Optical network terminal, method for configuring rate limiting attributes of ports, and method for processing packets

• US 8,150,260 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yang, Sulin
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Kinam
• Application Number:
  US12/236,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 398/63, 398/58, 398/168
• US Class Current: 398/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1694 Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/13 in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• 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 2011/0064 Arbitration, scheduling or medium access control aspects

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical network terminal (ONT), a method for configuring rate limiting attributes of ports, and a method for processing packets. The ONT includes a passive optical network (PON) protocol processing module, and a user network interface (UNI) module, which are connected through an internal interface. The ONT also includes a port rate limiting module connected to a UNI. The port rate limiting module stores rate limiting attributes, and the ONT uses these attributes to control the traffic of the UNI. The port rate limiting attributes are configured for the ONT through an ONT management and control interface (OMCI) message of an optical line terminal (OLT). In this way, when the ONT receives data from the UNI, it can control the traffic of the UNI according to the port rate limiting attributes. The present invention enables the port rate limiting function for the ONT, prevents overflow of the internal receiving buffer of the ONT, and prevents denial of service (DoS) attacks from illegal users.

Claims

1. An optical network terminal (ONT), comprising:

a passive optical network (PON) protocol processing module; and

a medium access control (MAC) bridge module coupled to the PON protocol processing module via an internal interface, wherein the MAC bridge module comprising a port rate limiting module is configured to store a plurality of port rate limiting attributes used to control the rate of data transmitted through-the MAC bridge module.

11. The ONT of claim 1, wherein the port rate limiting module, further configured to send a command for configuring port rate limiting attributes to an optical line terminal (OLT);

and receive an ONU management and control interface (OMCI) message carrying the port rate limiting attributes from the OLT through an OMCI path.

12. The ONT of claim 11, wherein the port rate limiting module, further configured to store the plurality of port rate limiting attributes into a management entity (ME).

13. The ONT of claim 12, wherein the ME is a user network interface (UNI) traffic descriptor ME or the ME with additional parameters of port rate limiting attributes.

14. The ONT of claim 1, wherein the port rate limiting attributes comprise at least one of:

an ONT ID, a port number of a user network interface (UNI) that needs configuration of port rate limiting attributes and a rate description parameter of the UNI.

2. A method for controlling data transmission through a medium access control (MAC) bridge using an optical network terminal (ONT), comprising:

storing a plurality of port rate limiting attributes in a port rate limiting module disposed within the MAC bridge module in the ONT; and

controlling the rate of data transmitted through the MAC bridge module using the plurality of port rate limiting attributes in the port rate limiting module.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, at the port rate limiting module, a command for configuring port rate limiting attributes to an optical line terminal (OLT); and

receiving, at the port rate limiting module, an ONU management and control interface (OMCI) message carrying the plurality of port rate limiting attributes from the OLT through the OMCI path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the command for configuring port rate limiting attributes is sent by means of direct control or remote control.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein direct control means control based on a local serial port, and remote control mode means control based on at least one of:

Telnet and an NMS.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of port rate limiting attributes comprise at least one of:

an ONT ID, a port number of a user network interface (UNI) that needs configuration of port rate limiting attributes, and a rate description parameter of the UNI.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rate description parameters comprise at least one of:

an upstream peak information rate, an upstream sustained information rate, a downstream peak information rate, and a downstream sustained information rate.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the port rate limiting module, data from a user network interface (UNI);

calculating, at the port rate limiting module, the rate of the data received from the UNI or sent to UNI.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the rate of the data includes at least one of:

a peak rate and a sustained rate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic control is performed for the UNI based on at least one of:

a tail drop and random drop policy.