Resource allocation via wave-front multiplexing in a PON network

A data communication system comprising:

• an optical transferring device coupled to a first optical fiber to receive and split a first optical signal into a plurality of split optical signals, each of the split optical signals being substantially equivalent to the first optical signal;
• a set of optical network units coupled to the optical transferring device via optical fibers to receive the split optical signals respectively, each of the optical network units transforming a respective split optical signal into a set of M first digital electronic data signals, M being an integer greater than 1;
• and
• a set of user processors coupled to the optical network units respectively, each of the user processors receiving the respective set of M first digital electronic data signals, each of the user processors comprising:
• a first input mapping unit to receive and dynamically map the respective set of M first digital electronic data signals into a set of N second digital electronic data signals, N being an integer greater than or equal to M;
• an equalization processor coupled to the first input mapping unit to receive and equalize the N second digital electronic data signals using equalizing weights and generate a set of N equalized digital electronic data signals;
• a wave-front demultiplexer coupled to the equalization processor to receive the N equalized digital electronic data signals, perform a wave-front demultiplexing transform on the N equalized digital electronic data signals, and output N wave-front demultiplexed signals, each of the N wave-front demultiplexed signals being a unique linear combination of the N equalized digital electronic data signals;
• and
• a first output mapping unit coupled to the wave-front demultiplexer to receive and dynamically map the N wave-front demultiplexed signals into at least M third digital electronic data signals.