Patent · US Expired

Remote interface for a network device in the physical plant

US7450520B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
11References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 10, 2003
Grant dateNov 11, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 11, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W88/00
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A network device such as a combination ONU-DSLAM deployed outside the central office includes a wireless transceiver to enable a technician to interface with the network device over a wireless control channel. This allows the technician to monitor, interrogate, and control the network device to ascertain performance of the network or the network device and cause the network device to perform particular desired operations. Additionally, providing a wireless interface enables the network technician to fix specific perceived problems in the network device, such as by uploading new software to the network device, to enable the network device to have increased functionality or more reliable performance. Infra-red, wireless, powerline, or another technology may be used to interface with the network device. The wireless access port may also enable subscribers to access the network, for example by causing the network device to act as an 802.11 hot spot.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.