WIRELESS NETWORK CABLE ASSEMBLY

摘要

An optical fiber-based cable is formed to include pre-manufactured wireless access nodes included at spaced-apart locations along a length of the optical fiber cable. Each wireless access node is formed to include an antenna, a wireless radio transceiver, and an optical transceiver. The cable is formed to include a plurality of optical transmission fibers, as well as a plurality of separate electrical power conductors. An optical fiber is terminated at the optical transceiver within the wireless node, and a power conductor from the cable terminates at the node and is used to energize both the wireless transceiver and the optical transceiver. The antenna is preferably formed as a sheathing member around at least a portion of components forming the node. Upon deployment, the wireless node portion of the cable is able to provide communication between the cable and wireless devices in its vicinity.

主权项

1. An optical fiber communication cable comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers disposed in an axial direction along a signal path, the plurality of optical fibers including a fronthaul communication fiber for supporting bidirectional optical communication; a plurality of electrical power conductors disposed in the axial direction along the signal path; and at least one embedded wireless access node disposed at a predetermined location along the signal path, the at least one embedded wireless access node functioning as a termination for an optical fiber from the plurality of optical fibers and a power conductor from the plurality of electrical power conductors, the embedded wireless node comprising
an antenna;a wireless radio transceiver coupled to the antenna and powered by the terminated electrical power conductor, the wireless radio transceiver providing bidirectional communication with wireless devices within range of the antenna and converting communications between radio signals and electrical signals;an optical transceiver coupled to the terminated optical fiber and the fronthaul optical fiber, the optical transceiver powered by the terminated electrical power conductor and connected to the wireless radio transceiver for providing bidirectional communication with the wireless radio transceiver and converting communications between electrical signals and optical signals, with converted optical signals coupled onto the fronthaul communication fiber.