Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for coupling between a trunk passive optical network (PON) and a leaf PON. The apparatus includes a trunk-side optical transceiver coupled to the trunk PON, a leaf-side optical transceiver coupled to the leaf PON, and an integrated circuit chip that includes an optical network unit (ONU) media access control (MAC) module, an optical line terminal (OLT) MAC module, and an on-chip memory.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for coupling a trunk network to a plurality of leaf passive optical networks (PONs). The apparatus includes one or more uplink ports for coupling to the trunk network, a plurality of downlink ports with a respective downlink port coupled to a leaf PON, and a switch chip for interconnecting the uplink ports and the downlink ports. The switch chip acts as a simple Ethernet switch with no traffic control ability.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for coupling between a trunk passive optical network (PON) and a leaf PON. The apparatus includes a trunk-side optical transceiver coupled to the trunk PON, a leaf-side optical transceiver coupled to the leaf PON, and an integrated circuit chip that includes an optical network unit (ONU) media access control (MAC) module, an optical line terminal (OLT) MAC module, and an on-chip memory.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an optical line terminal (OLT) module in a network device. The OLT module includes an optical signal module, an OLT management module, a scheduler module, and a forwarding module. The optical signal module transmits optical signals to and receives optical signals from a number of optical network units (ONUs). During operation, the OLT management module identifies a remote OLT module operating at a lower upstream data rate than the OLT module. The scheduler module identifies a report message received from a first ONU operating at the lower upstream data rate and generates a grant corresponding to the report message. A grant specifies a time slot for an upstream data burst. The scheduler module includes the grant in a notification frame destined for the remote OLT module. The forwarding module forwards the notification frame to an internal switch of the network device.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for coupling a trunk network to a plurality of leaf passive optical networks (PONs). The apparatus includes one or more uplink ports for coupling to the trunk network, a plurality of downlink ports with a respective downlink port coupled to a leaf PON, and a switch chip for interconnecting the uplink ports and the downlink ports. The switch chip acts as a simple Ethernet switch with no traffic control ability.