Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10613284-B2
Application number	US-201414517574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing FTTx, which might include Fiber-to-the-Home (“FTTH”), Fiber-to-the-Building (“FTTB”), Fiber-to-the-Premises (“FTTP”), and/or the like. In some embodiments, a method might include routing an F1 line(s) from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub (“FDH”) located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot. From the FDH, an F2 line(s) might be routed, via any combination of apical conduit main slot(s), cross slot(s), far-side slot(s), missile bore(s), bore hole(s), and/or conduit(s) (collectively, “Apical Conduit Components”), to a network access point (“NAP”) servicing one or more customer premises. An F3 line(s) might be distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 line(s), to a network interface device (“NID”) or optical network terminal (“ONT”) at each customer premises, via any combination of the Apical Conduit Components, which include channels in at least portions of roadways.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
placing one or more first lines in one or more first channels in a first ground surface;
placing one or more second lines in one or more second channels in a second ground surface;
placing a filler material in at least one of at least a portion of the one or more first channels or at least a portion of the one or more second channels;
placing a container comprising a signal distribution device in a third ground surface, a top surface of a lid of the container being substantially level with a top portion of the third ground surface, wherein a bottom portion of the container is below the third ground surface, and wherein an antenna is disposed completely within the lid of the container, wherein the signal distribution device comprises a fiber distribution hub (“FDH”), wherein the one or more first lines communicatively couples at least one of a central office or a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (“DSLAM”) of a telecommunications service provider with the FDH, wherein the one or more second lines communicatively couples the FDH with a network access point (“NAP”); and
communicatively coupling the one or more first lines with the one or more second lines via a cable distribution device disposed within the signal distribution device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more first lines or the one or more second lines comprises one or more of at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber, at least one conductive signal line, or at least one power line via the container.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one conductive signal line comprises at least one of one or more data cables, one or more video cables, or one or more voice cables.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing one or more third lines in one or more third channels in the third ground surface;
communicatively coupling, with a network access point (“NAP”), the one or more third lines with the one or more second lines; and
communicatively coupling the one or more third lines with one or more network interface devices (“NIDs”) each disposed on an exterior surface of a customer premises.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one channel of the one or more first channels and at least one channel of the one or more second channels is the same channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises a thermosetting material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first ground surface is a roadway surface, wherein at least a portion of the second ground surface is one of a roadway surface or a non-roadway surface, and wherein at least a portion of the third ground surface is a non-roadway surface.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising placing a capping material in the at least one of at least a portion of the one or more first channels or at least a portion of the one or more second channels, above the filler material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the capping material serves as road lines on the roadway surface.

10. A communications system, comprising:
an apical conduit system, comprising:
one or more first lines disposed in one or more first channels in a first ground surface;
one or more second lines disposed in one or more second channels in a second ground surface; and
a filler material disposed around at least one of the one or more first lines in at least a portion of the one or more first channels or around at least one of the one or more second lines in at least a portion of the one or more second channels;

a signal distribution device, comprising:
a container disposed in a third ground surface, a top surface of a lid of the container being substantially level with a top portion of the third ground surface, wherein a bottom portion of the container is below the third ground surface, wherein an antenna is disposed completely within the lid of the container, wherein the signal distribution device is contained within the container, and wherein the signal distribution device comprises a fiber distribution hub (“FDH”), wherein the one or more first lines communicatively couples at least one of a central office or a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (“DSLAM”) of a telecommunications service provider with the FDH, wherein the one or more second lines communicatively couples the FDH with a network access point (“NAP”); and
a cable distribution device disposed within the signal distribution device and configured to communicatively couple the one or more first lines with the one or more second lines.

11. The communications system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a wireless access point device comprising a device container and an antenna disposed in the device container, the wireless access point device being disposed within at least a portion of one of the one or more first channels in the first ground surface, the antenna being communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more first lines via one or more pass-throughs in a wall of the device container.

12. The communications system of claim 11 , wherein the wireless access point device is at least partially encapsulated by the filler material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid of the container is made of a material that provides predetermined omnidirectional azimuthal radio frequency (“rf”) gain.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third ground surface is at least one of a sidewalk or a driveway.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first channels or the one or more second channels comprise one or more capture devices, wherein the one or more capture devices each comprise at least one hooked end.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more capture devices are anchored to a sidewall of at least one of the one or more first channels or the one or more second channels.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more capture devices secure at least one of the one or more first lines or the one or more second lines to a bottom of at least one of the one or more first channels or the one or more second channels.

Assignees

• Centurylink Ip Llc

Inventors

• Elford Michael L
• Barnett Jr Thomas C
• Winterrowd Michael P
• Schwengler Thomas

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T29/49718

  Repairing · CPC title

• G02B6/4442

  Cap coupling boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/504

  Installation in solid material, e.g. underground · CPC title

• G02B6/4416

  Heterogeneous cables · CPC title