electrical converter downlink module described
above in connection with FIG. 4. The service provider continues to
provide communication/data transmission services to existing
subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber premises 104a-c of FIGS.
1-3) using existing electrically conductive transmission media of
subscriber lines (e.g., the subscriber lines 112a-c of FIGS. 1-3)
(block 610). The service provider updates respective subscriber
profiles associated with the subscriber distribution area 102 to
indicate that associated subscriber premises (e.g., the subscriber
premises 104a-c) are enabled for upgrading transmission medium of
corresponding subscriber lines (e.g., the subscriber lines 112a-c
of FIGS. 1-3) (block 612). For example, the service provider can
use the OSS database 206 of FIG. 2 to update the subscriber profile
record entries 504a-c of the subscriber profiles data structure 502
as discussed above in connection with time (t1) of FIG. 5. The
example process of FIG. 6 then ends. In some example
implementations, at any time before, during, or after the process
of FIG. 6, a subscriber may be contacted and offered an upgraded
service. If a subscriber accepts the upgraded service offer, the
process of FIG. 7 may be performed at block 608.
[0034] Turning now to FIG. 7, the example process may be used to
selectively upgrade a transmission medium of a subscriber line
(e.g., one of the subscriber lines 112a-c of FIGS. 1-3) to an
individual subscriber premises (e.g., a corresponding one of the
subscriber premises 104a-c of FIGS. 1-3). Initially, a service
provider receives a customer order from a subscriber (e.g., one of
the subscriber premises 104a-c) to upgrade a communication service
to that subscriber (block 702) to a bandwidth that exceeds the
bandwidth limit of copper-based Ethernet (e.g., 100 Mbps). In the
illustrated example, the upgraded service requires upgrading the
transmission medium of a corresponding subscriber line to enable
higher data rate capabilities. For example, the service provider
can determine that the requested bandwidth upgrade exceeds the
bandwidth limit (e.g., 100 Mbps) of an existing copper subscriber
line drop and that an optical fiber subscriber line drop to the
subscriber premises would be needed to provide the requested
bandwidth upgrade.
[0035] The service provider determines whether subscriber premises
corresponding to the customer order of block 702 is enabled to
receive a transmission medium upgrade (block 704). For example, the
service provider can use the OSS database 206 (FIG. 2) to determine
whether a corresponding subscriber profile (e.g., one of the
subscriber profile record entries 504a-c of FIG. 5) indicates that
the subscriber premises corresponding to the customer order has
been enabled for selectively upgrading to an optical fiber
transmission medium subscriber line. For example, as discussed
above in connection with FIG. 5, a subscriber profile entry
corresponding to the subscriber line upgradeable column 510 can be
retrieved from the OSS database 206 to determine which subscriber
premises are enabled for subscriber line upgrades.
[0036] If the service provider determines at block 704 that the
subscriber premises corresponding to the customer order of block
702 is enabled to receive a transmission medium upgrade, the OSS
database 206 triggers a subscriber line upgrade request (block
706). One or more field technicians then selectively install an
optical fiber transmission medium for the subscriber line
associated with the customer order from a respective ONU to a
corresponding subscriber premises while maintaining delivery of a
neighboring subscriber service via an existing electrically
conductive transmission medium (block 708). For example, referring
to FIGS. 3 and 4, if the customer order is associated with the
subscriber premises 112b (FIG. 3), an optical-to-electrical
converter downlink module connected to the optical downlink
connector 404b (FIG. 4) is removed and replaced with the optical
downlink module 408b (FIG. 4). An optical fiber is then connected
to the optical downlink module 408b. The optical fiber extends
between the ONU 204 and the subscriber premises 112b as shown in
FIG. 3. In some example implementations, the optical fiber may be
pre-existing (e.g., from a prior subscriber) or may be newly
installed (e.g., if this is the first instance of delivering
fiber-based service to the subscriber premises).
[0037] If applicable, the service provider updates the subscriber
profile of the upgraded subscriber to indicate that the
transmission medium of the subscriber line was upgraded (block
710). In this manner, future customer orders associated with higher
bandwidth requirements will not trigger a request to upgrade the
subscriber line transmission medium, but will only cause replacing
the corresponding downlink module and connecting the desired
transmission medium to the new module. After updating the
subscriber profile at block 710 or if the service provider
determines at block 704 that the subscriber premises corresponding
to the customer order of block 702 is not enabled to receive a
transmission medium upgrade, the example process of FIG. 7 is
ended.
[0038] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an example processor system 810
that may be used to implement the example apparatus, methods, and
articles of manufacture described herein. For example, processor
systems substantially similar or identical to the example processor
system 810 may be used to implement the OSS database 206 or any
other component in the service provider network 106 and/or the
communication services distribution system 200 of FIGS. 2 and
3.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 8, the processor system 810 includes a
processor 812 that is coupled to an interconnection bus 814. The
processor 812 may be any suitable processor, processing unit, or
microprocessor. Although not shown in FIG. 8, the system 810 may be
a multi-processor system and, thus, may include one or more
additional processors that are identical or similar to the
processor 812 and that are communicatively coupled to the
interconnection bus 814.
[0040] The processor 812 of FIG. 8 is coupled to a chipset 818,
which includes a memory controller 820 and an input/output (I/O)
controller 822. A chipset provides I/O and memory management
functions as well as a plurality of general purpose and/or special
purpose registers, timers, etc. that are accessible or used by one
or more processors coupled to the chipset 818. The memory
controller 820 performs functions that enable the processor 812 (or
processors if there are multiple processors) to access a system
memory 824 and a mass storage memory 825.
[0041] In general, the system memory 824 may include any desired
type of volatile and/or non-volatile memory such as, for example,
static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory
(DRAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), etc. The mass storage
memory 825 may include any desired type of mass storage device
including hard disk drives, optical drives, tape storage devices,
etc.
[0042] The I/O controller 822 performs functions that enable the
processor 812 to communicate with peripheral input/output (I/O)
devices 826 and 828 and a network interface 830 via an I/O bus 832.
The I/O devices 826 and 828 may be any desired type of I/O device
such as, for example, a keyboard, a video display or monitor, a
mouse, etc. The network interface 830 may be, for example, an
Ethernet device, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) device, an
802.11 device, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a cable
modem, a cellular modem, etc. that enables the processor system 810
to communicate with another processor system.
[0043] While the memory controller 820 and the I/O controller 822
are depicted in FIG. 8 as separate functional blocks within the
chipset 818, the functions performed by these blocks may be
integrated within a single semiconductor circuit or may be
implemented using two or more separate integrated circuits.
[0044] Of course, the order, size, and proportions of the memory
illustrated in the example systems may vary. Additionally, although
this patent discloses example systems including, among other
components, software or firmware executed on hardware, it will be
noted that such systems are merely illustrative and should not be
considered as limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or
all of these hardware and software components could be embodied
exclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, exclusively in
firmware or in some combination of hardware, firmware and/or
software. Accordingly, the above-described examples are not the
only way to implement such systems.
[0045] At least some of the above described example methods and/or
apparatus are implemented by one or more software and/or firmware
programs running on a computer processor. However, dedicated
hardware implementations including, but not limited to, an ASIC,
programmable logic arrays and/or other hardware devices can
likewise be constructed to implement some or all of the example
methods and/or apparatus described herein, either in whole or in
part. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including,
but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object
distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine
processing can also be constructed to implement the example methods
and/or apparatus described herein.
[0046] It should also be noted that the example software and/or
firmware implementations described herein are stored on a tangible
medium, such as: a magnetic medium (e.g., a disk or tape); a
magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid state
medium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or
more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or
other re-writeable (volatile) memories. Accordingly, the example
software and/or firmware described herein can be stored on a
tangible medium such as those described above or equivalents and
successor media.
[0047] To the extent the above specification describes example
components and functions with reference to particular devices,
standards and/or protocols, it is understood that the teachings of
the invention are not limited to such devices, standards and/or
protocols. Such devices are periodically superseded by different,
faster, and/or more efficient systems having the same general
purpose. Accordingly, replacement devices, standards and/or
protocols having the same general functions are equivalents which
are intended to be included within the scope of the accompanying
claims.
[0048] Further, although certain methods, apparatus, systems, and
articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of
coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. To the contrary,
this patent covers all methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of
manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims
either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
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