Envelope header design in passive optical networks

A system for transmitting Ethernet packets over a passive optical network (PON) comprising:

• a memory storage comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory storage,
• wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to perform:
• generating an initial envelope header that indicates that the initial envelope header is not a preamble replacement;
• transmitting, over the PON, the initial envelope header;
• accessing an eight-byte block from a first Ethernet packet of a plurality of Ethernet packets;
• in response to the eight-byte block being an Ethernet preamble, generating a first envelope header that indicates that the first envelope header is a preamble replacement;
• transmitting, over the PON, the first envelope header;
• generating a modified second Ethernet packet from a second Ethernet packet of the plurality of Ethernet packets by replacing a preamble of the second Ethernet packet with a second envelope header that includes an indication that the second envelope header is a preamble replacement;
• and
• transmitting, over the PON, the modified second Ethernet packet;
• wherein the transmitting of the initial envelope header, the first envelope header, and the modified second Ethernet packet are part of transmitting an envelope.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:

• generating an initial envelope header that indicates that the initial envelope header is not a preamble replacement;
• transmitting, over a passive optical network (PON), the initial envelope header;
• accessing an eight-byte block from a first Ethernet packet of a plurality of Ethernet packets;
• in response to the eight-byte block being an Ethernet preamble, generating a first envelope header that indicates that the first envelope header is a preamble replacement;
• transmitting, over the PON, the first envelope header;
• generating a modified second Ethernet packet from a second Ethernet packet of the plurality of Ethernet packets by replacing a preamble of the second Ethernet packet with a second envelope header that includes an indication that the second envelope header is a preamble replacement;
• and
• transmitting, over the PON, the modified second Ethernet packet;
• wherein the transmitting of the initial envelope header, the first envelope header, and the modified second Ethernet packet are part of transmitting an envelope.