Wireless drop in a fiber-to-the-home network

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a wireless drop terminal (WDT) for use in a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. The wireless drop terminal comprises a fiber interface to optically couple the wireless drop terminal to an optical line terminal (OLT) of the FTTH network via at least one optical fiber and a wireless interface communicatively coupled to the fiber interface. The wireless interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless optical network terminal (W-ONT) over a directional wireless drop. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A wireless drop terminal (WDT) for use in a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network, the wireless drop terminal comprising:
 a fiber interface to optically couple the wireless drop terminal to an optical line terminal (OLT) of the FTTH network via at least one optical fiber; and   a wireless interface communicatively coupled to the fiber interface, wherein the wireless interface is configured by a management system to:
 convert received optical communications signals to a wireless communication protocol; and 
 wirelessly communicate the converted communications signals with a wireless optical network terminal (W-ONT) over a fixed directional wireless drop. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the management system controls the wireless interface to vary an amount of bandwidth provided to the W-ONT. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processor in communication with the management system via the at least one optical fiber.   
     
     
         4 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to implement a management function, wherein the management function sends management data to the management system and receives management data from the management system. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 4 , wherein management data is further communicated with the W-ONT. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of: a 3G communication protocol, a 4G communication protocol, a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) cellular protocol, an Evolved HSPA (HSPA+) cellular protocol, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular protocol, a LTE Advanced (LTEadvanced) cellular protocol, a WIMAX or other Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 wireless protocol, a WIFI or other IEEE 802.11 wireless protocol, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology, beam forming, WirelessHD wireless technology, Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) wireless technology, ultra wideband (UWB) wireless technology, visible light communication wireless technology, and proprietary point-to-point wireless technology. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein a first antenna and a second antenna are connected to the wireless drop terminal, wherein the wireless drop terminal communicates with the W-ONT over the first antenna and the second antenna using Multiple-Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication technology. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein a first antenna and a second antenna are connected to the wireless drop terminal, wherein the wireless drop terminal selectively communicates with the W-ONT and at least one other W-ONT over the first antenna and the second antenna using beam forming. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless drop terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless drop terminal is configured to be powered by power provided over a hybrid fiber cable that is connected to the wireless drop terminal. 
     
     
         10 . A method for a wireless drop terminal of a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network, the method comprising:
 receiving downstream optical frames from an optical line terminal (OLT) in the FTTH network at a wireless drop terminal (WDT) in the FTTH network using a fiber part of the FTTH network;   at a wireless interface of the wireless drop terminal, converting received optical communications signals to a wireless communication protocol, wherein the wireless interface is configured by a management system; and   wirelessly communicating the converted communications signals with a wireless optical network terminal (W-ONT) as downstream service data over a fixed directional wireless drop.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving upstream service data from the W-ONT over the fixed directional wireless drop;   at the wireless interface of the wireless drop terminal, converting received wireless communications signals from the wireless communication protocol to upstream optical frames;   transmitting the upstream optical frames from the wireless drop terminal to the optical line terminal using the fiber part of the FTTH network.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 varying an amount of bandwidth provided by the W-ONT based on management data from the management system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless drop terminal is configured to implement a management function, wherein the management function sends and receives management data with the management system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the management function sends management data to the management system via the fiber part of the FTTH network and receives management data from the management system via the fiber part of the FTTH network. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein management data is further communicated with the W-ONT. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of: a 3G communication protocol, a 4G communication protocol, a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) cellular protocol, an Evolved HSPA (HSPA+) cellular protocol, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular protocol, a LTE Advanced (LTEadvanced) cellular protocol, a WIMAX or other Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 wireless protocol, a WIFI or other IEEE 802.11 wireless protocol, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology, beam forming, WirelessHD wireless technology, Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) wireless technology, ultra wideband (UWB) wireless technology, visible light communication wireless technology, and proprietary point-to-point wireless technology. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first antenna and a second antenna are connected to the wireless drop terminal, the method further comprising:
 communicating with the W-ONT over the first antenna and the second antenna using Multiple-Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication technology.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first antenna and a second antenna are connected to the wireless drop terminal, the method further comprising:
 selectively communicating with the W-ONT and at least one other W-ONT over the first antenna and the second antenna using beam forming.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 powering the wireless drop terminal utilizing power provided over a hybrid fiber cable that is connected to the wireless drop terminal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the W-ONT is located at a customer premises, and wherein the wireless drop terminal is located outside of the customer premises