OLT power management system

Abstract

An optical line terminal that includes an enabling mechanism.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 338,414, filed May 4, 2022. [Background technology]

[0002] The subject matter of this application relates to power management for OLTs.

[0003] Passive optical networks (PONs) are often used as access networks, or portions of larger communications networks. Communications networks typically have a high-capacity core section through which data or other information related to telephone calls, digital television, and Internet communications are conveyed over significant distances. The core section may have the ability to interact with other networks to complete the transmission of telephone calls, digital television, and Internet communications. In this manner, the core section in combination with the passive optical network enables communications to and from subscribers (or devices associated with the subscribers, customers, businesses, or otherwise).

[0004] The access network of a communications network extends from the core of the network to individual subscribers, such as those associated with a particular residence (e.g., a business location). The access network may be wireless access, such as a cellular network, or fixed access, such as a passive optical network or a cable network.

[0005] Referring to FIG. 1, in a PON 10, a set of optical fibers and passive interconnection devices are used for most or all of the communications through the reach of the access network. A set of one or more optical network terminals (ONTs) 11 are devices that are typically located at the subscriber's residence (e.g., or business location). The term "ONT" includes what are also referred to as optical network units (ONUs). There may be any number of ONTs associated with a single optical splitter 12. As an example, 32 or 64 ONTs are often associated with a single network optical splitter 12. The optical splitters 12 are interconnected with each ONT 11 by respective optical fibers 13, or otherwise by respective fibers in a fiber optic cable. Selected ONTs may be removed and / or added to the access network associated with the optical splitter 12 as needed. There may be multiple optical splitters 12 arranged in a cascaded arrangement.

[0006] The optical fiber 13 that interconnects the optical splitter 12 and the ONT 11 acts as an access (or "drop") fiber. The optical splitter 12 is typically located within a cabinet or other structure in which one or more optical splitters 12 are located, each of which serves a respective set of ONTs. In some cases, an ONT may serve multiple subscribers, such as subscribers in multiple dwelling units (e.g., apartments). In this manner, a PON may be considered a point to multipoint topology, in which a single optical fiber serves multiple endpoints by dividing the fiber bandwidth between the endpoints using passive optical fiber splitters.

[0007] An optical line terminal (OLT) 14 is located at a central office that interfaces directly or indirectly with a core network 15. The interface 16 between the OLT 14 and the core network 15 may be one or more optical fibers, or any other type of communication medium. The OLT 14 forms optical signals for transmission downstream to the ONTs 11 through a feeder optical fiber 17, and receives optical signals from the ONTs 11 through the feeder optical fiber 17. The optical splitter 12 is typically a passive device that distributes signals received from the OLT 14 to the ONTs 11. Similarly, the optical splitter 12 receives optical signals from the ONTs 11 and provides optical signals to the OLT 14 through the feeder optical fiber 17. In this manner, a PON includes an OLT with multiple ONTs, which reduces the amount of fiber required compared to a point-to-point architecture.

[0008] As can be observed, an optical signal containing all of the data for the ONTs 11 is provided on the feeder fiber 17. Thus, all of the data provided to each of the ONTs is provided to all of the ONTs through the optical splitter 12. Each of the ONTs selects the portion of the received optical signal intended for that particular ONT and transmits the data to its subscribers while discarding the remaining data. Typically, data to the ONTs is broadcast on the feeder fiber 17 and provided to each of the ONTs.

[0009] Upstream transmissions from the ONTs 11 through their respective optical fibers 13 are typically transmitted in bursts according to a schedule provided to each ONT by the OLT. In this manner, each of the ONTs 11 transmits upstream optical data at different times. In some embodiments, the upstream and downstream transmissions are transmitted using different wavelengths of light so that they do not interfere with each other. In this manner, a PON may utilize wavelength division multiplexing, using one wavelength for downstream traffic and another wavelength for upstream traffic over a single-mode fiber.

[0010] The schedule from the OLT allocates upstream bandwidth to the ONTs. Because the optical distribution network is shared, the upstream transmissions of the ONTs are likely to collide if they are transmitted at random times. The ONTs are typically at various distances from the OLT and / or optical splitters, resulting in different transmission delays for each ONT. The OLT measures the delay and sets registers in each ONT to equalize that delay with respect to other ONTs associated with the OLT. Once the delay is accounted for, the OLT transmits so-called grants in the form of grant maps to the individual ONTs. A grant map is a permission to use a defined time interval for upstream transmission. The grant map is dynamically recalculated periodically, such as for each frame. The grant map allocates bandwidth to all ONTs such that each ONT receives a timely bandwidth allocation for its service needs. Much of the data traffic, such as website browsing, tends to be bursty and tends to vary significantly over time. Through dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) between different ONTs, the PON can be oversubscribed for upstream traffic. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a network that includes a passive optical network. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows an integrated video distribution and cable modem termination system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a distributed video distribution and cable modem termination system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a node having a power management controller. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows the validation mechanism. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 shows the validation mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows the OLT restart and activation of the ONT. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows the OLT restart and activation of the ONT. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows an OLT manager and a PON network. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates the restart of multiple OLTs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, an integrated CMTS (e.g., an integrated centralized cable access platform (CCAP)) 100 may include data 110 transmitted and received over the Internet (or other network), typically in the form of packetized data. The integrated CMTS 100 may also receive downstream video 120, typically in the form of packetized data, from an operator video aggregation system. As an example, broadcast video is typically obtained from a satellite distribution system and pre-processed for distribution to subscribers through a CCAP or video head-end system. The integrated CMTS 100 receives and processes the received data 110 and downstream video 120. The CMTS 130 may transmit the downstream data 140 and downstream video 150 to a customer's cable modem and / or set-top box 160 through an RF distribution network, which may include other devices such as amplifiers and splitters. The CMTS 130 may receive upstream data 170 from a customer's cable modem and / or set-top box 160 through a network, which may include other devices such as amplifiers and splitters. The CMTS 130 may include multiple devices to achieve its desired capabilities. It is known that data and video for different cable modems and / or set-top boxes are typically transmitted on a single cable until a split occurs. Also, for a CMTS, there are typically parallel video sources, such as EdgeQAM.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 3, as a result of increasing bandwidth demands, limited facility space for integrated CMTS, and power consumption considerations, it is desirable to include a distributed cable modem termination system (D-CMTS) 200 (e.g., a distributed centralized cable access platform (CCAP)). CableLabs specifications refer to this architecture as a Distributed CCAP Architecture (DCA) in the Flexible MAC Architecture (FMA) specification. Generally, CMTS focuses on data services, while CCAP also includes broadcast video services. D-CMTS 200 distributes some of the functions of I-CMTS 100 to remote locations downstream, such as fiber nodes, using network packetized data. An exemplary D-CMTS 200 may include a remote PHY architecture, where the remote PHY (R-PHY) is preferably an optical node device located at the fiber and coax junction. Generally, the R-PHY often includes the PHY layer of a portion of the system. The D-CMTS 200 may include a D-CMTS 230 (e.g., a core) that includes data 210 transmitted and received over the Internet (or other network), typically in the form of packetized data. The D-CMTS 230 is referred to as a Remote MAC Core (RMC) in the Flexible MAC Architecture (FMA) CableLabs specification. The D-CMTS 200 may also receive downstream video 220, typically in the form of packetized data, from an operator video aggregation system. The D-CMTS 230 receives and processes the received data 210 and downstream video 220. The remote fiber node 280 preferably includes a remote PHY device (RPD) 290. The RPD 290 may transmit the downstream data 240 and downstream video 250 to a customer's cable modem and / or set-top box 260 through a network that may include other devices such as amplifiers and splitters.The RPD 290 may receive upstream data 270 from a customer's cable modem and / or set-top box 260 through a network that may include other devices such as amplifiers and splitters. The RPD 130 290 may include multiple devices to achieve its desired capabilities. The RPD 290 primarily includes PHY-related circuitry such as downstream QAM modulators, upstream QAM demodulators, along with pseudowire logic that connects to the D-CMTS 230 using network packetized data. The RPD 290 and the D-CMTS 230 may include data and / or video interconnects such as downstream data, downstream video, and upstream data 295. It is known that in some embodiments, video traffic may go directly to the RPD, thereby bypassing the D-CMTS 230. In some cases, remote PHY and / or remote MACPHY functionality may be provided at the headend. Also, for a CMTS, there is typically a parallel video source such as EdgeQAM.

[0015] As an example, the RPD 290 may convert downstream DOCSIS (i.e., Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) data (e.g., DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, and 4.0, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), video data, and out-of-band signals received from the D-CMTS 230 to analog for transmission through RF or analog optics. As an example, the RPD 290 may convert upstream DOCSIS and out-of-band signals received from analog media, such as RF or linear optics, to digital for transmission to the D-CMTS 230. As can be observed, depending on the particular configuration, the R-PHY may move all or a portion of the DOCSIS MAC and / or PHY layers to the fiber node.

[0016] The amount of data services supported by DOCSIS-based networks has increased over time. To support ever-increasing data capacity needs, the DOCSIS standard has evolved in a manner that supports the increasing data capacity needs as well. Single-Carrier Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (SC-QAM) based transmission in DOCSIS 3.0 has been replaced by Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDMA) in DOCSIS 3.1, supporting more Megabits per Second (Mbps) per Megahertz (MHz) of spectrum. Additionally, more MHz of Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum resulting in more Mbps, and therefore more spectrum, for both downstream (DS) and upstream (US) transmissions, is another way in which the DOCSIS standard has evolved. For example, the DOCSIS standard has evolved from (1) 5-85 MHz US with 102-1002 MHz DS supported by DOCSIS 3.0, to (2) 5-204 MHz US with 258-1218 MHz DS in DOCSIS 3.1, and (3) 5-684 MHz US with 54-1794 MHz DS in DOCSIS 4.0. The increase in transmitted spectrum width, especially in the DS, impacts how networks are designed. The transition from DOCSIS 3.1 to DOCSIS 4.0 (from a 1,218 MHz highest DS frequency to a 1,794 MHz highest DS frequency) envisions a change from a centralized access architecture (CAA) to a distributed access architecture (DAA) to support higher OFDM modulation formats and thus improve the spectral density at the DAA nodes.

[0017] A node is a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) device where a fiber link (or otherwise) transitions to a coaxial cable, and such a node converts an optical signal (or otherwise) to an RF signal and / or converts an RF signal (or otherwise) to an optical signal. The node also conditions the RF signal for transmission over the coaxial cable for eventual delivery to a subscriber located at the other end of the coaxial portion of the HFC network. The node may be configured based on the environment, for example, a strand, an underground vault, or an architectural cabinet. The node may be configured with any suitable number of ports, such as one, two, three, four, or more coaxial ports.

[0018] Depending on the configuration of the network providing service to the subscriber, a node (e.g., vault, cabinet, or other) may often include a portion of an HFC network and a portion of a PON network. For example, the portion of the HFC network maintained in the node may include passive components, powered analog components, and / or powered digital components (e.g., RPD / RMD). For example, the portion of the PON network maintained in the node may include passive components, powered analog components, and / or powered digital components (e.g., remote OLT). Typically, each of the nodes may receive power to operate active components in the node from a remote source, such as through a cable providing data service to the node. Furthermore, multiple nodes may receive power to operate active components in the node from the same remote power source, such as through respective cables providing data service to the node. Different components, especially active analog components, are generally not sensitive to temporal variations in the power provided. However, active digital components may be sensitive to temporal variations in the power provided to them. As an example, a sufficient temporary power fluctuation to the power provided to the RMD and / or RPD may result in a loss of connection to all of its respective subscribers. The RMD and / or RPD may then be resumed with all of its digital services and then reconnected to each of its respective subscribers, which may take a significant amount of time. As an example, a sufficient temporary power fluctuation to the power provided to the remote OLT may result in a loss of connection to all of its respective subscribers. The OLT may then be resumed with all of its digital services and then reconnected to each of its respective subscribers, which may take a significant amount of time. Power fluctuations may result from a variety of different sources, such as, for example, switching out a component in a node, repairing a component in a node, modifying a component in the network such as reshuffling a cable, stopping power from a power source, switching / repairing / modifying an HFC component affecting a PON component, switching / repairing / modifying a PON component affecting an HFC component, and / or other methods.Also, when multiple OLTs are powered by the same power source, power interruptions may result when an OLT is added, removed, or replaced from a group of OLTs. Thus, within a PON network and its associated components, there are numerous sources that can result in power fluctuations that can result in the restart of one or more OLTs. Additionally, software (e.g., firmware) upgrades to an OLT can similarly result in the restart of the OLT and a disconnection of service to its subscribers in the process.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 4, the node 400 may include a power management controller 410. Signaling cables are not shown. The power management controller 410 receives power from the same source as the other components in the node 400, which may be a separate power cable, or may otherwise be together with signaling. The power management controller 410 may communicate with each of the active devices 420, which may include analog active devices 430 and digital active devices 440. The power management controller 410 manages the use of power by the devices of the node and manages when the devices of the node are powered up, which tends to temporarily increase the load on the power supply more than subsequent steady state operation. The power management controller 410 preferably distinguishes between at least two different types of power usage: a first type of power usage for active analog components, which tend to be generally insensitive to power fluctuations, and a second type of power usage for active digital components, which tend to be generally sensitive to power fluctuations. The power management controller 410 may allow larger fluctuations in power levels when the power fluctuations result in active analog components being reset or otherwise not providing service to the respective subscribers temporarily. The power management controller 410 may inhibit larger fluctuations in power levels when the power fluctuations result in active digital components being reset or otherwise not providing service to the respective subscribers temporarily. In this manner, the power management controller 410 may manage the power usage of devices within the node to increase the likelihood that a subscriber will lose service or otherwise experience reduced service interruptions.

[0020] The activation process describes the steps by which an inactive ONT connects or reconnects to a PON. The activation process generally includes three phases: (1) parameter learning, (2) serial number acquisition, and (3) ranging. During the learning parameter phase, the ONT acquires the operating parameters used for upstream transmission. During the serial number acquisition phase, the OLT discovers the new ONT (by its serial number) and assigns it an ONT identifier (ONU-ID).

[0021] The ONT round trip delay (RTD) is the time interval between a downstream frame transmission and the corresponding upstream transmission burst from a given ONT. The RTD consists of a propagation delay that is directly proportional to the length of the fiber from the ONT and the response of the ONT. To ensure that transmission bursts from different ONTs are sequenced at the interface of the same upstream GPON transmission convergence layer (GTC) frame, a delay time is assigned to each ONT to postpone transmission to a time that is not used for the common response time of the upstream bursts. This response time is called the equalization delay (EqD), and for each given ONT, the OLT is calculated based on the RTD measurement and, as a result, transmitted during the ranging state.

[0022] To avoid collisions with upstream bursts transmitted during the acquisition of the serial number and range of the newly connected ONT, the OLT must temporarily suppress the upstream transmissions of active ONTs during the time when the upstream burst from the new ONT is expected to arrive. This time interval is called the quiet window.

[0023] The activation process is performed under the control of the OLT by the exchange of upstream and downstream PLOAM messages. A summary of the activation process events in causal order is as follows, where ONU and ONT are equivalent for the purposes of this discussion:

[0024] (1) An ONT entering the activation process listens to downstream transmission and achieves PSync and superframe synchronization. (2) The ONT waits for an Upstream_Overhead PLOAM message, optionally followed by an Extended_Burst_Length PLOAM message issued periodically by the OLT.

[0025] (3) The ONT receives PON operating parameters (length and pattern of burst mode overhead components, pre-assigned delay values, and initial optical power level) via the Upstream_Overhead and Extended_Burst_Length messages.

[0026] (4) The ONT announces its presence on the PON by responding to a broadcast serial number request issued periodically by the OLT in a Serial_Number_ONU message.

[0027] (5) The ONT uses the absence of a directed message from the OLT as a negative acknowledgment and adjusts its transmit optical power level.

[0028] (6) The OLT discovers the serial number of the newly connected ONT and assigns it an ONU-ID using the Assign_ONU-ID message.

[0029] (7) The OLT issues a directed serial number request to the newly discovered ONT and times the ONT’s response.

[0030] (8) The OLT calculates the individual equalization delay and communicates this equalization delay to the ONT using the Ranging_Time message.

[0031] (9) The ONT adjusts the start of its upstream GTC frame clock based on the assigned equalization delay.

[0032] (10) The ONT completes activation and begins normal operation.

[0033] Under normal operating conditions, the OLT monitors the phase and BER of arriving upstream transmissions. Based on the monitored phase information, the OLT may recalculate and dynamically update the equalization delay for any ONT. Based on the monitored BER information, the OLT may instruct the ONT to dynamically adjust its optical power level.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5, the activation mechanism of the ONT may include seven defined states.

[0035] Initial state (O1). The ONT starts up in this state. LOS / LOF is asserted. Once downstream traffic is received and LOS and LOF are cleared, the ONT transitions to standby state (O2).

[0036] Standby state (O2). Downstream traffic is received by the ONT. The ONT waits for global network parameters. When an Upstream_Overhead message is received, the ONT configures these parameters (e.g., delimiter values, power level mode, and pre-assigned delay) and moves to the serial number state (O3).

[0037] Serial_Number state (O3). In response to a serial number request sent out by the OLT, the ONT makes itself known to the OLT, allowing the OLT to discover the ONT's serial number. When the ONT responds to the serial number request, it waits for a unique ONT-ID assignment from the OLT. The ONT-ID is assigned using the Assign_ONU-ID message. Once assigned, the ONT transitions to the ranging state (O4).

[0038] The OLT may use the Extended_Burst_Length message to communicate extended overhead parameters to all ONTs on the PON at its discretion. If an ONT in the Serial_Number state (O3) receives an Extended_Burst_Length message before receiving a serial number request, it configures the Type 3 preamble length according to the received value.

[0039] Ranging state (O4). Upstream transmissions from different ONTs must be synchronized with the upstream GTC frame boundaries. To make the ONTs appear to be at equal distances from the OLT, an equalization delay per ONT is required. This equalization delay is measured when the ONT is in the ranging state. When the ONT receives the Ranging_Time message, it transitions to the Operational state (O5).

[0040] Operational state (O5). In this state, the ONT can transmit upstream data and PLOAM messages as instructed by the OLT. While in this state, additional connections can be established with ONTs as needed. Once the network is ranged and all ONTs are operating with the correct equalization delay, all upstream bursts are synchronized together between all ONTs. Upstream transmissions arrive separately, each in its correct place within the upstream GTC frame.

[0041] POPUP state (O6). An ONT enters this state from the OPERATION state (O5) after detecting a LOS or LOF alarm. Upon entering the POPUP state (O6), the ONT immediately stops upstream transmission. As a result, the OLT detects a LOS alarm for that ONT.

[0042] Upon entering the POPUP state, the ONT first attempts to reacquire the optical signal and recover GTC frame synchronization, thus clearing the LOS and LOF conditions. If successful, the ONT starts processing the PCBd field of the downstream GTC frame and restarts the superframe synchronization state machine. Note that in case of type B protection, the signal can be transmitted from either the backup OLT or the primary OLT.

[0043] While in the POPUP state, the ONT generates a PLOAM message received event only in response to Disable_ONU-ID, Deactivate_Serial_Number, and POPUP messages. If the ONT receives a directed POPUP message, it transitions to the operating state (O5). If the ONT receives a broadcast POPUP message, it transitions to the ranging state (O4).

[0044] Once the ONT is in the operational state (O5), the OLT can test the ONT before returning it to full service. In particular, a cryptographic key switch event may have been scheduled during the POPUP state (O6). To ensure a successful recovery in such a situation, the OLT MUST restart the key exchange and switchover procedures with the ONT.

[0045] If the ONT is unable to reacquire the optical signal or is unable to recover GTC frame synchronization, it does not receive any POPUP messages (broadcast or directed) and transitions to the initial state (O1) after a timeout (TO2).

[0046] Emergency shutdown state (O7). An ONT that receives a Disable_Serial_Number message with the "disable" option transitions to the emergency shutdown state (O7) and shuts off its laser. During an emergency shutdown, the ONT is prohibited from transmitting data in the upstream direction.

[0047] If the ONT fails to transition to the emergency shutdown state, i.e., after the disable_Serial_Number message is sent three times, the OLT continues to receive ONT transmissions at the provided upstream bandwidth allocation and a DFi alarm is asserted at the OLT.

[0048] Once the malfunction of the out-of-service ONT has been corrected, the OLT can enable the ONT to return it to an operational state. Enabling is accomplished by sending a Disable_Serial_Number message with an "enable" option to the ONT. As a result, the ONT returns to standby state (O2). All parameters (including serial number and ONU-ID) are reconsidered. International Telecommunication Union. G.984.3: Gigabit-Capable Passive Optical Networks (G-PON): Transmission Convergence Layer Specification, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0049] The principle of the enablement process of XG-PON is similar to that of GPON mentioned above. International Telecommunication Union. G.987.3: 10-Gigabit-Capable Passive Optical Networks (XG-PON): Transmission Convergence (TC) Layer Specification, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0050] Referring to Figure 6, the principle of the activation process of NG-PON2 is generally similar to that of GPON described above. The activation process is provided by time and wavelength division multiplexing transmission convergence (TWDM-TC). In the NG-PON2 standard, there are two options for the PLOAM channel. The in-band option is the PLOAM message transmission, and the auxiliary management and control channel (AMCC) option is mandatory for ONTs that do not meet the specified calibration limits for a given upstream wavelength channel.

[0051] In any event, it can be observed that there is a significant amount of data exchange between the OLT and the ONT, which exchange configuration information for such data exchange. The relevant aspects of the resulting data are maintained during the session by the OLT and the ONT, facilitating the exchange of data over the PON network.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 7, when an OLT loses power, an activation mechanism between the OLT and the various ONTs must be gone through. The activation process takes a significant amount of time in addition to restarting the OLT itself. Since multiple ONTs are supported by the same OLT, it may take a significant amount of time for all of the ONTs to complete their respective activation processes. The time for each particular ONT to complete the activation mechanism varies substantially from one ONT to another depending on a variety of different factors. Each of the ONTs preferably includes a hierarchy level priority relative to the other ONTs. These hierarchy levels may be maintained by the OLT. Alternatively, these hierarchy levels may be maintained by an associated OLT manager, typically in the form of a server accessible by the OLT through a network. The hierarchy levels may be associated with each of the ONTs, such as a priority level from 1 to 10, or may be based on service levels (such as based on a service level agreement), or in other manners. In response to restarting the OLT or otherwise starting the OLT, the OLT preferably prioritizes activation of higher hierarchy levels in some manner with respect to lower hierarchy levels. Thus, on average, higher hierarchical levels will activate or otherwise attempt to begin their activation process prior to lower hierarchical levels, thus those with higher service level agreements (or otherwise) will tend to resume service in a more timely manner.

[0053] With reference to FIG. 8, an OLT goes through an activation process to discover the presence of ONTs, discover information related to each ONT including its identification (i.e., ID), perform scoping for each of the ONTs, and determine the service level associated with each ONT through requests to an OLT manager that maintains the ID information and service level information for each ONT, all of which requires significant time and computational resources. In most circumstances, an OLT restart results in a temporary service outage where the configuration of the network and / or the selection and configuration of the ONTs have not substantially changed. Due to the nature of the generally static configuration of the physical PON network, the OLTs, and the ONTs, the OLT preferably maintains an internal data structure that contains the main information that is typically identified or otherwise determined during the activation process. Furthermore, the OLT preferably maintains this internal data structure on a non-volatile storage device such as a hard drive, non-volatile memory, or other method, so that the information is not lost as a result of a loss of power to the OLT. Furthermore, even if this information is available from a corresponding OLT manager running on a server, such a connection may not always be available, and the ability to obtain such information from a connected OLT manager may take a significant amount of time. As a result of the OLT restart, the OLT retrieves data from maintained internal data structures and pre-configures many of the connections with the ONTs. If the Committed Information Rate (CIR), Peak Information Rate (PIR), service flows, or otherwise are not available to the OLT manager or are not otherwise maintained by the OLT, the OLT can assign default values ​​for each ONT, which may be updated later, to allow at least some service to be regained. For example, the OLT does not need to rediscover the IDs associated with each ONT. For example, the OLT does not need to redetermine the service levels associated with each ONT. For example, the OLT does not need to redetermine the ranging information associated with each ONT. For example, the OLT does not need to redetermine the peak information rate associated with each ONT. For example, the OLT does not need to redetermine the committed information rate associated with each ONT.By having this information already available, the OLT may substantially reduce the time it takes for the activation process to complete. Furthermore, after the activation process is complete or partially complete, the OLT may obtain appropriate configuration information from the OLT manager, which is then compared to the existing state of the OLT and ONTs. The OLT may then selectively update portions of the configuration, such as, for example, service level agreements for a particular ONT.

[0054] 9 and 10, as can be observed, in some configurations, the core network and the OLT manager, typically running on a server, are each interconnected with one or more OLTs, each interconnected with a respective set of ONTs. There may be a situation where the OLT manager is unavailable while the OLT is reset as a result of some event, in which case the OLT maintains sufficient information to perform the activation process of previously activated ONTs, in addition to activating one or more ONTs that were not previously associated with the OLT. However, in many cases, as a result of sharing the same power source, there are multiple OLTs that are restarted at the same time, and it is desirable for the OLTs to be restarted in an orderly manner in their interconnection with the OLT manager and / or the core network. Each of the OLTs may have a hierarchical level, so that one OLT providing a higher level of service should be restarted in a prioritized manner over other OLTs having a lower level of service.

[0055] Furthermore, each functional block or various features in each of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented or performed by a circuit, typically an integrated circuit or multiple integrated circuits. A circuit designed to perform the functions described herein may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific or general purpose integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, or discrete hardware components, or a combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or alternatively, the processor may be a conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The general-purpose processor or each circuit described above may be composed of digital circuits or may be composed of analog circuits. Furthermore, as advances in semiconductor technology emerge that allow integrated circuits to replace multiple integrated circuits at present, integrated circuits according to this technology may also be used.

[0056] It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described, and that modifications may be made therein, as interpreted in accordance with the principles of prevailing law, including the doctrine of equivalents, or any other principle that expands the scope of enforceable claims beyond their literal scope, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Unless the context indicates otherwise, a reference in a claim to the number of instances of an element, whether it is a reference to one instance or to multiple instances, requires at least the recited number of instances of the element, but is not intended to exclude from the scope of the claim a structure or method having more instances of that element than are recited. As used in the claims, the term "comprise" or any derivative thereof is used in a non-exclusive sense that is not intended to exclude the presence of other elements or steps in the claimed structure or method.

Claims

1. A node, (a) an optical line termination located within said node suitable for providing data services for an optical-based network; and (b) at least one of a remote physical device and a remote MAC PHY device located within the node to provide data services to a DOCSIS based network; (c) a power management controller electrically interconnected with the optical line terminal and at least one of the remote physical device and remote MACPHY device, the power management controller modifying power usage of the optical line terminal and at least one of the remote physical device and remote MACPHY device based on available power.

2. The node of claim 1 , further comprising active analog components interconnected to said optical line termination and at least one of said remote physical devices and remote MAC PHY devices.

3. The node of claim 1 , further comprising passive components interconnected to said optical line termination and at least one of said remote physical device and remote MAC PHY device.

4. The node of claim 2 , wherein the active analog component is interconnected with the power management controller.

5. An optical line terminal, (a) an optical line termination capable of receiving digital data from a core network and, in response thereto, providing optical digital data to a plurality of optical network terminal devices; (b) the optical line terminal configured to process an activation mechanism between the optical network terminal and the optical line terminal to activate the optical network terminal; (c) in response to resuming the optical line terminal, the optical line terminal enabling each of the optical network terminals based on hierarchical level priority.

6. The optical line terminal of claim 5, comprising a priority of said hierarchical level of said optical network terminal and maintained by said optical line terminal during said restart.

7. 6. The optical line terminal of claim 5, wherein the hierarchical level priority for the optical network terminal is received from an optical line terminal manager running on a computer separate from the optical network terminal.

8. The optical line termination of claim 5, including prioritizing said hierarchical levels for said optical network termination equipment based on a service level.

9. An optical line terminal, (a) an optical line termination capable of receiving digital data from a core network and, in response thereto, providing optical digital data to a plurality of optical network terminal devices; (b) the optical line terminal configured to process an activation mechanism between the optical network terminal and the optical line terminal to activate the optical network terminal; (c) an optical line terminal, in response to resuming the optical network terminal, the optical line terminal enabling each of the optical network terminals based on state information maintained by the optical line terminal during the resumption.

10. 10. The optical line termination of claim 9, wherein said status information includes a respective ID for each of said optical network termination devices.

11. 10. The optical line termination of claim 9, wherein said status information includes respective ranging information for each of said optical network termination devices.

12. 10. The optical line termination of claim 9, wherein said status information includes a respective service level for each of said optical network termination devices.

13. 10. The optical line termination of claim 9, wherein said status information includes at least one of a respective committed information rate and a peak information rate for each of said optical network termination devices.

14. 10. The optical line termination of claim 9, wherein additional optical network terminals not previously enabled by the optical network terminal prior to the resumption are activated by the optical network terminal not based on the status information or information received from the optical network terminal and another device other than the optical network terminal.

15. A plurality of optical line terminals, (a) an optical line termination capable of receiving digital data from a core network and, in response thereto, providing optical digital data to a plurality of respective optical network terminals; (b) the optical line terminal configured to process an activation mechanism between the optical line terminal and each of the optical network terminals to activate the optical network terminals; (c) a set of said optical line terminals, said set of optical line terminals being configured to delay at least a portion of a respective activation process based on a hierarchical level of priority of said set of said optical line terminals in response to simultaneously restarting said set of optical line terminals.

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