Providing digital data services as electrical signals and radio-frequency (RF) communications over optical fiber in distributed communications systems, and related components and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325429-B2
Application number	US-201313967426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2013
Priority date	Feb 21, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Distributed antenna systems providing and supporting radio frequency (RF) communication services and digital data services, and related components and methods are disclosed. The RF communication services can be distributed over optical fiber to client devices, such as remote antenna units for example. Power can also be distributed over electrical medium that is provided to distribute digital data services, if desired, to provide power to remote communications devices and/or client devices coupled to the remote communications devices for operation. In this manner, as an example, the same electrical medium used to transport digital data signals in the distributed antenna system can also be employed to provide power to the remote communications devices and/or client devices coupled to the remote communications devices. Power may be injected and switched from two or more power sources over selected electrical medium to distribute power for power-consuming components supporting RF communications services and digital data services.

First claim

We claim:

1. A power unit for distributing power in a distributed antenna system, comprising:
an electrical input medium comprising a plurality of electrical input links each configured to convey digital data signals and power signals;
an electrical output medium comprising a plurality of electrical output links comprising an upper set of electrical output links and a lower set of electrical output links, wherein:
the upper set of electrical output links and the lower set of electrical output links comprise at least one electrical communications output configured to distribute the digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links to at least one communications interface;
the lower set of electrical output links comprise at least one electrical power output configured to distribute the power signals to at least one power interface; and

a circuit configured to:
receive the digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links comprised in the electrical input medium;
receive the power signals from one or more electrical input links of the plurality of electrical input links comprised in the electrical input medium;
provide the received digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links to the at least one electrical communications output; and
exclusively provide the received power signals from the one or more electrical input links to the lower set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical power output.

2. The power unit of claim 1 disposed in at least one remote antenna unit (RAU).

3. The power unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of optical radio frequency (RF) communications inputs comprised of a plurality of optical RF communications input links each configured to convey optical RF communications signals; and
a plurality of optical RF communications outputs optically coupled to the plurality of optical RF communications input links, the plurality of optical RF communications outputs configured to distribute the optical RF communications signals to at least one remote antenna unit (RAU).

4. The power unit of claim 3 , further comprising an optical fiber coupled to either one of the plurality of optical RF communications inputs or one of the plurality of optical RF communications outputs.

5. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of electrical input links are coupled to respective power sources.

6. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrical output links comprises a plurality of lower-to-higher numbered electrical output links.

7. The power unit of claim 1 coupled to a digital data services controller configured to provide power to at least one of the plurality of electrical input links.

8. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a diode bridge coupled to the plurality of electrical input links, the diode bridge configured to exclusively provide the received power signals from the one or more electrical input links to the lower set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical power output.

9. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
receive second power signals from a power tap coupled to a power source; and
provide the received second power signals to the upper set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical communications output.

10. The power unit of claim 1 disposed in at least one interconnect unit (ICU).

11. A method for distributing power in a distributed antenna system using a power unit, comprising:
conveying digital data signals and power signals through a plurality of electrical input links comprised in an electrical input medium;
distributing the digital data signals to at least one communications interface through at least one electrical communications output comprising a plurality of electrical output links comprising an upper set of electrical output links and a lower set of electrical output links;
distributing the power signals to at least one power interface through at least one electrical power output comprising the lower set of electrical output links;
receiving the digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links comprised in the electrical input medium;
receiving the power signals from one or more electrical input links of the plurality of electrical input links comprised in the electrical input medium;
providing the received digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links to the at least one electrical communications output; and
exclusively providing the received power signals from the one or more electrical input links to the lower set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical power output.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising disposing the power unit in at least one remote antenna unit (RAU).

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
conveying optical radio frequency (RF) communications signals through a plurality of optical RF communications input links; and
distributing the optical RF communications signals to at least one remote antenna unit (RAU).

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein distributing the optical RF communications signals comprises distributing the optical RF communications signals over an optical fiber.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling two power sources to respective ones of the plurality of electrical input links.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling the at least one communications interface and the at least one power interface to an electrical output medium comprising a plurality of lower-to-higher numbered electrical output links.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing power to at least one of the plurality of electrical input links from a digital data services controller.

18. The method of claim 11 , comprising configuring a diode bridge in the power unit to exclusively provide the received power signals from the one or more electrical input links to the lower set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical power output.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving second power signals from a power tap coupled to a power source; and
providing the received second power signals to the upper set of electrical output links of the at least one electrical communications output.

20. A distributed antenna system, comprising:
at least one remote antenna unit (RAU), comprising:
an optical input; and
a data medium input comprising a data input and a power input;

at least one optical fiber configured to couple head-end equipment (HEE) to the at least one RAU through the optical input, the at least one optical fiber configured to carry radio frequency (RF) communications signals thereon between the HEE and the at least one RAU; and
at least one power unit, comprising:
an electrical input medium comprising a plurality of electrical input links each configured to convey digital data signals and power signals;
an electrical output medium comprising a plurality of electrical output links comprising an upper set of electrical output links and a lower set of electrical output links, wherein:
the upper set of electrical output links and the lower set of electrical output links comprise at least one electrical communications output configured to distribute the digital data signals from the plurality of electrical input links to at least one communications interface;
the lower set of electrical out

Assignees

• Corning Optical Comm Llc

Inventors

• Berlin Igor
• Cune William Patrick
• Greene Jason Elliott
• Heidler Christian
• Register Iii James Arthur
• Schweiker Wolfgang Gottfried Tobias

Classifications

• H04B10/25753

  Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units · CPC title

• H04L12/413

  with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD] · CPC title

• H04B3/44

  Arrangements for feeding power to a repeater along the transmission line · CPC title

• H04L12/10 Primary

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title

• H04B10/808 Primary

  Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system · CPC title