Remotely actuated splittler bypass system and method

Details Remotely actuated splittler bypass system and method Remotely actuated splittler bypass system and method

2000-03-01

2003-06-03

Tieu, Binh (Department: 2743)

Telephonic communications

Diagnostic testing, malfunction indication, or electrical...

Of centralized switching system

C379S001010, C379S022000, C379S027060, C379S029010, C379S093090

Reexamination Certificate

active

06574309

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remotely actuated splitter bypass system and method for testing and maintaining a copper loop. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system and method for remotely actuating a bypass function in a splitter such that testing and maintenance can be performed by a local exchange carrier without interference to/from the plain old telephone system (POTS) service. In particular, the present invention discloses systems and methods allowing a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) to access the copper loop for testing and maintenance with minimal interference to/from the POTS service.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In 1999, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules to promote competition between local telephone companies and providers of high speed Internet access and other data services by directing the telephone companies to share their telephone lines with such providers. With these rules, many companies can deploy new technologies on a faster, more cost-effective basis, thereby allowing residential and business customers to access broadband and POTS services from a choice of different providers.
Digital Subscriber Line or xDSL is one of the most promising new technologies for delivering superior service and higher speed connections over existing infrastructure. Recent changes in the telecommunications industry such as the deregulation of local markets have brought on the emergence of new technologies such as xDSL. In addition, the growing demand for faster, more reliable Internet access has increased the demand for technologies that deliver higher speed connections over existing infrastructure.
As known, different competing forms of digital subscriber line technologies are collectively designated as xDSL technologies with the “x” representing various one or more letter combinations, which are used in front of the “DSL” acronym to designate the type of technology being used. Some of the more prevalent xDSL technologies include HDSL, ADSL, SDSL, RADSL, VADSL, and VDSL.
xDSL uses the existing copper loop that is traditionally used for conventional telephony to deliver data at high bandwidth. Currently, the transmission rates for xDSL technologies are dependent on the distance between a central office and a particular customer. Depending on the type of xDSL technology, the transmission rate downstream to the customer and upstream to the central office may vary. Also, xDSL uses packet switching technology that operates independently of the voice telephone system, allowing telephone companies to provide Internet service and not lock up circuits for telephone calls. xDSL can carry both voice and data signals simultaneously, in both directions, allowing the customer to log onto the Internet and make a telephone call at the same time. Thus, it is easy to understand why xDSL is becoming the preferred system and method for sending/receiving analog and digital data/signals in the telecommunications industry.
Traditionally, incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) used the existing copper loop for voice telephone and data services. With the adoption of the new FCC rules, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) can obtain access to the high-frequency portion of the local loop from the ILECs. This enables the CLECs to provide xDSL services over the same telephone lines simultaneously used by the ILECs, which technique is know as “line sharing.”
Line sharing allows customers to obtain data service from either the ILEC or CLEC without having to forego the traditional voice service from their current provider. Line sharing also allows customers to receive both voice and data services on the same line; thus, eliminating the need for customers to procure a second line. In other words, line sharing involves the CLEC providing xDSL service on the same copper loop on which the ILEC provides POTS service. As a result, this allows for a more efficient use of the existing telephone infrastructure by allowing CLECs to take advantage of the large installation base that already exists.
One major shortcoming of the current line sharing system and method is the testing and maintenance of the copper loop for the CLECs. This problem is better understood by describing the current line sharing system and method, which is described in greater detail with reference to
FIGS. 1-2
.
FIG. 1
illustrates a simplified diagram of a conventional line sharing system. In the conventional system, a central office (CO) is connected to a customer's telephone
16
and an ATU-R (ADSL transceiver remote unit)
18
or similar end unit at the customer's premise (home, office, etc.) using a copper loop
14
(pair of copper wires). In the CO, a voice switch
2
, which is generally owned by the ILEC, and a DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexers)
4
, which in this case is owned by the CLEC, are connected to a CO splitter
6
. As known, the voice switch
2
includes circuitry for providing POTS (voice) service and the DSLAM
4
includes circuitry for providing xDSL service to the customer. The DSLAM
4
generally receives incoming xDSL lines and aggregates the traffic onto high-speed uplink trunks such as ATM or Frame Relay. The CO splitter
6
is typically found in a main distribution frame and is generally a passive unit (i.e., no power).
In greater detail, the CO splitter
6
is used to isolate the voice service from the xDSL service. The isolation generated by the CO splitter
6
is important for minimizing interference between the two types of services and removing transients. The CO splitter
6
separates voice and data band signals received from the copper loop
14
and provides the respective signals to the voice switch
2
and the DSLAM
4
. The CO splitter
6
also combines the voice and data band signals received from the voice switch
2
and the DSLAM
4
and provides the combined signals to the copper loop
14
.
The CO splitter
6
includes a low pass filter (LPF)
8
connected to the voice switch
2
and a high pass filter (HPF)
10
(or DC clocking capacitors) connected to the DSLAM
4
. The LPF
8
filters out higher band xDSL signals and prevents such signals from interfering with the voice switch
2
. Likewise, the HPF
10
filters out low band voice signals and prevents such signals from interfering with the DSLAM
4
. In other words, the high frequency signals generated by the DSLAM
4
will not interfere with the voice switch
2
because of the LPF
8
, and the low frequency signals generated by the voice switch
2
will not interfere with the DSLAM
4
because of the HPF
10
. The voice service typically occupies the band between 0 KHz (DC) to 4 KHz, and the xDSL service occupies some predetermined band above the voice service such as from 25.9 KHz to 1.1 MHz.
A signature S
1
12
is also connected to the voice portion of the CO splitter
6
. As known, the signature can be used in conjunction with a CO test system for fault identification and localization. The signature S
1
12
is preferably a passive network such as a resistance, capacitor, zeners and diodes combined to from a unique network, which is used to assist in detecting fault conditions, loop length measurements, and the like. The signature S
1
12
can also be active circuit elements that perform a specific function, as known in the art.
A second remote (RT) splitter
20
having a LPF
22
, HPF
24
, and signature SR
26
can be optionally installed in the customer's premise. The LPF
22
is connected to the telephone
16
for filtering out high band signals, while the HPF
24
is connected to the ATU-R
18
for filtering out low band signals.
FIG. 2
illustrates a diagram of an existing circuit used in the conventional line sharing system as shown in FIG.
1
. The LPF
8
generally includes series inductors
30
-
35
and capacitors
42
,
44
, while the HPF
10
generally includes series capacitors
50
-
53
and inductors
60
,
62
.
The voice switch
2
typically includes circuitry for interfacing with a pair of wires, tip and ring, from the outside

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