Method and system for packet transmission over passive optical network

• US 6,498,667 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Bridge Communications, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Colella, Barry D., Masucci, Agnes M., Keisling, John F., Wojnaroski, Louis, Masucci, Jeffrey A., Mastenbrook, S. Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/393,800
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 359/157, 359/110, 359/125, 359/137, 359/136, 370/108, 370/230
• US Class Current: 398/98
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface

Abstract

A method and system provide an approach to support the aggregation of multiple broadband services including voice, high speed data, video and image through the transmission of packets and cells simultaneously over a passive optical network. The method of communication between a central terminal and plural remote terminals over a passive optical network includes transmitting downstream data from the central terminal to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over a downstream network portion and transmitting upstream data from the plural remote terminals to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over an upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames. The downstream data includes downstream packet data and downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data including upstream packet data and upstream ATM cell data. The upstream data can be transmitted from at least one of the plural remote terminals in multiple upstream timeslots which can be non-contiguous.

Claims

1. A method of communication between a central terminal and plural remote terminals over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the method comprising:

transmitting downstream data from the central terminal to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

transmitting upstream data from the plural remote terminals to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslois over the upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data; and

wherein each downstream frame comprises a first number of downstream subframes, each downstream subframe comprising a second number of downstream timeslots, each downstream timeslot having one of a plurality of downstream formats including a downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data and a downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each downstream subframe further comprises a subframe header having a first field comprising a downstream sync pattern for synchronizing alignment of the downstream data received at the remote terminals and a second field comprising a downstream communication channel for communicating downstream control information to the remote terminals.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the downstream control information includes provisioning information for provisioning upstream timeslots to respective remote terminals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data includes a downstream packet header and a downstream packet payload for carrying a portion or all of a single downstream packet;

the downstream packet header having a first field identifying at least one of the plural remote terminals to receive the downstream packet data, a second field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the first field to terminate the downstream packet data and a third field indicating whether the corresponding downstream packet payload includes an end of packet.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the downstream packet payload includes a length field indicating a packet length of the corresponding packet.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data includes a downstream cell header and a downstream cell payload;

the downstream cell header having a first field identifying at least one of the remote terminals to receive the downstream ATM cell data;

the downstream cell payload including an ATM cell header having a first field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the downstream cell header to terminate the downstream ATM cell data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the downstream cell payload includes circuit emulation service data according to AAL1 format.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the downstream cell payload includes an ATM cell payload.

9. A method of communication between a central terminal and plural remote terminals over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the method comprising:

transmitting downstream data from the central terminal to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

transmitting upstream data from the plural remote terminals to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data;

wherein each upstream timeslot includes an upstream header and an upstream payload;

the upstream header including a first field for a guard time, a second field comprising an upstream timeslot sync pattern for synchronizing phase alignment of the upstream data received at the central terminal, a third field comprising an upstream timeslot start delimiter for byte alignment of the upstream data received at the central terminal and a fourth field comprising an upstream communication channel for communicating upstream control information to the central terminal from the respective remote terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the upstream header further includes a fifth field comprising a payload type indicator having a first value indicating packet data and a second value indicating ATM cell data.

11. A method of communication between a central terminal and plural remote terminals over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the method comprising:

transmitting downstream data from the central terminal to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

transmitting upstream data from the plural remote terminals to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data;

wherein each upstream timeslot has one of a plurality of upstream formats including an upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data and an upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data includes an upstream packet header and an upstream packet payload;

the upstream packet header including a first field identifying a next packet start byte in the upstream packet payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream packet payload.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the upstream packet payload includes at least a portion of a packet.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the upstream packet payload includes multiple packets.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data includes an upstream cell header and an upstream cell payload;

the upstream cell header including a first field identifying a next ATM cell start byte in the upstream cell payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream cell payload.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the upstream cell payload includes at least a portion of an ATM cell.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the upstream cell payload includes multiple ATM cells.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the upstream cell payload includes circuit emulation service data according to AAL1 format.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein transmitting upstream data includes transmitting upstream data from at least one of the plural remote terminals in multiple upstream timeslots.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the multiple upstream timeslots are non-contiguous.

21. A communication system comprising:

a shared medium having a downstream portion and an upstream portion;

a central terminal; and

a plurality of remote terminals coupled to the shared medium for communicating with the central terminal;

the central terminal transmitting downstream data to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream shared medium portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

the plural remote terminals transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream shared medium portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data; and

wherein each downstream frame comprises a first number of downstream subframes, each downstream subframe comprising a second number of downstream timeslots, each downstream timeslot having one of a plurality of downstream formats including a downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data and a downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data.

22. The communication system of claim 21 wherein each downstream subframe further comprises a downstream communication channel for communicating downstream control information to the remote terminals.

23. The communication system of claim 22 wherein the downstream control information includes provisioning information for provisioning upstream timeslots to respective remote terminals.

24. The communication system of claim 21 wherein the downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data includes a downstream packet header and a downstream packet payload for carrying a portion or all of a single downstream packet;

the downstream packet header having a first field identifying at least one of the plural remote terminals to receive the downstream packet data, a second field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the first field to terminate the downstream packet data and a third field indicating whether the corresponding downstream packet payload includes an end of packet.

25. The communication system of claim 21 wherein the downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data includes a downstream cell header and a downstream cell payload;

the downstream cell header having a first field identifying at least one of the remote terminals to receive the downstream ATM cell data;

the downstream cell payload including an ATM cell header having a first field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the downstream cell header to terminate the downstream ATM cell data.

26. The communication system of claim 25 wherein the downstream cell payload includes circuit emulation service data according to AAL1 format.

27. A communication system comprising:

a shared medium having a downstream portion and an upstream portion;

a central terminal; and

a plurality of remote terminals coupled to the shared medium for communicating with the central terminal;

the central terminal transmitting downstream data to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream shared medium portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

the plural remote terminals transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream shared medium portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data; and

wherein each upstream timeslot includes an upstream header and an upstream payload;

the upstream header including a first field for a guard time, a second field comprising an upstream timeslot sync pattern for synchronizing phase alignment of the upstream data received at the central terminal, a third field comprising an upstream timeslot start delimiter for byte alignment of the upstream data received at the central terminal and a fourth field comprising an upstream communication channel for communicating upstream control information to the central terminal from the respective remote terminal.

28. A communication system comprising:

a shared medium having a downstream portion and an upstream portion;

a central terminal; and

a plurality of remote terminals coupled to the shared medium for communicating with the central terminal;

the central terminal transmitting downstream data to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream shared medium portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data;

the plural remote terminals transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream shared medium portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data;

wherein each upstream timeslot has one of a plurality of upstream formats including an upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data and an upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data.

29. The communication system of claim 28 wherein the upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data includes an upstream packet header and an upstream packet payload;

the upstream packet header including a first field identifying a next packet start byte in the upstream packet payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream packet payload.

30. The communication system of claim 29 wherein the upstream packet payload includes at least a portion of a packet.

31. The communication system of claim 30 wherein the upstream packet payload includes multiple packets.

32. The communication system of claim 28 wherein the upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data includes an upstream cell header and an upstream cell payload;

the upstream cell header including a first field identifying a next ATM cell start byte in the upstream cell payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream cell payload.

33. The communication system of claim 32 wherein the upstream cell payload includes at least a portion of an ATM cell.

34. The communication system of claim 33 wherein the upstream cell payload includes multiple ATM cells.

35. The communication system of claim 28 wherein the upstream timeslots form successive upstream TDMA frames.

36. Apparatus for communicating with plural remote terminals over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting downstream data to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data; and

a receiver for receiving from the plural remote terminals upstream data in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data;

wherein each downstream frame comprises a first number of downstream subframes, each downstream subframe comprising a second number of downstream timeslots, each downstream timeslot having one of a plurality of downstream formats including a downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data and a downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein each downstream subframe further comprises a downstream communication channel for communicating provisioning information for provisioning upstream timeslots to respective remote terminals.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data includes a downstream packet header and a downstream packet payload for carrying a portion or all of a single downstream packet;

the downstream packet header having a first field identifying at least one of the plural remote terminals to receive the downstream packet data, a second field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the first field to terminate the downstream packet data and a third field indicating whether the corresponding downstream packet payload includes an end of packet.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data includes a downstream cell header and a downstream cell payload;

the downstream cell header having a first field identifying at least one of the remote terminals to receive the downstream ATM cell data;

the downstream cell payload including an ATM cell header having a first field identifying a port of the at least one remote terminal identified in the downstream cell header to terminate the downstream ATM cell data.

40. Apparatus for communicating with plural remote terminals over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting downstream data to the plural remote terminals in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data; and

a receiver for receiving from the plural remote terminals upstream data in respective upstream timeslots over the upstream network portion, the upstream timeslots forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell data;

wherein each upstream timeslot has one of a plurality of upstream formats including an upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data and an upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data includes an upstream packet header and an upstream packet payload;

the upstream packet header including a first field identifying a next packet start byte in the upstream packet payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream packet payload.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data includes an upstream cell header and an upstream cell payload;

the upstream cell header including a first field identifying a next ATM cell start byte in the upstream cell payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream cell payload.

43. A remote terminal for communicating with a central terminal over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving downstream data from the central terminal in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data; and

a transmitter for transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in at least one upstream timeslot over the upstream network portion, the at least one upstream timeslot and respective upstream timeslots from other remote terminals forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell;

wherein each downstream frame comprises a first number of downstream subframes, each downstream subframe comprising a second number of downstream timeslots, each downstream timeslot having one of a plurality of downstream formats including a downstream packet format for carrying downstream packet data and a downstream cell format for carrying downstream ATM cell data.

44. A remote terminal for communicating with a central terminal over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving downstream data from the central terminal in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data; and

a transmitter for transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in at least one upstream timeslot over the upstream network portion, the at least one upstream timeslot and respective upstream timeslots from other remote terminals forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data further includes upstream ATM cell;

wherein each upstream timeslot includes an upstream header and an upstream payload;

the upstream header including a first field for a guard time, a second field comprising an upstream timeslot sync pattern for synchronizing phase alignment of the upstream data, a third field comprising an upstream timeslot start delimiter for byte alignment of the upstream data and a fourth field comprising an upstream communication channel for communicating upstream control information from the respective remote terminal.

45. A remote terminal for communicating with a central terminal over a passive optical network having a downstream portion and an upstream portion, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving downstream data from the central terminal in successive downstream frames over the downstream network portion, the downstream data including downstream packet data; and

a transmitter for transmitting upstream data to the central terminal in at least one upstream timeslot over the upstream network portion, the at least one upstream timeslot and respective upstream timeslots from other remote terminals forming successive upstream frames, the upstream data including upstream packet data;

wherein the downstream data further includes downstream ATM cell data and the upstream data further includes up stream ATM cell data;

wherein each upstream timeslot has one of a plurality of upstream formats including an upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data and an upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data.

46. The remote terminal of claim 45 wherein the upstream packet format for carrying upstream packet data includes an upstream packet header and an upstream packet payload;

the upstream packet header including a first field identifying a next packet start byte in the upstream packet payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream packet payload.

47. The remote terminal of claim 45 wherein the upstream cell format for carrying upstream ATM cell data includes an upstream cell header and an upstream cell payload;

the upstream cell header including a first field identifying a next ATM cell start byte in the upstream cell payload and a second field indicating length of the upstream cell payload.

48. A TDMA frame for transmission from plural remote terminals to a central terminal over a passive optical network, the TDMA frame comprising:

plural timeslots each having one of a plurality of timeslot formats including a packet format for carrying packet data;

the packet format including a packet header and a packet payload;

the packet header including a first field identifying a next packet start byte in the packet payload and a second field indicating length of the packet payload.

49. The TDMA frame of claim 48 wherein the plurality of timeslot formats further includes a cell format for carrying ATM cell data;

the cell format including a cell header and a cell payload;

the cell header including a first field identifying a next ATM cell start byte in the cell payload and a second field indicating length of the cell payload.

50. The TDMA frame of claim 48 wherein each timeslot includes a header and a payload;

the header including a first field for a guard time, a second field comprising a timeslot sync pattern for synchronizing phase alignment of the timeslot data, a third field comprising a timeslot start delimiter for byte alignment of the timeslot data and a fourth field comprising a communication channel for communicating control information from the respective remote terminal.