IP Library Granted Patent US 12,136,944
Granted Patent B1
US 12,136,944 · App. 18/636,808 · Granted Nov 5, 2024

Method and system for directly connecting a PON device to a mobile device to provide real-time information

Inventors: John Valdez (Copper Canyon, TX); James Steacy (Dallas, TX); Yan Wang (Allen, TX)
Assignee: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, LLC
H04B10/073H04Q11/0067H04Q2011/0083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,136,944
App. No.
18/636,808
Granted
Nov 5, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

Techniques for repairing a network failure in a Passive Optical Network (PON) include establishing a communication session with an optical network terminal (ONT) in a PON via a short-range communication link. In response to establishing the communication session, the techniques include receiving diagnostic information related to a network failure corresponding to the ONT, and presenting the diagnostic information to a user for the user to repair the ONT based on the received diagnostic information.

Claims (59)

1. A method for repairing a network failure in a Passive Optical Network (PON), the method comprising:

establishing a communication session, by a client device via a short-range communication link, with an optical network terminal (ONT) in a PON by:

receiving, at the client device, a search query including identification information for the ONT;

identifying, by the client device, the ONT based on the search query;

identifying, by the client device, a network name for connecting to the ONT;

presenting, by the client device, the network name for connecting to the ONT;

detecting, by the client device, a short-range communication signal for a network associated with the network name for connecting to the ONT; and

transmitting, by the client device, a request to connect to the ONT via the network in response to receiving the short-range communication signal;

in response to establishing the communication session, receiving, at the client device from the ONT via the short-range communication link, diagnostic information related to a network failure corresponding to the ONT; and

presenting, by the client device, the diagnostic information to a user for the user to repair the ONT based on the received diagnostic information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the client device to the ONT via the short-range communication link, a request for the ONT to perform a diagnostic test; and

receiving, at the client device from the ONT via the short-range communication link, the diagnostic information in response to the ONT performing the diagnostic test.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the diagnostic test includes at least one of: a dial tone test to test whether the ONT can successfully complete a call with the client device or a speed test to test download or upload rates at the ONT.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the short-range communication link is at least one of: a Wi-Fi communication link, or a near field communication (NFC) link.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein establishing the communication session further includes:

receiving, at the client device, a signal from the ONT broadcasted via the Wi-Fi communication link;

transmitting, by the client device via the Wi-Fi communication link, a request to connect to the ONT in response to receiving the signal, wherein the communication session is established in response to the ONT receiving the request.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein establishing the communication session further includes:

transmitting, by the client device via the NFC link, a request to pair the client device with the ONT, wherein the communication session is established in response to the ONT receiving the request.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic information includes at least one of: a download rate at the ONT, an upload rate at the ONT, a light level metric at the ONT, a distance from the ONT to an optical line terminal (OLT), a temperature metric at the ONT, a PON utilization metric, or an uplink metric for the ONT.

8. A client device for repairing a network failure in a Passive Optical Network (PON), the client device comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to:

establish, via a short-range communication link, a communication session with an optical network terminal (ONT) in a PON by:

receiving a search query including identification information for the ONT;

identifying the ONT based on the search query;

identifying a network name for connecting to the ONT;

presenting the network name for connecting to the ONT;

detecting a short-range communication signal for a network associated with the network name for connecting to the ONT; and

transmitting a request to connect to the ONT via the network in response to receiving the short-range communication signal;

in response to establishing the communication session, receive, from the ONT via the short-range communication link, diagnostic information related to a network failure corresponding to the ONT; and

present the diagnostic information to a user for the user to repair the ONT based on the received diagnostic information.

9. The client device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the client device to:

transmit, to the ONT via the short-range communication link, a request for the ONT to perform a diagnostic test; and

receive, from the ONT via the short-range communication link, the diagnostic information in response to the ONT performing the diagnostic test.

10. The client device of claim 9 , wherein the diagnostic test includes at least one of: a dial tone test to test whether the ONT can successfully complete a call with the client device or a speed test to test download or upload rates at the ONT.

11. The client device of claim 8 , wherein the short-range communication link is at least one of: a Wi-Fi communication link, or a near field communication (NFC) link.

12. The client device of claim 11 , wherein to establish the communication session, the instructions further cause the client device to:

receive a signal from the ONT broadcasted via the Wi-Fi communication link; and

transmit, via the Wi-Fi communication link, a request to connect to the ONT in response to receiving the signal, wherein the communication session is established in response to the ONT receiving the request.

13. The client device of claim 11 , wherein to establish the communication session, the instructions further cause the client device to:

transmit, via the NFC link, a request to pair the client device with the ONT, wherein the communication session is established in response to the ONT receiving the request.

14. The client device of claim 8 , wherein the diagnostic information includes at least one of: a download rate at the ONT, an upload rate at the ONT, a light level metric at the ONT, a distance from the ONT to an optical line terminal (OLT), a temperature metric at the ONT, a PON utilization metric, or an uplink metric for the ONT.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

establish, via a short-range communication link, a communication session with an optical network terminal (ONT) in a PON by:

receiving a search query including identification information for the ONT;

identifying the ONT based on the search query;

identifying a network name for connecting to the ONT;

presenting the network name for connecting to the ONT;

detecting a short-range communication signal for a network associated with the network name for connecting to the ONT; and

transmitting a request to connect to the ONT via the network in response to receiving the short-range communication signal;

in response to establishing the communication session, receive, from the ONT via the short-range communication link, diagnostic information related to a network failure corresponding to the ONT; and

present the diagnostic information to a user for the user to repair the ONT based on the received diagnostic information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

transmit, to the ONT via the short-range communication link, a request for the ONT to perform a diagnostic test; and

receive, from the ONT via the short-range communication link, the diagnostic information in response to the ONT performing the diagnostic test.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16 , wherein the diagnostic test includes at least one of: a dial tone test to test whether the ONT can successfully complete a call with the client device or a speed test to test download or upload rates at the ONT.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15 , wherein the short-range communication link is at least one of: a Wi-Fi communication link, or a near field communication (NFC) link.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2026
From: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, LLC
To: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS PARENT, INC.
Reel/Frame 075841/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2026
From: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS PARENT, INC.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 075835/0355 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2024
From: VALDEZ, JOHN; STEACY, JAMES; WANG, YAN
To: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 068827/0687 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2024
From: VALDEZ, JOHN; STEACY, JAMES; WANG, YAN
To: FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 068827/0863 →
Cited By (6)
US 12,267,104 US 12,388,525 US 12,494,962 US 12,676,783 US 12,719,569 US 12,726,270