Abstract: Example embodiments describe an optical line terminal, OLT, configured to perform determining a fragmentation allocation for respective ONUs; and notifying, the respective ONUs, of the fragmentation allocation. Other example embodiments relate to an optical network unit, ONU, configured to perform receiving, from the OLT, fragmentation allocation for fragmenting one or more packets; processing the packets in accordance with the fragmentation allocation to obtain fragmented and unfragmented packets; and forwarding, to the OLT, the fragmented and unfragmented packets in accordance with the dynamic upstream allocation map.

Abstract: A distribution network with point-to-multipoint architecture couples a line termination unit to a plurality of network termination units. A network termination unit includes one or more user network interfaces configured to interface with respective user equipment of respective users, a downstream packet buffer for temporary storage of data packets, a downstream packet buffer monitor configured to monitor the status of the downstream packet buffer and to generate back-pressure signals indicative for the status, wherein the status corresponds to a fill level or fill level variation of the downstream packet buffer, and an upstream transmitter configured to upstream transmit the back-pressure signals to the line termination unit to be used there for shaping and/or scheduling future downstream transmission of data packets to the one or more user network interfaces.

Abstract: Example embodiments describe an optical line terminal, OLT, configured to perform determining a fragmentation allocation for respective ONUs; and notifying, the respective ONUs, of the fragmentation allocation. Other example embodiments relate to an optical network unit, ONU, configured to perform receiving, from the OLT, fragmentation allocation for fragmenting one or more packets; processing the packets in accordance with the fragmentation allocation to obtain fragmented and unfragmented packets; and forwarding, to the OLT, the fragmented and unfragmented packets in accordance with the dynamic upstream allocation map.

Abstract: A distribution network with point-to-multipoint architecture couples a line termination unit to a plurality of network termination units. A network termination unit includes one or more user network interfaces configured to interface with respective user equipment of respective users, a downstream packet buffer for temporary storage of data packets, a downstream packet buffer monitor configured to monitor the status of the downstream packet buffer and to generate back-pressure signals indicative for the status, wherein the status corresponds to a fill level or fill level variation of the downstream packet buffer, and an upstream transmitter configured to upstream transmit the back-pressure signals to the line termination unit to be used there for shaping and/or scheduling future downstream transmission of data packets to the one or more user network interfaces.

Abstract: Example embodiments describe a transmitter including data encapsulation circuitry configured to encapsulate data packets into Data Transport Units, DTUs, for further transmission over a communication medium. The data packets have respective Quality of Service, QoS, tolerances. The data encapsulation circuitry is configured to delay transmission of first data packets with a lower QoS tolerance and to group the first data packets in a subset of DTUs available for transportation of the first data packets.

Abstract: Example embodiments describe a transmitter including data encapsulation circuitry configured to encapsulate data packets into Data Transport Units, DTUs, for further transmission over a communication medium. The data packets have respective Quality of Service, QoS, tolerances.The data encapsulation circuitry is configured to delay transmission of first data packets with a lower QoS tolerance and to group the first data packets in a subset of DTUs available for transportation of the first data packets.

Abstract: In a method and device for forwarding a clock synchronization message, the clock synchronisation message includes a time correction field describing an residence time of the clock synchronization message. In order to allow for accurate clock synchronization even in case of asymmetric delays within a network in a simple and efficient way, the method includes determining an arrival time of the message; calculating a modified residence time that is adjusted based on an offset time derived from the arrival time; modifying the clock synchronization message so that the clock synchronization message includes the modified residence time; and forwarding the modified clock synchronization message including the modified residence time.

Abstract: System for producing a system clock signal comprising a local oscillator configured to generate a first clock signal; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature change above a critical value in an area including the local oscillator; an obtaining module configured to obtain a second clock signal; a clock generator configured to generate the system clock signal in a first manner, using the first clock signal, in a normal mode when the temperature detector does not detect a temperature change above the critical value, and in a second manner different from the first manner, using the second clock signal, in a reverse hold-over mode when the temperature detector has detected a temperature change above the critical value.

Abstract: System for producing a system clock signal comprising a local oscillator configured to generate a first clock signal; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature change above a critical value in an area including the local oscillator; an obtaining module configured to obtain a second clock signal; a clock generator configured to generate the system clock signal in a first manner, using the first clock signal, in a normal mode when the temperature detector does not detect a temperature change above the critical value, and in a second manner different from the first manner, using the second clock signal, in a reverse hold-over mode when the temperature detector has detected a temperature change above the critical value.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing remote control and control redundancy for distributed communication equipment are disclosed. An expansion system in a distributed communication equipment architecture is controlled by a controller in a host system. Control information is exchanged between the host system controller and an expansion system in communication signals that are processed by one or more communication modules such as line termination cards in the expansion system. Communication signals are transferred to the communication module(s) through an expansion system control device, and control information is then transferred back to the control device. Control information may also be transferred from the expansion system control device to the host system through the communication module(s). This simplifies the design and lowers the cost of the control device, which does not process received signals.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for communication system-level communication link bonding are disclosed. Multiple communication links provided by transceivers in communication link termination modules are configured as a bonding group to support an aggregate group communication traffic rate on another communication link. Through an internal communication mechanism in communication equipment, communication traffic received on the other communication link is distributed among those of the communication link termination modules which include transceivers for transferring communication traffic on the communication links in the bonding group. The bonding module also receives, from communication link termination modules, communication traffic to be sent on the other communication link.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a switching unit with a low-latency flow control. Queuing parameters of ingress queues, wherein the incoming traffic is backlogged, are measured to detect a short term traffic increase. An additional bandwidth is then negotiated to accommodate this unexpected additional amount of traffic, provided that the corresponding input and output termination modules still dispose of available bandwidth, and disregarding temporarily fairness. This additional bandwidth allows this unexpected additional amount of traffic to be drained from the ingress queue as soon as possible, without waiting for the next system bandwidth fair re-distribution, thereby improving the traffic latency through the switching unit.