Abstract: A communication network system includes a solid-state meter, an optical line terminal (“OLT”) based device, and a meter network management device. In one embodiment, the solid-state meter, which can be an electricity meter or a gas meter, provides a measurement, and has a serial communication interface. The OLT based device transfers the information between network devices via a communication network. The meter network management device, which may be an optical network terminal (“ONT”), is capable of communicating with the solid-state meter using the serial communication interface via an RS-232 port.

Abstract: A communication network system includes a solid-state meter, an optical line terminal (“OLT”) based device, and a meter network management device. In one embodiment, the solid-state meter, which can be an electricity meter or a gas meter, provides a measurement, and has a serial communication interface. The OLT based device transfers the information between network devices via a communication network. The meter network management device, which may be an optical network terminal (“ONT”), is capable of communicating with the solid-state meter using the serial communication interface via an RS-232 port.

Abstract: A communication network system includes a solid-state meter, an optical line terminal (“OLT”) based device, and a meter network management device. In one embodiment, the solid-state meter, which can be an electricity meter or a gas meter, provides a measurement, and has a serial communication interface. The OLT based device transfers the information between network devices via a communication network. The meter network management device, which may be an optical network terminal (“ONT”), is capable of communicating with the solid-state meter using the serial communication interface via an RS-232 port.

Abstract: A wireless communication network system includes a central office network, a plurality of cell sites, each for communicating wirelessly with external cellular phones within its transmission range, and a passive optical network (PON)-based wireless backhaul system that transfers communication information between the cell sites and the central office network. The PON-based wireless backhaul system further includes at least a source optical network terminal (ONT), an optical line terminal (OLT), and a quality of service (QoS) converter in each of the source ONT and OLT to allow for quality of service-enabled communication between the cell sites and the central office network via the PON-based wireless backhaul system.

Abstract: Flaws in information security infest modern software, and pervasive computing has made network systems vulnerable. Information security is constantly endangered by errors in protocol implementations. Testing a protocol implementation for errors directly from a network where a device implementing the protocol resides limits the coverage of protocols tested. In contrast, testing protocols from an access network that internetworks a customer premises with one or more service networks greatly expands the coverage of protocols tested. Accordingly, a method and corresponding apparatus are provided to test from the access network, testing both service network devices and customer premises devices, and the protocols implemented on those devices.

Abstract: In traditional networks, a user provides an authorization to establish a connection for services with an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The ONT becomes vulnerable to unauthorized users because the ONT restricts access at an Internet Protocol level. An embodiment of the present invention includes a system that restricts user access to services by causing a ranging fault to disable an ONT from communicating upstream with the OLT in an event the user fails to provide a valid ONT level user authorization. In an event the ONT is in a ranged state and the user fails to provide a valid service level authorization, the system causes a service level fault to restrict the ONT from granting user access to the user to services. Thus, unauthorized users are prevented access to the ONT and increased security is achieved.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting and analyzing diagnostic data relating to an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) anomaly or failure is disclosed. Example embodiments of the method and system employ a SIP configuration server to collect and analyze diagnostic data efficiently to determine a cause of the anomaly or failure in both live and post-mortem scenarios. The collected data may be communicated to a central location, where analysis of the data may be conveniently performed by a technical support entity. The method and system are scalable and may be applied to an entire installed base of ONTs across many individual Passive Optical Networks (PONs).

Abstract: Cell phones or other wireless devices are becoming increasingly more accessible to customers, but cell phone features are primarily focused on communications services. A system employing an example embodiment activates services for an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in the presence of wireless devices. In particular, the ONT responds to a ranging request from an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) with an ONT Identifier (ID) and an ID of a wireless device. If the ID of the wireless device is known, the ONT may enable activate a service, such as a security service for a homeowner. If the ID of the wireless device is unknown, the system may employ security measures, such as notifying the homeowner that a person with a wireless device having an unknown ID is on the premises. Thus, the example embodiment enables or disables premises security or other security based on the ID of the wireless device.

Abstract: An Optical Network Terminal (ONT) has a fixed number of voice ports. A system employing an example embodiment of the invention increases the number of voice ports without changing hardware in the ONT by employing an Analog Terminal Adaptor (ATA) expander and configuring the ATA expander through use of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and other network resources already available in a network with which the ONT is associated. The ATA expander is configured to be compatible with the ONT and, thus the ONT can increase voice services without hardware changes to support growing demands by customers for access to voice services via increasing number of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring and reporting the performance of communications traffic in a Passive Optical Network (PON) are disclosed. According to the disclosed embodiments, the PON network may include an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and multiple Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) downstream of the OLT. By aggregating multicast communications traffic received by the ONTs at a point downstream of the ONTs, selectively accessing the aggregated communications traffic, collecting information representative of performance of each selected communications traffic, and reporting the collected information upstream to a network management node, communications traffic in the PON network may be tested in both downstream and upstream directions.

Abstract: An optical network terminal (ONT) includes an input device coupled to at least one sensing device mounted in a structure, and an output coupled to a passive optical network (PON). The ONT also includes a processor programmed to receive security information from the input device, determine if an alarm condition exists using the security information, and transmit an alarm to the output based on the determination. The processor is programmed to detect an open circuit between the sensing device and the ONT, and to generate an alarm if an open circuit is detected. The processor is also programmed to receive information from a keypad located remotely from the ONT. The keypad is utilized to program the ONT from the remote location.

Abstract: A terminal apparatus includes an ethernet channel that transfers ethernet traffic between an ethernet port and an external network port during a normal operation mode of the apparatus, and a Multimedia over Cable Alliance (MoCA) channel that transfers MoCA traffic between a MoCA port and the external network port during the normal operation mode. The terminal apparatus also includes a test system that bridges the ethernet channel and the MoCA channel during a test mode of the apparatus. Ethernet traffic received by the ethernet port is converted to MoCA traffic and transferred to the MoCA port, and MoCA traffic received by the MoCA port is converted to ethernet traffic and transferred to the ethernet port.

Abstract: A network element, a system to deliver voice communications, and methods for delivering voice services from an optical network to a telephone at a location within a premises. The system may include a network element and a telephone system having a connector. The telephone system may be positioned proximate to the network element so that the connector contacts an analog interface of the network element.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program for simulating a communication link, such as an uplink, to one or more external networks in a communication network is provided. A test optical network terminal is connected to the network, and an uplink is simulated through the test optical network terminal, providing access to one or more external networks to one or more network elements in the communication network. Traffic is looped through an optical line terminal using optical carrier cards, and virtual cross connects are provisioned in the communication network to create a communication path between the optical network terminal and the test optical network terminal. A method of troubleshooting a network element such as an optical network terminal is also provided.

Abstract: A network terminal includes a bridge to interface the network terminal to a data channel linked to a central office, a first interface of a first type, and a second interface of a second type that is different from the first type of interface. A processor controls the network terminal to route data packets received via the first interface to the data channel via the bridge, when the network terminal is set to operate in a normal mode, and to route data packets received via the first interface to the second interface, when the network terminal is set to operate in a test mode. In an example embodiment, the first interface is an Ethernet interface and the second interface is a MoCA interface.