Wave division multiplexer arrangement for small cell networks

摘要

A passive optical network includes a central office providing subscriber signals; a fiber distribution hub including an optical power splitter and a termination field; and a drop terminal. Distribution fibers have first ends coupled to output ports of a drop terminal and second ends coupled to the termination field. A remote unit of a DAS is retrofitted to the network by routing a second feeder cable from a base station to the hub and coupling one the distribution fibers to the second feeder cable. The remote unit is plugged into the corresponding drop terminal port, for example, with a cable arrangement having a sealed wave division multiplexer.

主权项

1. A method of retrofitting a remote unit of a Distributed Antenna System to an existing passive optical network including end subscribers coupled to a central office via at least a fiber distribution hub and a drop terminal, the method comprising:
providing a distribution cable including a plurality of distribution fibers, each distribution fiber having a first end plugged into a termination field at the fiber distribution hub and a second end coupled to a first output port of the drop terminal, at least some of the distribution fibers being coupled to the central office via a first feeder cable; optically coupling at the termination field a first end of a first of the distribution fibers to a second feeder cable that carries optical signals from a base station so that the optical signals from the base station are carried to the first output port of the drop terminal while another output port of the drop terminal remains connected to one of the end subscribers; and optically coupling the remote unit to the first output port of the drop terminal so that the remote unit receives the optical signals carried to the first output port by the second feeder cable, wherein optically coupling the remote unit to the first output port of the drop terminal includes:
plugging a connectorized first end of a cable arrangement into the first output port of the drop terminal; andplugging connectorized second ends of the cable arrangement into ports at the remote unit,the cable arrangement including a first optical fiber, a plurality of second optical fibers, a wave division multiplexer coupled to the first optical fiber and second optical fibers, and a sealed enclosure surrounding at least the wave division multiplexer to protect against a surrounding environment, the wave division multiplexer being configured to multiplex and demultiplex optical signals carried between the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers based on wavelengths of the optical signals.