PON CPE Packet Processor Power Management via Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical communication network devices face challenges in power management, particularly in maintaining network synchronization and connectivity during periods of inactivity, leading to increased power consumption and reduced response times when data packets resume.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for customer premises equipment (CPE) in a passive optical network (PON) that includes a packet processor with active and sleep modes, and a micro-controller separate from the packet processor, which processes operation and management (OAM) messages and upstream bandwidth allocations without waking the packet processor, allowing it to enter a low power state during inactivity and quickly resume when data packets are received.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the packet processor remains in active mode to handle OAM messages and maintain network synchronization, then network connectivity and response time are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the CPE into two separate processing units: a packet processor for data plane operations and a micro-controller for control plane operations. This segmentation allows the packet processor to enter sleep mode while the micro-controller handles OAM messages, maintaining network connectivity with minimal power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-controller acts as an intermediary between the OLT and the packet processor. It receives and processes OAM messages, manages bandwidth allocations, and selectively wakes the packet processor only when data packets need to be transmitted, eliminating the need for the packet processor to remain continuously active.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the packet processor enters sleep mode during inactivity, then power consumption is reduced, but response time when data packets resume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-controller performs preliminary actions by monitoring for incoming data packets and proactively waking the packet processor before actual data transmission begins. This ensures the packet processor is ready to process data immediately upon arrival, minimizing response time while allowing it to remain in sleep mode during extended inactivity periods.
3Device complexity
If the packet processor handles all operations including OAM messages, then device complexity is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the CPE into two separate processing units: a packet processor for data plane operations and a micro-controller for control plane operations. This segmentation allows the packet processor to enter sleep mode while the micro-controller handles OAM messages, maintaining network connectivity with minimal power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for customer premises equipment (CPE) on a passive optical network (PON). A system includes a packet processor having at least an active mode and a sleep mode, the packet processor configured to processes streams of data packets received in a data plane from an optical line terminal (OLT) through the PON when in an active mode and to enter the sleep mode when not receiving data packets in the data plane. A system further includes a micro-controller, separate from the packet processor, configured to receive from an OLT operation and management (OAM) messages that are transmitted in a control plane, and to process the OAM messages by, selectively transmitting to a central office, without waking up the packet processor, an acknowledgement message, or waking up the packet processor to receive data packets in the data plane.