ONU Reverse Power Management Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fiber-fed Optical Network Unit (ONU) systems require expensive power rectifiers and AC mains for powering, lacking management control and redundancy.

Innovation Solution

The system incorporates a reverse power supply circuit in Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) that transmits and receives data and power over wire pairs, with a power management circuit at the ONU for power sharing, redundancy, and fault management, including hiccup fault restart and transient protection, to isolate individual port failures and control power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If Power over Ethernet (PoE) is used for single port powering, then installation and maintenance costs are reduced, but management control and redundancy are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation and maintenance costsVSAvoidmanagement control and redundancy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments power delivery into individual port-level control through separate power management circuits for each communication port, allowing independent power control and fault isolation while maintaining system-level redundancy through the ability to draw power from multiple CPE devices simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the power delivery parameters by implementing dynamic power management that monitors and adjusts power consumption at each port, enabling the ONU to adaptively allocate power resources and maintain service during power failures through intelligent parameter adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If expensive power rectifiers and AC mains are used to power ONU, then stable power supply is achieved, but installation and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestable power supplyVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces traditional mechanical power delivery infrastructure (power rectifiers and AC mains) with an electrical field-based power delivery mechanism through the existing Ethernet wire pairs, eliminating expensive hardware while maintaining stable power supply through the power management circuit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system makes the existing Ethernet wire pairs multi-functional by enabling them to carry both data and power simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate power infrastructure and reducing installation and maintenance costs while maintaining reliable power delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If multiple CPE devices provide power to ONU, then redundancy is improved, but power management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower supply redundancyVSAvoidpower management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power management circuit implements self-service functionality by automatically monitoring power levels from multiple CPE devices, dynamically allocating power resources, and managing fault conditions without requiring complex external control systems or manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the power management circuit continuously monitors power consumption and availability from multiple CPE devices, using this feedback to dynamically adjust power allocation and maintain optimal operation while simplifying overall power management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution provides enhanced management control and redundancy, reducing power consumption and operational costs by enabling single port powering and equitable load sharing, while maintaining service during power failures and transient events.

Implementation Method 1

Each reverse power supply at a CPE includes a power converter circuit configured to convert a supply voltage into an isolated voltage to provide power to the ONU

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical isolation:

Implementation Method 2

Each reverse power supply at a CPE includes a transient protection device configured to release from its triggered state based on the initiation of the power down and power up sequence

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTransient protection:

Data Source

PatentUS8601289B1Optical network unit with redundant reverse powering from customer premises equipment

Publication Date: 2013.12.03 ADTRAN INC

AI summary

In accordance with a non-limiting example, an optical communications system includes a plurality of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), each having a reverse power supply circuit and each connected to a wire pair and configured to transmit and receive data and provide reverse power over the wire pair. An Optical Network Unit (ONU) includes a plurality of communication boards. A respective communication port is connected to a selected wire pair and its associated CPE through which data is transmitted and received and power received therefrom. A power management circuit is connected to each of the communication ports and configured to receive power and provide power sharing and manage power consumption and power supply redundancy from the plurality of CPE through the communication ports.