Optical line terminal with out-of-band communication channel, and method for implementing

Abstract

A method for implementing an out-of-band communication channel in a coherent optical access network includes steps (a)-(e). Step (a) includes separating a MAC-layer signal received from a media access control (MAC) layer into an initial communication-channel signal and an initial data-channel signal. Step (b) includes encoding, using a first signal-coding scheme within a transceiver of a coherent passive optical network (PON), the initial communication-channel signal into a communication-channel signal occupying a first frequency band. Step (c) includes encoding, using a second signal-coding scheme within the transceiver, the initial data-channel signal into a data-channel signal occupying a second frequency band not overlapping the first frequency band. Step (d) includes combining the communication-channel signal and the data-channel signal to yield an analog signal. Step (e) includes driving, with the analog signal, an optical modulator to modulate a coherent optical signal for output on a fiber optical path of the coherent PON.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.