Method and system for delivering broadband services over an ultrawide band radio system integrated with a passive optical network

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to ultrawide band communication, and specifically to the provision and delivery of ultrawide band communication services via wireless delivery.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Research efforts in ultrawide band (UWB) apparatus were initiated in military research laboratories in the United States and Europe in the 1950s-1960s. The military's primary interest was development of UWB technology as a means of seeing through trees and other obstructions that would not be possible utilizing conventional radar systems.

[0005] Ultrawide band uses very short duration pulses, in the billionths or trillionths of a second duration, which provides excellent range resolution at a lesser cost than conventional radars. Each pulse covers several gigahertz of radio spectrum, with information being transmitted by modulating the timing, amplitude, polarity, or other aspect of the pulses. The location of an object, to within centimeters, is inferred utilizing methods employed in conventional radars, e.g., echo return timing, target triangulation, and the like. This precise location technology has been demonstrated in automotive collision warning systems, through-wall sensing applications, soil-characterization, and industrial level measurement, amongst others.

[0006] Until recently, UWB was constrained by regulatory restrictions in the United States and abroad. However, with the relaxation of these regulations, and the inclusion of UWB into communication standards, interest from the private sector has expanded to transfer this technology into commercial production. One particular area where UWB commercialization may be viable is in the field of high-speed communications. While conventional UWB methods and systems may be suitable for military uses, such implementations do not yet meet the needs of commercial communications applications, including robust customer delivery, scalability, ease of maintenance, flexibility, and overall system and service operation.

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for improved ultrawide band methods, systems, and devices that may be deployed in commercial applications.

[0008] In a particular embodiment, a system is provided that includes a wave division multiplexer, optical signal to electrical signal converters, and an ultra wide band communication device responsive to the optical signal to electrical signal converters. In another embodiment, the system includes an optical signal carrier and an ultra wide band communication device responsive to the optical signal carrier.

[0009] In another embodiment, a communication system is disclosed that includes a first input to receive a signal derived from an optical signal, an ultra wide band transceiver responsive to the first input, and an antenna responsive to the ultra wide band transceiver. The antenna is positioned to provide a wireless signal to reach a plurality of different signal receiving locations.

[0010] In another embodiment, a user access communication device is disclosed that includes an antenna, an ultra wide band transceiver responsive to the antenna, the ultra wide band transceiver producing an output signal, and a user interface to convert the output signal to voice, video, and data signals.

[0011] In a further embodiment, a method of communicating wireless ultra wide band signals is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first wireless signal at an ultra wide band receiver, converting the received signal to an optical signal, and communicating the optical signal over an optical facility.

[0012] In another embodiment, a communication device is disclosed that includes a power source input and an ultra wide band transceiver responsive to the power source input. The power source input is configured to receive energy carried over a metallic sheathed fiber cable that includes a center metallic member. In another embodiment, the communication device includes a power source input where the power source input is configured to receive energy carried over a set of appropriately gauged interstitial copper pairs. In a further embodiment, the power source input is configured to receive energy transformed by a power transformer after being carried over an electrical power grid.

[0013] In another embodiment, a communication access center is disclosed that includes an optical facility, an optical cable to carry an optical signal from the optical facility, an ultra wide band transceiver responsive to the optical signal, and an antenna responsive to the ultra wide band transceiver.

[0014] Specific embodiments are shown and described in the drawings presented herein. It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items, and wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an integrated Passive Optical Network/Ultrawide Band communication system (PON/UWB);

[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the application of integrated PON/UWB communication services to a neighborhood area;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of an integrated PON/UWB communication system delivering data from multiple sources via different wavelengths;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of a UWB communication system user access device with the appropriate voice, data, and video interfaces;

[0019] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B illustrate cross-sectional views of power source inputs for an integrated PON/UWB communication device;

[0020] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the utilization of a commercial power source for a UWB communication device;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a typical PON/UWB transceiver architecture;

[0022] FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram of a PON/UWB communications community access point; and

[0023] FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of an UWB communications access center.

[0024] The present disclosure is generally directed to an ultrawide band (UWB) communications system, devices, and methods.

[0025] Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates, in simplified block diagram form, an overview of a UWB communication system. The UWB communications system comprises optical signal carriers 102, operably coupled to a wavelength division multiplexor 104, which is coupled to optical signal to electrical signal (O/E) converters 106 and 108, respectively. In a particular illustrative embodiment, the optical signal input from optical carrier 102 to the O/E converters 106 and 108 is carried via a passive optical network (PON). In other embodiments, the optical signal input from optical carrier 102 is carried to the O/E converters 106 and 108 via a wave division multiplexer (WDM) 104.

[0026] Optical signal to electrical signal (O/E) converter 106 has an input to a UWB transmitter 117, while O/E converter 108 has an input from a UWB receiver 116. Transmitter 117 and receiver 116 are part of an ultrawide band communication transceiver 110. Transceiver 110 includes an ultrawide band modulator (shown in FIG. 7), and transceiver 110 employs a bandwidth that is typically greater than 2 gigahertz during operation. In a particular embodiment, an ultrawide bandwidth modulation technique responsive to the optical signal from the optical carrier 102 is employed by transceiver 110. An illustrative modulation technique utilizes pulse position modulation during system operation.

[0027] An antenna 112 is included with transceiver 110, and is coupled to transmitter 117 and receiver 116. The antenna 112 is responsive to the UWB communication transceiver device 110, and enables transmission/receipt of communication information. The communication information may be data, video signals, audio signals, voice signals, and the like.

[0028] The system disclosed herein offers the flexibility to provide high-speed digital communications service to a plurality of different signal receiving locations such as a neighborhood, without the need for additional wiring or cabling to be run to each individual dwelling unit. This may be accomplished by use of a pedestal-type of equipment housing. Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the provision of UWB communication services to a neighborhood area is shown.

[0029] With the neighborhood concept or cluster as disclosed herein, dwelling units in proximate locations, e.g., homes 202, 204, 206, and 208 located on their respective lots, are separated by a property line having an easement area such as, easement area 210. Easement area 210 is located adjacent to the property line of the various dwellings 202, 204, 206 and 208 and contains the cabling to carry the optical signals to the equipment housing or pedestal 212 disposed within the easement area 210. In a particular illustrative embodiment, cabling is a fiber optic cable which is part of a passive optical network.

[0030] The optical facility of pedestal 212 contains a passive optical network PON/UWB interface 211. The passive optical network/UWB interface 211 in pedestal 212 comprises a first input to receive a signal derived from an optical signal and an ultrawide band transceiver responsive to the first input. In addition, an antenna responsive to the UWB transceiver is positioned to provide a wireless signal 220 to each of the respective dwelling units 202-208.

[0031] Because of the relatively short range of UWB broadcast signals, it is desirable to situate the pedestal 212 centrally to a cluster, in this example, a cluster of dwellings 202-208. Hence pedestal 212 can be considered a neighborhood pedestal to serve neighboring dwelling units such as units 202-208. In order to access the transmitted wireless signal, each of the proximate respective dwelling units 202-208 would be equipped with a user access interface, e.g., an UWB transceiver and antenna, indicated by the respective rectangles with antenna trees within each dwelling unit 202-208. Each dwelling unit 202-208 so equipped would be capable of utilizing the UWB communications provided by the neighborhood pedestal 212. The user access interface is presented in further detail in FIG. 4, while details of the neighborhood pedestal 212 are presented in FIG. 3.

[0032] An example of a transceiver 304 for use in connection with the neighborhood pedestal 212 is illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 3. Transceiver 304 includes a wavelength division multiplexor 306, a power source 316, optical signal to electrical signal converters 308, 310, and 312, UWB transmitters 317 and 319, an UWB receiver 316, and antenna 314. In a particular embodiment, an optical signal is provided to wavelength division multiplexor 306 by the passive optical network 302. As previously discussed, in other embodiments, the optical signal may be carried by a Passive Optical Network (PON) consistent with ITU-T, G.983.1, G.983.2, and G.983.3 standards.

[0033] With the technique of multiplexing, various optical carrier signals are multiplexed by using different wavelengths to carry different signals. Wavelength division multiplexor 306 receives the signals, which are sent to respective optical signal to electrical signal (O/E) converters 308, 310, and 312. O/E converters 308-312 may be used to convert voice/data signals, voice/data and video signals, or video signals. For example, O/E converter 308 can convert a voice/data signal from optical to electrical and pass the signal to UWB transmitter 319, which, in turn, sends the signal to antenna 314. O/E converter 312 can convert a video signal from optical to electrical, and pass the converted electrical signal to UWB transmitter 317. UWB transmitter 317 sends the converted video signal to antenna 314 for broadcast. Because the system is two-way, i.e., transmit and receive, signals from antenna 314 are received by UWB receiver 316, passed to O/E 310, converted to an optical signal, and sent to wavelength division multiplexor 306 for coupling and transmission to the passive optical network 302.

[0034] An example of a user access communication device for the communications system disclosed herein is shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4. The user access communication device comprises an antenna 402 and a UWB transceiver producing output signals. The UWB transceiver comprises a UWB receiver 404, a UWB transmitter 408, and a UWB receiver 410. The user access communication device serves to convert received signals into voice, data, and video signals.

[0035] UWB receivers 404 and 410 receive wireless signals from antenna 402. UWB receiver 404 is connected to a voice/data interface 412 for converting the output signal from UWB receiver 404 to voice/data downstream information. Voice/data interface 412 may utilize RJ 45, RJ 11, or other suitable means known in the art to allow the user to access the voice/data information.

[0036] UWB receiver 410 is connected to a video interface 416. Video interface 416 converts the signal from UWB receiver 410 into a video downstream signal for viewing. Video interface 416 may utilize coaxial cable or other means known in the art to allow the user to view the received video, such as via a television set, video monitor, or other display device (not illustrated).

[0037] In addition, a user access interface comprising a bi-directional voice/data/video signaling interface 414 is coupled to both UWB transmitter 408 and UWB receiver 404 to provide voice/data/video signaling to UWB transmitter 408 and UWB receiver for transmission and reception via antenna 402 to the transceiver of pedestal 212 (FIG. 2), to thereby provide for a two-way communication system. Voice and/or data signals input for outbound transmission may be accomplished via standard telephony and/or data signals, or other means as are known in the art.

[0038] Due to the low power demands of ultrawide band, the system may be powered economically. In a particular embodiment, the power source input for power source 316 (FIG. 3) could be configured to receive energy carried over a metallic sheathed fiber cable, as seen in FIG. 5A. The power source cable comprises an inner cable metallic sheath 508, surrounded by an outer cable sheath 510. A plurality of optical fibers 502, 504 are located within the space defined by the inner cable metallic sheath 508. A metallic center member 506 is located at the center region of the cable. If the metallic center member 506 has a negative voltage, and the inner cable metallic sheath 508 has a positive voltage, sufficient current to power the necessary components, e.g., the PON/UWB interface of pedestal 212, would be realized.

[0039] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 5B, the power source input could be configured to receive energy carried over a set of interstitial gauged copper pairs 512. In this particular embodiment, the center member 506 and the inner cable sheath 514 may be non-metallic. As before, however, a plurality of optical fibers 502 and 504 would be included within the inner cable sheath 506. The electrical energy carried by the interstitial pairs 512 could be used to provide power to a PON/UWB interface of pedestal 212, would be realized.

[0040] In climates favorable for the use of solar power, power to the UWB transceiver could be supplied by solar panels with appropriate battery back-up power. The low power demands of a PON/UWB system make this embodiment suitable for commercial implementation. Alternately, a power source input for a PON/UWB system can be configured to utilize power carried over a commercial electrical grid, as shown in FIG. 6. The power source configuration of this embodiment comprises a commercial power source 602, an electrical meter 608 for determining power consumption (i.e., kW hours), a power transformer 604, and a DC power supply 607 at the fiber cable insertion point of pedestal 606 and 609.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a simplified circuit diagram illustrating an example UWB transceiver architecture according to an illustrative embodiment. The communications information may be modulated using several different techniques. For example, the pulse amplitude could be modulated with /1 variations (bipolar signaling), or /M variations (Many Pulse Amplitude Modulation), turning the pulse on and off (On/Off Keying, or OOK), or dithering the pulse position, known as Pulse Position Modulation, or PPM. An ultrawide band modulator 710 for shifting information bits 712 is provided for operation in transmit mode.

[0042] In receive mode, the energy collected by the antenna 711 is filtered by a bandpass filter 702, sent through a low-noise amplifier 704 via transmit/receive switch 716, and passed through either a matched filter or a correlation-type receiver 706. A matched filter has an impulse matched to the received pulse shape and will produce an impulse at its output when presented with RF energy which has the correct (matching) pulse shape. The original information 714 is then recovered with an adjustable high-gain threshold circuit 708.

[0043] Another embodiment encompasses a communication access center as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 8. The communication access center comprises a content source 802 for providing through an optical facility 804. An optical cable 810 carries an optical signal from the optical facility 804 to the access center 806. Access center 806 has an O/E converter 808 and supplies a converted signal to and from a UWB transceiver 812. The UWB transceiver is coupled to an antenna 814.

[0044] In a particular embodiment, antenna 814 is positioned to provide a wireless signal to reach a plurality of signal receiving locations. The community access center 806 could be implemented in a location to serve a community of users, for example, in a public or private recreation center, a public library, or an Internet caf, to name but a few.

[0045] The method, system, and apparatus described herein provide for a flexible implementation. Although the invention has been described using certain specific examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to these few examples. Additionally, various types of ultrawide band transceivers, transmitters, receivers, and power supplying devices are currently available which could be suitable for use in employing the methods as taught herein. Note also, that although certain illustrative embodiments have been shown and described in detail herein, along with certain variants thereof, many other varied embodiments may be constructed by those skilled in the art. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as provided by the claims below.