Patent ID: 12244982

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

Passive optical networks include numerous components, such as splitters, organized at different layers of a hierarchy. These networks are generally built with excess capacity, e.g., built to cover all household premises slated to be built, to be gradually utilized over time. When old connections are to be removed, they may just be deactivated without necessarily removing the physical connection. Furthermore, when new connections are made, a check is not done to determine whether there is a port with an inactive connection that can be reused. Therefore, over the course of time, the connections become complicated—due to e.g., the connections, deactivations and reconnections—without a record of the mapping between different components. As the knowledge of these connections and the overall topology is sparse, troubleshooting becomes increasingly difficult. Furthermore, existing active connections may inadvertently be disconnected when making a new connection and service may be unnecessarily interrupted.

The example embodiments solve at least these technical problems by detecting power loss at downstream and or upstream components when e.g., an optical fiber is bent. The bending “bleeds” the signal (i.e., light) away from the fiber path thereby causing the signal to attenuate in the fiber path. Consequently, the downstream optical network terminals (ONTs) that are served by the optical fiber will experience the power loss. Additionally, upstream optical line terminals (OLTs) will experience power loss in the upstream signals. A connection relationship is made between the fiber that is bent, splitter ports, OLT ports, and the ONTs connected to the splitter ports and the ONT ports. When such collection relationships are aggregated, a knowledge base of the mapping of these components is generated. Furthermore, the mapping may be physically indicated in the ports as well, for example, by the use of tags in the splitter ports.

In case of connected but inactive ONTs, the ONT's report their own operational statuses may be used for the mapping. If an ONT is powered, connected to the PON network and does not have services from the PON Controller (AMS), it will report a “dormant” status. All dormant ONT's can be queried by the parent OLT. These queries can be used for the mappings between OLT ports and the ONTs. Furthermore, the connected but inactive ONTs may report back a power loss (e.g., due to bending of the fiber optic cable) to the corresponding OLTs. Therefore, the embodiments describing data from the active ONTs (e.g., data indicating power loss) also apply to the inactive but connected ONTs.

FIG.1Ashows an example view of a passive optical network100a, based on the principles disclosed herein. As shown, the passive optical network100acomprises a headend/central office (CO)102; headend components such as a rack, shelf, slot, and or card (collectively referred to as rack/shelf/slot/card104); a plurality of OLT ports106a,106b); a plurality of splitters108a,108b); and a plurality of customers/household premises110a-110d. It should be, however, understood that these components are just examples and should not be considered limiting. Passive optical networks with additional, alternative, or fewer number of components should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

The headend/CO102may generally include active electronic components that generate the signals that travel through the passive optical network100a. In the context of a high speed data network, the headend/CO102is configured to serve the household premises110a-110dby receiving content (e.g., high speed Internet) from upstream components, processing the content (e.g., amplifying the signal), and transmitting the content downstream. The headend/CO102may also receive upstream signals, e.g., from components at the household premises110a-110d. The high speed data network here is just used as an example and should not be considered limiting. Any kind of network for video, data, and or telephony should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

The rack/shelf/slot/card104comprises several components at the headend/CO102for connecting to the downstream components of the passive optical network100a. For example, the rack/shelf/slot/card104provides OLT ports106a,106bfor connecting to corresponding fiber optic bundles (or fiber optic cables)112a,112b, which in turn are connected to corresponding splitters108a,108b. In some embodiments, the splitters108a,108bare within street splitter cabinets, which service the individual premises110a-110dthrough corresponding fiber optic cables114a-114d.

Although the connections114a-114dare shown between splitters108a,108band household premises110a-110d, it should be understood that the splitters may be arranged in cascading fashion. That is, a downstream connection of a splitter may be another splitter. Generally, any configuration of splitters and the household premises should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

FIG.1Bshows an example view of another passive optical network100b, based on the principles disclosed herein. As shown, the passive optical network100bcomprises a headend/central office (CO)102; headend components such as rack, shelf, slot, and or card (collectively referred to as rack/shelf/slot/card104); a plurality of OLT ports (although on one port106cis illustrated); a plurality of splitters108c-108e; and a plurality of customers/household premises110e-110j. It should be, however, understood that these components are just examples and should not be considered limiting. Passive optical networks with additional, alternative, or fewer number of components should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

As with the passive optical network110a, the headend/CO102of the passive optical network100bmay generally include active electronic components that generate the signals to travel through the passive optical network100b. In the context of a cable television network, the headend/CO102is configured to serve the household premises110e-110jby receiving content (e.g., high speed Internet) from upstream components, processing the content (e.g., amplifying the received signal), and transmitting the content downstream. The headend/CO102may also receive upstream signals, e.g., from components at the household premises110e-110j.

The rack/shelf/slot/card104comprises several components at the headend/CO102for connecting to the downstream components of the passive optical network100b. For example, the rack/shelf/slot/card provides an OLT ports106c(not to be conflated with splitter ports) for connecting to corresponding fiber optic bundle (or fiber optic cable)112e, which in turn is connected to a splitter108c. The splitter108cis connected to downstream splitters108d,108e. In some embodiments, the downstream splitters108d,108eare within street splitter cabinets, which service the individual premises110e-110jthrough the corresponding fiber optic cables114e-114j.

Therefore, as shown the splitters108can be configured to directly service the household premises110or to service other downstream splitters108. When connections are created, deactivated, and recreated at the splitters108, the mapping information changes and may not be recorded. This lack of recordation causes a loss of crucial knowledge in network topology thereby causing inadvertent disruptions when new connections are attempted, and also makes troubleshooting extremely difficult. Embodiments disclosed herein mitigate at least these problems.

FIG.2shows an example portion of a passive optical network200, based on the principles disclosed herein. The shown portion comprises a splitter208, which is similar to the splitters108a-108eshown inFIGS.1A-1B. The splitter208is connected to an upstream component204(e.g., a port at a headend) through an optical fiber bundle212(or a single optical fiber). The optical fiber bundle212is connected to the splitter208at an input port216. The signals received at the input port216are split by the splitter208and provided as outputs on output ports218a-218e(collectively referred to as output ports218and commonly referred to as an output port218). At the output ports218a-218e, connections214a-214e(collectively referred to as connections214and commonly referred to as a connection214) are made such that household premises210a-210e(collectively referred to as household premises210and commonly referred to as a household premise210) receive communications from the upstream component204through the splitter208. It should be understood that the input port216and output ports218described herein are splitter ports and should not be conflated with OLT ports at a central office.

As discussed above, the splitter208may be provided with excess connectivity. For example, during an initial installation, the number of output ports218may generally be greater than the number of desired connections214. That is, excess connectivity is provided in anticipation of an increased demand, e.g., an increase in the number of household premises210. Therefore, at the beginning, not all of the output ports218may be connected. Connections214are added as the number of household premises210increases. When a household premise210disconnects, the corresponding connection214may be kept and not disconnected. For example, the physical connection214exists and is powered, but its status inactive. After several different changes, all the ports218may be occupied with a hodge-podge of active and inactive connections, and the technician arriving at the splitter208to make a new connection does not have a way of knowing which output port218can be freed for the new connection. Embodiments disclosed herein provide a solution to create a mapping between the upstream component204, input port216, output ports218, and ONTs in the household premises210.

FIG.3shows an example network environment300configured to implement the principles disclosed herein. As shown, the network environment300comprises a mobile computing device302carried by a technician, a fiber optic bending device304, as splitter cabinet306, a network308, a server computing device310, a database312, and an admin computing device314. The shown network environment300is just an example, and any other type of network environments with additional, alternative, or fewer number of components should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

The mobile computing device302may be any type of computing device carried by a technician when connections at the splitter cabinet306are to be modified. For example, the technician may carry the mobile computing device302to add a new connection to the splitter cabinet306, troubleshoot existing connections in the splitter cabinet306, and or any other operations associated with the splitter cabinet306. The mobile computing device302may comprise any kind of computing device such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, and or the like. Structurally, the mobile computing device302comprises a memory to store computer program instructions, a processor to execute the computer program instructions, a display to provide information to the technician, communication components to communicate through the network308, and the like. Functionally, the mobile computing device302may provide a graphical user interface on the display for the technician to retrieve and enter data associated with the passive optical network. In some embodiments, the mobile computing device302may provide latitude and longitude coordinates to the server310such that the mobile computing device302may be located. The interface between the mobile computing device302and the technician and the other mobile functionality discussed herein may be provided through a mobile computing device302application (e.g., a smartphone app). In one or more embodiments, the mobile computing device application may include XPERTrak™ by Viavi Solutions®.

The fiber optic bending device304may comprise any kind of mechanical or electromechanical device that may be used to bend a fiber optic cable (and or a fiber optic cable bundle)316a-316j. In some embodiments, the fiber optic bending device304may provide a fixed mechanical structure (e.g., groove within its housing) that is used to create a predetermined bend. In other embodiments, the fiber optic bending device304may be actuated (e.g., either manually or through an electromechanical actuation) to control the level of the bend. The fiber optic bending device304may also include a display to show the attributes, e.g., the angle of the bend, associated with the bending operation. Therefore, simple devices and devices with instrumentation and measurement capabilities are to be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Regardless of the type of the fiber optic bending device304and the functionality it provides, the bending operation generally creates an optical leak. The optical leak causes downstream and upstream signals to attenuate, i.e., to lose some of the power. That is, the leaked signal (i.e., light) bleeds into the environment and therefore cannot continue downstream and upstream through the bent optical fiber.

The splitter cabinet306may be any kind of splitter cabinet. For example, the splitter cabinet306may include a street level splitter cabinet providing a direct connection to household premises or to other splitter cabinets. In other examples, the splitter cabinet306may not necessarily provide a direct connection to the household premises, but provide connections to other downstream splitter cabinets, which in turn may provide connections to the household premises and or other splitter cabinets. The splitter cabinets306may comprise at least one input port to receive signals from upstream components and multiple output ports to transmit the received signals to corresponding multiple downstream components (again, these splitter ports are not to be conflated with OLT ports at a central office). Therefore, a knowledge of mapping of the ports, particularly the multiple output ports to the multiple corresponding downstream and upstream components, is desired.

The network308(not to be conflated with the passive optical networks100a,100bshown inFIGS.1A-1B) may be any kind of network that facilitates the communications between different components of the network environment300. For example, the network308may operate through packet switching protocols (e.g., IP), circuit switching protocols (e.g., cellular telephony), or a combination of both. The network308may comprise wired links, wireless links (e.g., 5G LTE), satellite links, and or any other types of links. Some non-limiting examples of the network308include local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), and Wide Area Network (WAN) such as the Internet.

The server computing device310may comprise any kind of computing device configured to provide server functionality in the network environment300. Although the server computing device310is shown as a single entity for illustration, the server computing device310may include a combination of a plurality of computing devices at the same geographical location or at geographically distributed locations. Some non-limiting examples of the server computing device310may include desktop computers, laptop computers, and the like. In some embodiments, the database312may be hosted by the server computing device310. In other embodiments, the database312may be connected to the server computing device310. The database312may comprise any kind of database such as object-oriented database, relational database, and or the like. The data in the database may be sourced from other server computing devices and or other databases.

The admin computing device314is generally used for coordination functionality for the mapping methods disclosed herein. To that end, the admin computing device314includes computing devices that are used to control and coordinate the technicians' visits to the site of the splitter cabinet306. The admin computing device314may show the statuses of various connections, known mapping data between the different ports with varying degree of certainty, a queue of the jobs to be performed, and the like.

In operation, a fiber optic cable at the splitter cabinet306may be bent using the fiber optic bending device304. Power loss (or signal attenuation) at downstream components (e.g., ONTs) and or upstream components (e.g., OLTs) may be retrieved from a tracking tool running on the mobile computing device302(e.g., as an application). Furthermore, the mobile computing device302may provide latitude longitude coordinates (e.g., through the application) for the network environment300to determine the location of the splitter cabinet306. The tracking tool may poll the server310and or the database312to retrieve the signal attenuation data (e.g., signal attenuation data may be correlated with the location of a household premise).

FIG.4shows a flow diagram for a setup method400for port mapping, based on the principles disclosed herein. The steps of the method400may be performed by any combination of components of the network environment300. Furthermore, the steps shown inFIG.4are merely examples; and methods with additional, alternate, or fewer number of steps are to be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the steps show example operations that are not be considered limiting. Also, the demarcation and the ordering of the steps is just for explanatory purposes and not to show a sequential operation.

At step402, optical line terminal (OLT) data may be imported. For example, a connection (e.g., by server310shown inFIG.3) may be made to a database of a network provider (e.g., a cable television network provider) and database records associated with a plurality of OLTs may be retrieved. The records may be stored in a database (e.g., database312). The OLT data may include billing system data.

At step404, the billing system data may be analyzed to determine partial network information. The billing system data may include the addresses (e.g., residential addresses) of optical network terminals (ONTs) served by the OLTs. The addresses therefore may be used to determine the geographical locations of the ONTs connected to the OLTs—without necessarily knowing the corresponding connection paths. Therefore, partial network information with OLTs-ONTs connection grouping may be determined. In other embodiments, the addresses may not necessarily be within the billing data. Instead, the billing data may contain some network topology information, but not necessarily the mapping data at the splitter level. This partial data also may be used to determine partial network information. It should, however, be understood that different types of data are merely examples and other types of data may also be used determine partial network information.

At step406, active and inactive connections between OLTs and corresponding ONTs may be determined. This determination may also be based on OLT data. In other words, the OLT data may provide an indication of what ONTs are hooked up to each OLT port. The OLT data may also indicate which connections are active and which of those are inactive (still hooked up and powered on despite the cancellation of the service).

At step408, partial mapping data may be recorded. The partial mapping data may be based on the information extracted in steps404and406. The partial mapping data may be entered by an admin through an admin computer (e.g., admin computer314shown inFIG.3).

The setup method400may therefore generate and record partial mapping information, which may then be used as a starting point to work toward more complete mapping information. The more complete mapping information may include splitter level connection data, e.g., mapping between an individual ports of splitters and the corresponding upstream and or downstream component(s).

FIG.5shows a flow diagram of an example port mapping method500, based on the principles disclosed herein. The steps of the method500may be performed by any combination of components of the network environment300. Furthermore, the steps shown inFIG.5are merely examples, and methods with additional, alternate, or fewer number of steps are to be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the steps show example operations that are not be considered limiting. Also, the demarcation and the ordering of the steps is just for explanatory purposes and not to show a sequential operation.

The method500may begin at step502, where technicians are assigned to visit splitter cabinets. In some embodiments, the splitter cabinets may comprise street level splitter cabinets configured to connect to individual premises. In other embodiments, the splitter cabinets may connect to other splitter cabinets thereby generating a cascaded formation. The technicians may be assigned in an order of priority—with a higher priority to the splitter cabinets with maximum number of unmapped ports and splitter cabinets having relatively larger number of connections and with a lower priority to the splitter cabinets having relatively smaller number of connections.

When a technician arrives at an assigned splitter cabinet with a mobile computing device and opens an application on the mobile computing device, the mobile computing device application at step504transmits the latitude and longitude coordinates to a system back-end device (e.g., server310shown inFIG.3). The coordinates allow for the establishing of the splitter cabinet's location, and if it was already established, allow a confirmation of the established location.

At step506, the mobile computing device application may be used for accessing a splitter within the splitter cabinet. The mobile computing device application may render an interface, e.g., graphical and or a text interface, that allows the technician to select (or virtually “open”) a splitter among a plurality of splitters in the splitter cabinet. The selection may allow the back-end device to determine which splitter is being accessed for testing its connections to other components to determine the mapping.

At step508, the fiber at the input port of the selected splitter may be bent by the technician. The bending may be triggered by the mobile computing application generating a message to the technician that the bending may begin. The bending is done using a bending tool, which may be a simple mechanical device or an electronic device with measurement and instrumentation capabilities. In response to the bending, there may be a signal loss at all the downstream ONTs and upstream components (e.g., OLTs) connected to the selected splitter. The indication of the signal loss may be received at the back-end device and provided to the mobile computing device application.

At510, the optical fibers at the output ports of the splitter may be bent by the technician. The bending may be triggered by the mobile computing application generating another message to the technician that the bending at the output ports may begin. The bending may be sequential where the technician bends the optical fiber one by one until all the optical fibers are bent. At each bending action, the mobile computing device application receives feedback of the signal losses at the downstream ONTs and upstream OLTs. For example, if the optical fiber of port1is bent and that causes a signal loss in a household premise; it may be determined that the household premises1is connected to port1. Similarly, if the bend in the optical fiber of port1causes a signal loss at a port1(not to be conflated with splitter port where the fiber is being bent) of ONT1, it may be determined that splitter port1is connected to ONT1through ONT port1.

In one or more embodiments, safeguards may be provided to ensure that the bending does not create a signal disruption. Therefore, prior to sending the indications to perform the bending operation, the power levels may be checked to determine whether the levels have an adequate margin and will not be adversely affected by the bending. If the power levels are too low, an indication may be generated to the technician that bending may not be feasible at this time and should be tried again later.

At512, mapping is determined based on the downstream and or upstream power loss caused by the bent fibers in steps508and510. For example, a bent optical fiber at an input port of a splitter will cause all the ONTs connected downstream to the splitter to lose some signal power. Thus, based on the detected signal power, a mapping between the input port and the downstream components may be created. Furthermore, the bent optical fiber at the input port of the splitter will cause power loss at an upstream ONT port. This power loss can be used to create a mapping between the input port of the splitter and the upstream ONT port. A bent optical fiber at an output port of the splitter will cause the downstream and upstream components connected to the output port to lose some signal power. A mapping between the output port and the corresponding downstream and or upstream components may be created based on the detected signal power.

It should also be understood that the bending and the corresponding detection of signal power losses can be performed at any point in the passive optical network. For example, the bending and the signal power loss detection may be started at street splitter cabinets to determine the mapping between the ports (i.e., the splitter ports) in these cabinets and the household premises. The bending may be performed at other upstream components to generate another layer of mapping knowledge. The bending may continue upstream until an optimal amount of mapping knowledge about the network is generated.

Furthermore, at the admin level, a job tracker interface may also be provided as the method500is being implemented. The job tracker interface may indicate what percentage of each OLT port has been mapped down to the splitter level. The percentage may be based on the percentage of the home premises that have been mapped and or the percentage of the splitters that have been mapped. When an OLT has a predetermined percent of mapping (e.g., 100%, 95%, 90%, etc.), an indication may be generated that the mapping job has been completed.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope. In fact, after reading the above description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement alternative embodiments. For example, other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, the described systems. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

In addition, it should be understood that any figures which highlight the functionality and advantages are presented for example purposes only. The disclosed methodology and system are each sufficiently flexible and configurable such that they may be utilized in ways other than that shown.

Although the term “at least one” may often be used in the specification, claims and drawings, the terms “a”, “an”, “the”, “said”, etc. also signify “at least one” or “the at least one” in the specification, claims and drawings.

Finally, it is the applicant's intent that only claims that include the express language “means for” or “step for” be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Claims that do not expressly include the phrase “means for” or “step for” are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).