IP packetized frame format in a passive optical network

Abstract

In a passive optical network (PON) connected to an Internet protocol (IP) network where the PON includes an optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) connected to the OLT, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides an upstream frame for transmitting data from one of the ONUs to the OLT. The upstream frame comprises a preamble alerting the OLT of the upstream frame, a start frame delimiter (SFD) indicating a start of the frame, a header indicating the ONU from which the frame is transmitted, a ranging time stamp responding to a ranging time clock sent from the OLT, a churning key performing churning for the PON, a leased channel transporting data to the OLT, a voice time division multiple access (TDMA) channel transporting local call voice data to the OLT, a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) channel transporting long distance call voice data to the IP network, a data packet transporting data packets to the IP network, and an end frame delimiter (EFD) indicating an end of the frame. In the downstream, the PON comprises a downstream frame for transmitting data from the OLT to the ONUs, the downstream frame comprising a preamble alerting the ONU of the frame, an SFD indicating a start of the frame, a header indicating the OLT from which the frame is transmitted, a ranging time stamp sending a ranging time clock to the ONUs, a churning control performing a churning key request for the PON, a data packet transporting data packets from the IP network to the ONUs, an EFD indicating an end of the frame, and a plurality of ONU fields corresponding to each of the ONUs. Each of the ONU fields comprises an ONU header indicating a start of the ONU field, a leased channel transporting data to the ONU corresponding to the ONU field, a voice TDMA channel transporting local call voice data to the ONU corresponding to the ONU field, and a voice VOIP channel transporting long distance call voice data from the IP network to the ONU corresponding to the ONU field.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.