Abstract: In one embodiment, a media access controller includes first and second optical line terminals with a receiver for adjacent first and second wavelength ranges, respectively, and an optical network unit with a transmitter having a transmitter wavelength which drifts between the first and the second wavelength range. The media access controller is configured to assign the optical network unit to the first and the second optical line terminals, such that an optical burst transmitted by the optical network unit is received by the first optical line terminal and the second optical line terminal. The media access controller is configured to determine first and second qualities of the optical burst received by the first and second optical line terminals, respectively, and to determine an estimate of the transmitter wavelength based on the first quality and the second quality.

Abstract: A manner of providing for testing of access fibers in a PON (passive optical network) using OTDR (optical time-domain reflectometry). According to the invention, a PON includes an optical splitter module having one or more optical couplers that combines downstream light from 1×N optical splitter directing the output of an OLT (optical line terminal) and a cyclic AWG (arrayed waveguide grating) for transmission toward one or more ONUs (optical network units). The splitter module is preferably formed on a single semiconductor chip, such as a PIC (photonic integrated circuit) chip and may reside in an outside plant of the PON.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cost-effectively conserving power in a PON. Protection ports, usually on a protection LT card, are configured to communicate with a selectable one of the downstream ODN splitter/combiners associated with the primary ports on the remaining LT cards of the OLT. Each protection port includes at least a splitter for distributing a transmitted signal from a light source to a plurality of switched protection fibers, and may have an optical amplifier to provide for lossless or low-loss distribution. Each port may also have a combiner for combining received signals from a plurality of switched protection fibers. Traffic flow through the OLT is monitored and when it is determined that traffic flow has reached a threshold level, traffic is routed via a protection port instead of a primary port. If the traffic rerouted to a protection card, then the method may further include powering down the primary LT card or placing it in a mode having reduced power consumption.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a media access controller includes first and second optical line terminals with a receiver for adjacent first and second wavelength ranges, respectively, and an optical network unit with a transmitter having a transmitter wavelength which drifts between the first and the second wavelength range. The media access controller is configured to assign the optical network unit to the first and the second optical line terminals, such that an optical burst transmitted by the optical network unit is received by the first optical line terminal and the second optical line terminal. The media access controller is configured to determine first and second qualities of the optical burst received by the first and second optical line terminals, respectively, and to determine an estimate of the transmitter wavelength based on the first quality and the second quality.

Abstract: A manner of providing for testing of access fibers in a PON (passive optical network) using OTDR (optical time-domain reflectometry). According to the invention, a PON includes an optical splitter module having one or more optical couplers that combines downstream light from 1×N optical splitter directing the output of an OLT (optical line terminal) and a cyclic AWG (arrayed waveguide grating) for transmission toward one or more ONUs (optical network units). The splitter module is preferably formed on a single semiconductor chip, such as a PIC (photonic integrated circuit) chip and may reside in an outside plant of the PON.

Abstract: A splitter module for a PON (passive optical network) and method of operating same. An IW (interfering wavelength) is selectively distributed and multiplexed with a downstream PON signal. The ONU (optical network unit) measures and reports performance characteristics such as BER (bit error rate). The performance reporting can be used to identify splitter ports associated with particular ONUs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cost-effectively providing protection in a PON. Protection ports, usually on a protection LT card, are configured to communicate with a selectable one of the downstream ODN splitter/combiners associated with the primary ports on the remaining LT cards of the OLT. Each protection port includes at least a splitter for distributing a transmitted signal from a light source to a plurality of switched protection fibers, and may have an optical amplifier to provide for lossless or low-loss distribution. Each port may also have a combiner for combining received signals from a plurality of switched protection fibers. When a failure is detected at a primary port, traffic is re-directed from the primary port to the protection port after the protection port has been configured to communicate with the same ODN splitter/combiner as the failed primary port.

Abstract: For ADSL+ deployment between a remote cabinet and customer premises, the upper part of the traditional ADSL downstream frequency band is used whereas the lower part of this trasitional ADSL downstream frequency band is switched off through spectral masking. This way, ADSL+ deployment from the remote cabinet is spectral compatible with ADSL deployment from the central office for a certain service capability wherein the upper part of the traditional ADSL downstream frequency band is switched off.

Abstract: For ADSL+ deployment between a remote cabinet and customer premises, the upper part of the traditional ADSL downstream frequency band is used whereas the lower part of this trasitional ADSL downstream frequency band is switched off through spectral masking. This way, ADSL+ deployment from the remote cabinet is spectral compatible with ADSL deployment from the central office for a certain service capability wherein the upper part of the traditional ADSL downstream frequency band is switched off.