Distributed communication equipment architectures and techniques

US7583689B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Alcatel Lucent · FR

Inventors

• Bakri Aboukarr · Gatineau, CA
• Arkin Aydin · Ottawa, CA
• Mary Ann Condie · Gatineau, CA
• Wilfred Sullivan · Ottawa, CA
• Andrew Gordon Tomilson · Ottawa, CA
• Guy Landry · Gatineau, CA
• Bart Joseph Gerard Pauwels · Tessenderlo, BE
• Ronny Peeters · Hoboken, BE
• Koen Hooghe · Berchem, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 1, 2005
• Grant date: Sep 1, 2009
• Expiry date: May 15, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04Q2213/13191
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Distributed communication equipment architectures and techniques are disclosed. A host system includes an expansion unit through which control information and communication traffic may be exchanged with an expansion system. The expansion system is thereby controllable by a controller at the host system, significantly simplifying the design and reducing the cost of the expansion system. The expansion unit for a host system may also provide one or more configurable communication link interfaces. Each configurable interface may be independently configured as a network-side interface for connection to upstream communication equipment or as an access-side expansion interface for connection to an expansion system, allowing provisioning of network and access interfaces at the host system as needed.