Centurylink Intellectual Property LLC

Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech Research Corporation

Michael L Elford

Thomas Schwengler

Michael Paul Winterrowd

Thomas Charles Barnett, Jr

Diana L Unser

Pete A Kawamoto

John M Heinz

Robert J Morrill

Pasha G Mohammed

Stephen Opferman

Erez Allouche

Bryan Cady

Patrick J Sims

Joe Fife

Warren Novak

Erez N Allouche

Novel tools and techniques for underground cable installation are provided. A system includes a compressor and a boring attachment. The boring attachment may be operatively coupled to the compressor and further coupled to an outer sheath of a buried cable. The boring attachment may be configured to be actuated by the compressor. In response to being actuated by the compressor, the boring attachment may be configured to displace at least some ground material, in contact with the buried cable, in which the buried cable is buried, and advance in at least one direction along a longitudinal axis of the buried cable.

System and method for new cable provisioning utilizing buried cable

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing antenna alignment, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing antenna alignment using a gimbal. In various embodiments, a gimbal system might be provided. The gimbal system may be at least one of a passive two-axis gimbal, a passive three-axis gimbal, an active two-axis gimbal, and/or an active three-axis gimbal. At least one antenna may be coupled to the gimbal system. The gimbal system may be configured to compensate for at least one of a movement of a structure and/or a wind load on the at least one antenna. Additionally and/or alternatively, the gimbal system may be configured to align the antenna toward the position and orientation where there is the signal quality is optimized.

Antenna alignment device

Novel tools and techniques for new cable provisioning utilizing an applied physical process are provided. A system includes a physical process applicator and a first coupler. The first coupler may be configured to attach to a first end of a first cable. The physical process applicator may be configured to apply a physical process to the first cable, and tension the first cable, via the first coupler. The first coupler may further be configured to cause, via the physical process, the first cable to displace at least some ground material surrounding the first cable, and allow at least part of the first cable to be removed.

System and method for new cable provisioning using applied physical process

Novel tools and techniques are provided for delivering plain old telephone service ('POTS') telephony over high speed data networks. In particular, various embodiments provide tools and techniques for concurrent transmission of POTS voice signals and data signals over the same wire(s) of high-speed data lines or data cables. Various systems and methods might, in some instances, utilize upbanding or rebanding of the POTS voice band to a higher frequency band above the data stream band spectrum for transport of voice concurrent with data over the same wire(s) in the cable. The system might comprise interface devices at either end of a cable segment, one interface device to reband the voice signal and to combine the voice signal with the data signal for each dual-transport wire in the cable, and another interface device at the other end to separate the voice signal from the data signal.

POTS telephony over high speed data networks

Novel tools and techniques for point-to-point network service provisioning and mesh network transitioning are provided. A system includes a fiber injection node, host mesh network radio, and a first node. The first node may comprise a remote wireless transceiver in communication with the host wireless transceiver, a first mesh network node transceiver configured to communicate with other mesh network node transceivers, a processor, and non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions executable by the processor. The first node may be configured to establish a point-to-point wireless connection to the host wireless transceiver of the fiber injection node, and provision access to the service provider network to the first customer premises. The first node may further be configured to establish a mesh connection to a secondary mesh network node associated with a second customer premises, and provision access to the service provider network to the second customer premises.

Fixed wireless point-to-point mesh engineered network deployment framework

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing point-to-point fiber insertion within a passive optical network ('PON') communications system. The PON communications system, associated with a first service provider or a first service, might include an F1 line(s) routed from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub ('FDH') located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot, an F2 line(s) routed via various apical conduit components to a network access point (&#x201c;NAP&#x201d;) servicing customer premises, and an F3 line(s) distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 Line(s), to a network interface device or optical network terminal at each customer premises via various apical conduit components (e.g., in roadway surfaces). Point-to-point fiber insertion of another F1 line(s), associated with a second service provider or a second service, at either the NAP or the FDH (or outside these devices).

Apical filler layers

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing antenna structures to optimize transmission and reception of wireless signals from ground-based signal distribution devices, which include, but are not limited to, pedestals, hand holes, and/or network access point platforms. Wireless applications with such devices and systems might include, without limitation, wireless signal transmission and reception in accordance with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad/af standards, UMTS, CDMA, LTE, PCS, AWS, EAS, BRS, and/or the like. In some embodiments, an antenna might be provided within a signal distribution device, which might include a container disposed in a ground surface. A top portion of the container might be substantially level with a top portion of the ground surface. The antenna might be communicatively coupled to one or more of at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber, at least one conductive signal line, or at least one power line via the container.

Wireless access point in pedestal or hand hole

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing installation of optical fiber, non-fiber lines, and/or power lines in a ground surface. In various embodiments, a foldable base might be placed in a channel in a ground surface. The foldable base might include a base portion, two side wall portions, at least two points of articulation, and two plug contacts. Each point of articulation allows each side wall portion to fold relative with the base portion, forming a cavity. One or more lines may be placed within the cavity. A plug, placed above the lines in the cavity, may engage with the two plug contacts to secure the plug to the foldable base. Capping material, placed in microchannel on a top surface of the plug, may flow beyond the microchannel and over any openings between the plug and the foldable base and between the foldable base and edges of the channel.

Apical conduit method and system

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing antenna structures to optimize transmission and reception of wireless signals from ground-based signal distribution devices, which include, but are not limited to, cabinets, pedestals, hand holes, and/or network access point platforms. Wireless applications with such devices and systems might include, without limitation, wireless signal transmission and reception in accordance with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad/af standards, UMTS, CDMA, LTE, PCS, AWS, EAS, BRS, and/or the like. In some embodiments, an antenna might be provided within a signal distribution device, which might include a container disposed in a ground surface. A top portion of the container might be substantially level with a top portion of the ground surface. The antenna might be communicatively coupled to at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber line, at least one conductive signal line, and/or at least one power line via an apical conduit system installed in a roadway.

Wireless distribution using cabinets, pedestals, and hand holes

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing FTTx, which might include Fiber-to-the-Home ('FTTH'), Fiber-to-the-Building ('FTTB'), Fiber-to-the-Premises (&#x201c;FTTP&#x201d;), and/or the like. In some embodiments, a method might include routing an F1 line(s) from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub (&#x201c;FDH&#x201d;) located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot. From the FDH, an F2 line(s) might be routed, via any combination of apical conduit main slot(s), cross slot(s), far-side slot(s), missile bore(s), bore hole(s), and/or conduit(s) (collectively, &#x201c;Apical Conduit Components&#x201d;), to a network access point (&#x201c;NAP&#x201d;) servicing one or more customer premises. An F3 line(s) might be distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 line(s), to a network interface device (&#x201c;NID&#x201d;) or optical network terminal (&#x201c;ONT&#x201d;) at each customer premises, via any combination of the Apical Conduit Components, which include channels in at least portions of roadways.

Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) methods and systems

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing FTTx, which might include Fiber-to-the-Home ('FTTH'), Fiber-to-the-Premises ('FTTP'), and/or the like. A method might include routing an F1 line(s) from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub (&#x201c;FDH&#x201d;) located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot. From the FDH, an F2 line(s) might be routed, via any combination of various apical conduit components, to a network access point (&#x201c;NAP&#x201d;) servicing one or more customer premises. An F3 line(s) might be distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 line(s), to a network interface device (&#x201c;NID&#x201d;) or optical network terminal (&#x201c;ONT&#x201d;) at each customer premises, via any combination of the apical conduit components, which include channels in at least portions of roadways. In some embodiments, at least one wireless access point is disposed in each of one or more channels.

Apical radiator

Novel tools and techniques for a meter collar system for powerline communications are provided. The system includes a meter socket coupled to a utility power cable and a supply cable of the customer premises, and a meter collar device coupled to the meter socket. The meter collar device may include a powerline interface coupled to one or more load lines of the subscriber cable, and a line transceiver, coupled to the powerline interface. A physical layer transceiver may be coupled to a subscriber line. The meter collar device may be configured to receive, from the physical layer transceiver, a first data signal from the subscriber line, and convert the first data signal into a powerline data signal for transmission over the one or more load lines, and transmit the powerline data signal, via the line transceiver, over the one or more load lines.

Growing community of inventors

Calhoun, LA, United States of America

Michael L Elford