Abstract:
A hybrid distributed cable modem termination systems having mini fiber nodes containing CMTS modulators remotely located from the head end. DOCSIS MAC layer components are located at the head end. This lowers cost and allows use of a smaller mFN enclosure. The mFN has A/D converters for DOCSIS upstream traffic and for legacy upstream traffic. A multiplexer using forward error correction combines the legacy and DOCSIS traffic for upstream transmission along a single fiber at rates of approximately 2 Gbps. A splitter at the head end routes legacy traffic to legacy equipment and the DOCSIS traffic to the MAC layer components. A single power supply at the head end can be used to power the mFNs.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to the filing date of Ulm, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/325,509 entitled “Digital Transmission System With Remote Modulators”, which was filed Sep. 28, 2001, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates, generally, to communication networks and, more particularly, a system having mini fiber nodes (“mFN”), which may comprise modulators that are remotely located with respect to a centralized Media Access Control (“MAC”) layer.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    Current community antennae television (“CATV”) networks provide adequate bandwidth for downstream analog broadcast and even narrowcast video signals from a head end of central office to a plurality of subscribers. CATV networks are also used for downstream digital data transmission where subscribers use, for example, cable modems for Internet access. In addition to downstream transmission of signals, CATV networks may also be used for upstream transport of signals when cable modems are used for Internet access. As with downstream transmission, CATV networks may provide adequate upstream bandwidth for typical residential users who browse the Internet because the downstream traffic for such use typically comprises larger amounts of information than upstream traffic.  
           [0004]    Although adequate upstream bandwidth may exist for typical Internet browsing, demand for greater upstream bandwidth is growing as the use of certain technologies that require large amounts of upstream bandwidth, such as, for example, video conferencing, increases. In addition, the demand for narrowcasting (directing signals to a specific subscriber or small group of subscribers) is also on the rise. To reduce the impact of physical infrastructure on bandwidth limitations, operators are evolving their HFC architectures such that fiber is being driven deeper into networks; in other words, closer to end users, such as residential customers or places of business. Thus, to take advantage of the greater bandwidth capabilities of the higher fiber densities in the evolving network architectures, network operators favor replacing current transmission technologies with technologies that facilitate digital transmission, both upstream and downstream, of high-bandwidth-using signals over fiber networks, as digital transmission is more robust, allows higher potential bandwidths and reduces product manufacturing and maintenance costs.  
           [0005]    An example of such a digital transmission technology is the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (“DOCSIS”). In a typical DOCSIS compatible cable modem termination system (“CMTS”) having digital video system capability, the CMTS and/or video broadcast equipment is located at the head end. DOCSIS CMTS and digital video systems typically use modulators and demodulators at the head end to translate signals, such as, for example, Motion Picture Experts Group (“MPEG”) stream signals, between digital and analog format, and place them into a channel, typically using quadrature amplitude modulation (“QAM”), for transport over a hybrid fiber coax (“HFC”) system.  
           [0006]    In order to better transmit digital signals over the fiber portion of an HFC, including facilitating the digitizing and upstream transporting of DOCSIS signals, it has been suggested that components for implementing CMTS functionality be located in mini fiber nodes (“mFN”). This approach is often referred to as distributed CMTS (“dCMTS”). However, despite any advantage of such an architecture, there are drawbacks to placing all of the CMTS components at an mFN. The physical size and power requirements of currently available integrated circuits may exceed the size and capabilities of a typical mFN.  
           [0007]    Furthermore, upstream legacy support typically uses dedicated components, which increases the use of available physical space and cooling thereof. As used here, “legacy” refers to non-DOCSIS services that use upstream bandwidth (from the subscriber toward the head-end) on a network. These legacy uses typically relate to cable television set-top-box control, circuit-switched telephony-over-cable and pre-DOCSIS cable modems. In general, these signals are not demodulated at the mFN because they use a variety of proprietary modulation techniques.  
           [0008]    Moreover, the active components that facilitate a CMTS system tend to malfunction over time, thereby incurring additional maintenance costs at the nodes that are typically remotely located with respect to the central office or head end.  
           [0009]    Thus, there is a need for a network architecture that facilitates digital to analog conversion of downstream data signals at an mFN rather than at a head end to take advantage of the bandwidth potential of the fiber portion of a network and to provide narrowcast functionality. Furthermore, there is a need for digitizing upstream signals at the same mFN, thereby taking advantage of upstream fiber links to provide greater upstream transfer rates than are available with coax. In addition, there is a need for upstream-transport-support of analog legacy signals over a digital upstream link. Moreover, there is a need for a network architecture that minimizes manufacturing and maintenance costs.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0010]    It is an object to provide a modified dCMTS network architecture having modulators and demodulators at one of a plurality of mFN while relatively large MAC layer circuitry and other CMTS hardware components are centrally located at a head end. Thus, maximum advantage of the fiber portion&#39;s bandwidth can be taken while not exceeding the physical boundaries of the mFN enclosure.  
           [0011]    It is also an object to use the mFN architecture to facilitate narrowcast digital video programming.  
           [0012]    It is also an object to facilitate the remote relationship of the modulators with respect to the MAC components while still supporting legacy upstream transmission through the use of digital signal processing (“DSP”) means.  
           [0013]    It is yet another object to provide upstream transport of analog legacy signals over a digital upstream link.  
           [0014]    It is yet another object to provide hardware that reduces the costs, with respect to a distributed CMTS, of providing legacy support while utilizing the full bandwidth of a fiber uplink portion of an HFC network. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates a topological schematic of the fiber portion of an HFC using mFN technology and current dCMTS technology.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the hardware components in an mFN as would be implemented using current dCMTS technology rather than centralized CMTS with remote modulator technology.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 illustrates a topological schematic of the fiber portion of an HFC using mFN technology in a centralized CMTS with remote modulator network architecture.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the hardware components in an mFN used in a modified dCMTS network architecture.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 illustrates a hybrid CMTS system having centrally located MAC layer components at a head end and modulators located remotely from the head end in a mFN. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    As a preliminary matter, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many methods, embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the following description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention.  
         [0021]    Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The following disclosure is not intended nor is to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof. Furthermore, while some aspects of the present invention are described in detail herein, no specific fiber type, integrated circuit, laser, connector, enclosure, power supply or circuit board arrangement, for example, is required to be used in the practicing of the present invention. Indeed, selection of such parts and components would be within the routine functions of a designer skilled in the art.  
         [0022]    Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a topological schematic of the fiber portion of an HFC network  2  using conventional mFN and dCMTS technology. Such a system comprises a head end  4  that is in communication with a plurality of mFN units  6 , each of which is further in communication with a plurality of subscribers. The signals communicated between the head end  4  and the mFN  6  may include downstream analog video signals  8 , downstream digital data signals  10  and upstream digital data signals  12 . The head end  4  delivers analog signals  8 , such as, for example, CATV programming, as well as digital signals  10 , such as for example, DOCSIS Internet, to the plurality of mFN  6 . The analog signal  8  is typically passed through the mFN  6  to the subscriber&#39;s premise equipment (“SPE”), such as, for example, a network interface unit that distributes signals to a plurality of devices inside a home or office, including, but not limited to, an analog television, a personal computer, a digital telephone, a digital television, etc. The digital signal  10  is typically received at the mFN  6  and translated by CMTS hardware within the mFN for transmission to a SPE. The hardware within the mFN  6  may translate the incoming downstream digital signal  10  based on the DOCSIS standard, for example, for transmission to a DOCSIS-based SPE.  
         [0023]    To effect such a translation, an mFN  6  typically includes, in addition to standard components such as a power supply for example, a physical layer (“PHY”)  14  and CMTS components. The CMTS components typically further include modulators  16  and a MAC layer components  18 , the functions of which are known in the art, as are the physical interface components  14  (electrical to optical and vice versa, for example).  
         [0024]    In addition to processing downstream signals, the mFN  6  will also transmit Internet data traffic from the DOCSIS MAC  18  back to the head end. It also may be configured to perform transmission of upstream digital signals  12  and analog signals  13 . These upstream signals  13  may be from and to existing legacy non-DOCSIS equipment.  
         [0025]    Turning now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of the internal components of an mFN used in a conventional dCMTS is shown. For purposes of example, the fiber network is assumed to use Ethernet technology, but other networking technologies may be used as well. A downstream digital message is received by mFN  6  at port  20  and is then routed through Ethernet MAC  22  and data-handling logic  23 . Transit DOCSIS data passes to DOCSIS MAC  24  and then to DOCSIS modulator  27 , which encodes the signal for transmission on the typically coaxial network using, for example, QAM modulation. Upconverter  28  changes the frequency of the signal output from DOCSIS modulator  27  for placement into the CATV channel plan. Combiner  30  combines this signal with the analog video stream from port  32  for transmission to a plurality of subscribers from port  34 , the analog video stream having been converted from an optical to an electrical signal by optical-to-electrical converter  33 .  
         [0026]    Subscriber upstream ports  35 A-n receive upstream signals from subscribers&#39; network interface units. The DOCSIS portion of the signal is forwarded through tuners  15 A-n to DOCSIS demodulators  26 A-n and then to DOCSIS MAC  24 . DOCSIS MAC  24  converts these signals to data packets, for example, and forwards them through data-handling logic  23  to ethernet MAC  22 . These upstream DOCSIS signals are output from port  20  for transmission to the head end or to another mFN  6 . Alternatively, in the case of signaling traffic, the signals are sent to CPU  38 , which uses the information from the signals to direct traffic of other signals. The non-DOCSIS portion of the signal arriving at  35 A-n is forwarded through analog bypass  36  to port  37 . Port  37  may represent, for example, a separate fiber or a separate wavelength on the fiber. To operate and control the various functions of the Ethernet MAC  22  and the DOCSIS MAC  24 , CPU  38 , associated memory and other processor-related components  40  are typically contained in the mFN  6 .  
         [0027]    Turning now to FIG. 3, a topological schematic is illustrated of the fiber portion  38  of an HFC network using modified dCMTS technology, wherein MAC components  40  are centrally located at the head end  4  rather than remotely at individual mFN  6  as in a conventional dCMTS arrangement. However, the PHY layer components  14  and modulators  16  remain remotely located at the mFN  6  as in a conventional dCMTS. In addition, upconverters also remain remotely located at the mFN  6 .  
         [0028]    Thus, the bandwidth potential of transporting digital signals over the fiber portion  38  of an HFC network may be realized while using smaller mFNs  6  that house fewer components with respect to the mFNs shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 facilitates video-on-demand, as well as other forms of narrowcast or unicast video, while at the same time using a physically smaller node size than is used in conventional dCMTS systems. This network architecture also features a digital upstream return path that facilitates transmission of signals from non-DOCSIS legacy equipment.  
         [0029]    Turning now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of internal components of an mFN  6  used in a modified dCMTS with remote modulators is shown. As compared with system depicted by the block diagram of FIG. 2, a modified dCMTS system, which may also be referred to as a hybrid dCMTS system, having remote modulators, removes the Ethernet MAC  22  and the DOCSIS MAC  24  (shown in FIG. 2 but not in FIG. 4) from the mFN  6  and places them in the head end. As these MAC components and the CPU that operates them are typically some of the physically largest circuitry components contained in the mFN  6 , removing them to the head end allows implementation with fewer components in the mFN. Thus, a smaller mFN  6  can be used.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 shows that an analog downstream signal received at port  32  is treated similarly as in the mFN shown in FIG. 2. However, since the MAC layer components are located at the head end in the modified dCMTS system, the digital signal received at port  20  feeds through PHY  14  and into demultiplexer  45 . Since the MAC layer functions have already been performed at the head end, the MAC layer components are not used at the mFN  6 . Accordingly, the circuitry footprint in the modified dCMTS mFN  6  is reduced.  
         [0031]    Although the placement of the MAC layer components at the head end facilitates a smaller circuitry footprint at mFN  6 , some additional components are introduced vis-a-vis a system that has MAC layer components at the mFN. Since additional heat-handling capacity, power, and space is available due to the removal of the MAC layer components to the head end, the footprint of mFN  6  illustrated in FIG. 4 may also include narrowcast video modulation components. For example, a digital MPEG signal is multiplexed with the DOCSIS data arriving at port  20 . Demultiplexor  45 , using, for example, time-division-multiplexing, separates this narrowcast MPEG video stream from the DOCSIS data stream. This stream is presented to MPEG modulator  47 , which delivers the modulated signal to upconverter  30 . Upconverter  30  inserts the MPEG video stream into the appropriate place in the CATV channel plan before being combined by combiner  31  for routing to a subscriber&#39;s SPE.  
         [0032]    For the upstream direction, legacy A/D converter  49  converts analog upstream signals received from subscriber uplink  50  at legacy port  51  into digital signals. DOCSIS A/D converter  52  converts signals received from subscriber DOCSIS uplinlk  53  at port  35 . Multiplexer  55  combines upstream digital signals from A/D converters  49  and  52  for transmission from port  37  to the head end  4 . The types of A/D converters  49  and  52  may include parallel (flash), successive approximation, voltage-to-frequency and/or integrating converters, all known in the art. Bit density of the digitized signal may be fixed, but the frequency band of the analog signal being digitized may be software- or hardware-configurable, either locally or remotely with respect to the mFN  6 .  
         [0033]    It will be appreciated that analog upstream data and DOCSIS upstream data may be digitized by a single A/D converter. For each subscriber uplink port (there may be only one per subscriber rather than separate ports for analog and digital), the frequency band may be digitized without regard to whether DOCSIS and/or legacy signals are being carried upstream. The resulting upstream bit stream may be duplicated by a splitter at the head end and fed to DOCSIS demodulation components and legacy D/A components. The demodulation components, as well as components on the analog side of the D/A components at the head end, may have a predetermined preferred-frequency-band-of-interest from which to extract data from the wideband stream. For example, the frequency band 5 MHz-42 MHz may be digitized at the mFN. A particular DOCSIS demodulator at the head end may be configured to operate with data in the 36 MHz-39 MHz range and a circuit-switched-voice-device may be configured to operate with data in the 7 MHz-9 MHz range.  
         [0034]    Accordingly, upstream fiber link  56  is used for upstream transmission from port  37  to the head end and the splitting of the upstream signals into analog and digital components occurs at the head end rather than at the mFN  6 , as in the case of a conventional system as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0035]    It will be appreciated that a plurality of links  50  and  53 , ports  51  and  35 , and converters  49  and  52  are used for A-n subscribers. However, only single components are represented in the diagram for clarity. Moreover, a single A/D converter may suffice for both DOCSIS and legacy upstream signals, depending on digitization quality needed, frequency width needed, and cost of the A/D component(s).  
         [0036]    Uplink fiber infrastructure provides more bandwidth capacity to facilitate upstream legacy support. While an uplink fiber capable of one Gbps or higher may incur higher cost than may be associated with a conventional upstream link that, for example, accommodates 100-400 Mbps, if legacy upstream support is desired, a fiber supporting the higher bandwidth is preferable, since the upstream signal sent from the mFN  6  to the head end  4  is digital. The high bandwidth potential of fiber can be more advantageously used to provide higher upstream transfer rates than with a conventional dCMTS that also transmits a separate digitized analog signal in the upstream signal.  
         [0037]    Turning now to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram of the preferable network topology for implementing a hybrid dCMTS system  58  with remote modulators is shown. The mFN  6  of FIG. 4 is shown coupled to head end  4 . Port  32  of mFN  6  receives analog broadcast signals on downstream link  59 . Downlink  59  may be either existing coax or fiber for providing CATV programming. The signal received at port  32  is fed through PHY  60 , which may include an optical-to-electrical converter for handling the incoming downstream analog broadcast signal.  
         [0038]    Mini fiber node  6  receives a digital signal, which may include both DOCSIS and narrowcast programming, at port  20  from digital downlink  61 . After being processed through the PHY  14 , which may include an optical to electrical converter for signals received at port  20 , the digital signal is fed to demultiplexer  45  for processing and segregating bit streams of data. The segregated signals are fed into DOCSIS modulator  46  and MPEG modulator  47 , each isolating DOCSIS data signals and MPEG video information, respectively, and then modulating each onto a different frequency, the DOCSIS information signal being carried on one frequency and the MPEG video information signal being carried on another. Modulators  46  and  47  provide the functionality that may be provided by modulators  27  and  28  of conventional dCMTS system architecture as illustrated in FIG. 2. Modulators illustrated in FIG. 5 are preferably QAM modulators, but may use other modulation techniques known in the art.  
         [0039]    From the modulators, the DOCSIS signal and the MPEG signal are fed into upconverter  30 . Upconverter  30  combines the digital signals from the DOCSIS Modulator  46  and MPEG Modulator  47 , and changes the frequency of the combined signal to fit within the CATV channel plan for delivery of the signal to port  34  and combining with the analog broadcast signal at combiner  31 .  
         [0040]    The description of FIG. 5 has heretofore primarily related to the downstream functionality of the mFN  6 . With respect to upstream traffic, transport of legacy system data, as well as DOCSIS data, is supported. DOCSIS upstream traffic from subscriber equipment is transported on subscriber side uplink  53 , which is coupled to mFN  6  at port  35 . The signal is fed to A/D converter  52  and then sent to multiplexer  55 . Components of PHY  14  receive the output of multiplexer  55  and provide a multiplexed signal at upstream port  37 . Additional signals from subscriber uplinks  50  are received at port  51  and fed through A/D  49  for processing. These additional signals may be combined by multiplexer  55  before transmission on uplink  56 . These additional signals may represent different pools of subscribers or services with different modulation requirements, for example legacy services, as opposed to DOCSIS services.  
         [0041]    A micro controller  57  controls the operation of modulators  46  and  47 , and multiplexer  50 . It will be appreciated that a PLL clock generator, driven by demultiplexer  45  and working in concert with micro controller  57 , provides timing signals for modulators  46  and  47 , as well as A/D converters  49  and  52 . For clarity, the clock generator is not shown.  
         [0042]    Still referring to FIG. 5, an aspect provides a unique solution for transmitting upstream DOCSIS and legacy traffic to the head end. In a conventional dCMTS system, the mFN typically communicates with the head end using Ethernet data packets. This reduces upstream bandwidth requirements by hundreds of Mbps over a traditional PON system. However, facilitating upstream legacy traffic, as well as DOCSIS data traffic, poses some difficulty. One solution may be to provide a separate link for transmitting legacy traffic. However, this typically requires pulling extra cable. Furthermore, more cable typically means more equipment to keep maintained and increases the likelihood of outages.  
         [0043]    Digitizing the legacy traffic at mFN  6  of a hybrid dCMTS system  58 , as illustrated in FIG. 5, allows combining said legacy traffic with DOCSIS upstream traffic on one uplink  56 . This increases the bandwidth requirement of the uplink as compared with a conventional dCMTS system. But, since some DOCSIS and Quality of Service processing is still performed at the head end in a conventional system, development time of a hybrid system is reduced as compared with the development time necessary for implementation of a conventional dCMTS system. Moreover, if a conventional dCMTS system is designed to transmit legacy traffic over a single uplink, much of the bandwidth usage reduction with respect to a hybrid system is negated. Thus, to facilitate high bandwidth in the uplink, uplink  56  is selected so that greater than 1 Gbps (typically 1-2.5 Gbps) is supported.  
         [0044]    The uplink signal is received at splitter  62 , which duplicates the signal and delivers it to both the DOCSIS demodulator  63  and a digital-to-analog converter  64  for legacy signals.  
         [0045]    After the DOCSIS signal is demodulated by demodulator  63 , the DOCSIS signal is sent to DOCSIS MAC layer components  66 . These DOCSIS components comprise the components that are located at the head end  4  rather than at the mFN  6 , which would be the case in a conventional dCMTS system. The DOCSIS MAC layer components  66  in conjunction with head end CPU  68  determine where the signal goes next. If the signal is intended for another subscriber that is serviced off of the same mFN  6  that sent the upstream signal, then multiplexer  70  processes the signal and sends it as a downstream signal along link  61  to port  20  of the mFN. The signal is processed as described above with respect to mFN  6  and the intended subscriber receives the signal from port  34 . If the intended subscriber is not served by the same mFN  6 , the DOCSIS MAC components  66  direct the traffic to another mFN in network portion  58  or to another head end of a another network portion.  
         [0046]    In addition to the hybrid dCMTS system  58  using a smaller mFN  6  than a conventional dCMTS system, the hybrid system may be cheaper for reasons other than using centralized CMTS components. For example, rather than having a separate power supply at each mFN  6 , the mFNs in hybrid system  58  can share a single power supply located at the central head end  4 . Power for components at the mFN  6  may be supplied via the analog downstream link  59 , for example, as typical CATV systems provide power to SPE, such as network interface units. Thus, separate power supplies at each mFN  6  in a network are not required, thereby reducing network implementation costs. For example, a single 80-watt power supply at the head end  4  will typically cost less than individual 10-watt power supplies at eight mFNs  6 . It will be appreciated that the head end  4  is illustrated in the figure without showing the power supply for clarity.