Optical Network Terminal Pre-provisioning via Serial Number

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for activating broadband services in optical network terminals require manual intervention, such as serial number entry or QR code scanning, and often necessitate a technician's presence, especially when internet access is unavailable, which complicates the service provisioning process and increases the need for inventory management and warehouse maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for service provisioning that decouples the activation of optical network terminal (ONT) services from physical installation, using a management system to interconnect wholesalers, retailers, and suppliers, enabling pre-provisioning, automatic service triggering, and seamless integration of the supply chain, allowing for remote activation and eliminating the need for immediate internet access or technician presence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual serial number entry or QR code scanning is used for ONT activation, then service provisioning can be initiated, but technician presence is required and the process becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice provisioning processVSAvoidactivation process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ONT automatically performs self-registration by sending its serial number to the OLT upon connection. The system autonomously completes service provisioning without requiring manual intervention, technician presence, or customer action. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction by eliminating operational complexity while maintaining ease of service initiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The ONT serial number is pre-configured in the device before deployment. When the ONT connects to the OLT, this pre-stored information is automatically transmitted for immediate service activation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual entry or scanning processes, simplifying the activation workflow while maintaining operational capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If technician presence is required for activation, then accurate serial number input is ensured, but service provisioning time increases and customer convenience decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveserial number input accuracyVSAvoidservice provisioning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The ONT autonomously extracts and transmits its own serial number to the OLT upon connection. This self-service approach ensures 100% accuracy in serial number input while eliminating the time loss associated with technician presence. The device independently completes the identification process, resolving both the accuracy and time efficiency requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If pre-provisioning is implemented, then service activation is immediate upon connection, but inventory management and warehouse maintenance complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice activation speedVSAvoidinventory management system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the pre-provisioning function from the inventory management system and implements it directly in the ONT device through automatic serial number transmission. This extraction eliminates the need for complex centralized inventory management and warehouse maintenance, while still enabling immediate service activation upon connection. The complexity is localised to the device level rather than the system level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If manual service provisioning is used, then inventory control is maintained, but the provisioning process requires multiple steps and external communication networks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinventory controlVSAvoidservice provisioning process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The ONT autonomously transmits its serial number to the OLT and receives service provisioning configuration without requiring external communication networks or manual intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains inventory control through automatic system tracking while dramatically simplifying the provisioning process to a single connection action, resolving both reliability and ease of operation requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3668106B1Method and system for service provisioning to an optical network terminal
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP3668106B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3668106B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3668106B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

A serial number of the optical network terminal (125) is acquired during a pre-provisioning phase by a supplier management system (230). The serial number is recorded in a preregistration database in association with a user service profile to be activated. Upon connection of the optical network terminal (125) to the optical network (100), a notification including the serial number of the optical network terminal (125) is received from an operator management system (224). The user service profile to be activated is retrieved from the preregistration database (221) on the basis of the received serial number. Transport layer service provisioning for the optical network terminal (125) is triggered on the basis of the retrieved user service profile.