ONT Wavelength Sub-Channel Mapping for Fiber Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passive Optical Networks (PONs) face limitations in cost-effectiveness due to shared bandwidth resources, making it expensive to extend high-bandwidth optical fibers to individual subscribers, as the existing architecture requires costly installations and inefficient use of fiber capacity.
Innovation Solution
An Optical Network Terminal (ONT) that uses wavelength modulation with sub-channels via Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) or Sub-Carrier Multiplexing (SCM) to automatically map subscriber equipment channels to respective sub-channels without addressing the equipment, allowing for increased fiber utilization and capacity without the need for dynamic channel allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high bandwidth optical fibre is installed to individual subscribers, then bandwidth capacity is improved, but installation cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the bandwidth capacity by dividing a single optical fibre into multiple wavelength channels (e.g., 10x10Gb/s channels). Each wavelength carries independent data streams to different subscribers, effectively creating multiple virtual fibres from one physical fibre, thereby providing high bandwidth capacity without the cost of installing separate fibres to each subscriber.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibre is designed to perform multiple functions by simultaneously carrying multiple wavelength channels, each serving different subscribers. The WDM system allows a single fibre to function as multiple independent communication channels, maximizing resource utilization and eliminating the need for dedicated fibres per subscriber.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fibre is extended further to serve more subscribers, then network coverage is improved, but cost effectiveness deteriorates due to shared bandwidth limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds the wavelength dimension to the traditional single-channel optical fibre system. By utilizing multiple wavelengths (frequency dimension) simultaneously, the system can serve more subscribers over extended fibre networks without requiring additional physical fibres, thereby improving network coverage while maintaining cost-effectiveness through enhanced spectral efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional TDM or SCM sub-channels are used, then fibre utilization is improved, but device complexity increases due to dynamic allocation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-assigning specific wavelength channels to specific subscribers during network setup. This static allocation eliminates the need for complex real-time dynamic allocation and address-based routing during operation. The ONT is pre-configured to map subscriber channels to specific sub-channels, simplifying the device complexity while maintaining high fibre utilization through systematic channel assignment.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical network terminal (ONT) for use in an optical access network and comprising: an optical transceiver arranged to communicate with an optical line terminal using a wavelength which is modulated to carry sub-channels; a second transceiver arranged to communicate with a number of subscriber equipment using respective subscriber equipment channels; the ONT arranged to automatically map each subscriber equipment channel to a respective sub-channel of the wavelength without using an address associated with the respective subscriber equipment.