Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access Based Virtual Passive Optical Network (VPON)

• US 20090092394A1
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Laboratories America Inc (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Laboratories America Inc (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Wei, Wei, Wang, Ting
• Application Number:
  US12/207,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20090092394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0282 WDM tree architectures

Abstract

Various types of passive optical networks operate simultaneously in one passive optical network system comprising an optical line terminal, a passive remote node, and multiple optical network units. Downstream data is orthogonal frequency division multiplexed onto a single wavelength optical carrier transmitted on a primary downstream optical beam from the optical line terminal to a splitter in the passive remote node. The primary downstream optical beam is split into multiple secondary downstream optical beams; each is transmitted to a specific optical network unit. Upstream data is orthogonal frequency division multiplexed onto a single wavelength optical carrier transmitted on a secondary upstream optical beam from each optical network unit to a coupler in the passive remote node. The upstream wavelength for each optical network unit is different. The wavelength division multiplexed optical beam is transmitted from the passive remote node to a parallel signal detector in the optical line terminal.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data across a passive optical network, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a passive remote node a primary downstream optical beam comprising at least one primary downstream optical carrier, wherein each of the at least one primary downstream optical carriers has a corresponding primary downstream wavelength and carries a corresponding primary downstream orthogonal division multiplexed data stream; and

transmitting from the passive remote node at least one secondary downstream optical beam based at least in part on the at least one primary downstream optical beam, wherein each of the at least one secondary downstream optical beams comprises at least one secondary downstream optical carrier having a corresponding secondary downstream wavelength and carrying a corresponding secondary downstream orthogonal division multiplexed data stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

said step of receiving at least one primary downstream optical beam further comprises the step of:

receiving from an optical line terminal a first optical beam comprising a first optical carrier having a first wavelength and carrying a first orthogonal division multiplexed data stream; and

said step of transmitting at least one secondary downstream optical beam further comprises the steps of;

transmitting to a first optical network node a second optical beam comprising a second optical carrier having said first wavelength and carrying said first orthogonal division multiplexed data stream; and

transmitting to a second optical network node a third optical beam comprising a third optical carrier having said first wavelength and carrying said first orthogonal division multiplexed data stream.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said first optical network node a fourth optical beam comprising a fourth optical carrier having a second wavelength and carrying a second orthogonal division multiplexed data stream; and

transmitting from said second optical network node a fifth optical beam comprising a fifth optical carrier having a third wavelength and carrying a third orthogonal division multiplexed data stream.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at said passive remote node said fourth optical beam;

receiving at said passive remote node said fifth optical beam; and

wavelength division multiplexing said fourth optical beam and said fifth optical beam to form a sixth optical beam comprising a sixth optical carrier having said second wavelength and carrying said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream and a seventh optical carrier having said third wavelength and carrying said third orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream; and

transmitting the sixth optical beam to said optical line terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at said optical line terminal said sixth optical beam; and

orthogonal frequency division demultiplexing said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream and said third orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

allocating a first set of subcarriers and a first set of time slots in said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream to a first set of data packets; and

allocating a second set of subcarriers and a second set of time slots in said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream to a second set of data packets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of allocating a first set of subcarriers and a first set of time slots and said step of allocating a second set of subcarriers and a second set of time slots are controlled by a control software module.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said first set of data packets and said second set of data packets are received from a user equipment communicating with said first optical network node.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first set of data packets corresponds to a first type of traffic and said second set of data packets corresponds to a second type of traffic.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said first set of data packets is received from a first user equipment communicating with said first optical network node and said second set of data packets is received from a second user equipment communicating with said first optical network node.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at an optical line terminal at least one tunnel-encapsulated data stream;

mapping the at least one tunnel-encapsulated data stream to at least one set of subcarriers and at least one set of time slots in said at least one corresponding primary downstream orthogonal frequency multiplexed data stream.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of mapping is controlled by a control software module.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one set of subcarriers and said at least one set of time slots are allocated to at least one slice.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at said passive remote node at least one secondary upstream optical beam comprising at least one secondary upstream optical carrier, each of the at least one secondary upstream optical carriers having a corresponding secondary upstream wavelength and carrying at least one secondary upstream orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream, said at least one secondary upstream orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream comprising at least one set of subcarriers and at least one set of time slots; and

wavelength division multiplexing the at least one secondary upstream optical beam to form a primary upstream optical beam carrying said at least one secondary upstream orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said primary upstream optical beam at an optical line terminal; and

mapping said at least one set of subcarriers and said at least one set of time slots to at least one tunnel-encapsulated data stream.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of mapping is controlled by a control software module.

17. A passive optical network comprising:

an optical line terminal comprising;

a first optical transmitter configured to generate a first optical beam comprising a first optical carrier having a first wavelength; and

a first orthogonal frequency division multiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division multiplex a first data stream onto the first optical carrier;

a remote passive node comprising;

an optical splitter configured to receive the first optical beam and split the first optical beam into a second optical beam comprising a second optical carrier having the first wavelength and carrying the first orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream and a third optical beam comprising a third optical carrier having the first wavelength and carrying the first orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream;

a first optical network unit comprising;

a first optical receiver configured to receive the second optical beam; and

a first orthogonal frequency division demultiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division demultiplex the first orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream; and

a second optical network unit comprising;

a second optical receiver configured to receive the third optical beam; and

a second orthogonal frequency division demultiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division demultiplex the first orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream.

18. The passive optical network of claim 17, wherein

said first optical network unit further comprises:

a second optical transmitter configured to generate a fourth optical beam comprising a fourth optical carrier having a second wavelength; and

a second orthogonal frequency division multiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division multiplex a second data stream onto the fourth optical carrier; and

said second optical network unit further comprises;

a third optical transmitter configured to generate a fifth optical beam comprising a fifth optical carrier having a third wavelength; and

a third orthogonal frequency division multiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division multiplex a third data stream onto the fifth optical carrier.

19. The passive optical network of claim 18, wherein said passive remote node further comprises a wavelength division multiplexer configured to:

receive said fourth optical beam;

receive said fifth optical beam; and

wavelength division multiplex said fourth optical beam and said fifth optical beam to form a sixth optical beam comprising a sixth optical carrier having said second wavelength and carrying said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream and a seventh optical carrier having said third wavelength and carrying said third orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream; and

transmit the sixth optical beam to said optical line terminal.

20. The passive optical network of claim 19, wherein said optical line terminal further comprises:

a third optical receiver configured to receive said sixth optical beam; and

a third orthogonal frequency division demultiplexer configured to orthogonal frequency division demultiplex said second orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream and said third orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data stream.

21. The passive optical network of claim 20, wherein said third optical receiver comprises a parallel signal detector.

22. The passive optical network of claim 17, wherein said optical line terminal further comprises:

a backbone interface unit;

a media access control processing unit;

an optical orthogonal frequency division multiple access processing unit; and

an optical orthogonal frequency division multiple access physical interface unit further comprising;

an analog-to-digital converter;

a digital-to-analog converter;

a single-wavelength laser diode; and

a parallel signal detector.

23. The passive optical network of claim 22, wherein said optical line terminal further comprises a programmable interface module configured to:

send control and signaling messages between said passive optical network and an edge node connected to a backbone network;

send user data streams between said passive optical network and the edge node; and

send medium access control protocols to said optical line terminal, said first optical network node, and said second optical network node.

24. The passive optical network of claim 23, wherein said optical line terminal, said first optical network unit, and said second optical network unit receives said control and signalling messages from a network administrator communicating via said backbone network.

25. The passive optical network of claim 23, wherein said programmable interface module further comprises:

a control software module;

a multiplexer;

a demultiplexer;

a tunnel buffer set;

a tunnel encapsulation module;

a mapping and scheduling module;

a configurable mapping table; and

a virtual buffer set.