Technique for forwarding packets in a gigabit passive optical network (gpon)
AssigneeECI Telecom Ltd.
InventorIdo Ouzieli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique for forwarding downstream packets in a GPON comprising an OLT unit having a physical PON port connected to N Optical Network Termination (ONT) units by optical fibers. The physical PON port accommodates N individual virtual GEM ports terminated with the N ONT units (ONTs) which form N:1 service. The technique comprises assigning in the physical port of the OLT unit a virtual GEM port being a shared broadcast GEM port terminated with all the N ONTs of the N:1 service. Those downstream packets applied to the physical PON port, which would otherwise be flooded—such as broadcast packets or packets having unknown destination address—will now be forwarded only via the shared broadcast GEM port.
Claims13
1-15. (canceled)
A method of forwarding downstream packets in a GPON comprising an OLT unit having a physical PON port connected to N Optical Network Termination (ONT) units by optical fibers, while said physical PON port accommodates N individual virtual GEM ports respectively terminated with said N ONT units (ONTs) forming an N:1 group for a specific type of service, the method comprising:
- assigning in said physical port of the OLT unit a virtual GEM port in addition to the individual GEM ports for said specific type of service, said additional virtual GEM port being terminated with and shared by all said N ONTs, and
- forwarding packets having unknown destination address, from said physical PON port downstream, only via a suitable said additional shared port.
An OLT unit for communication with a plurality of ONT units via optical fibers in a GPON;
- the OLT unit comprising:
- at least one physical PON port where N individual virtual GEM ports are configured for communicating packets between the OLT and N respective ONT units out of said plurality, forming an N:1 group for a specific type of service, and
- an additional virtual GEM port configured at said physical PON port, for said specific type of service to be delivered to said N ONT units, said additional GEM port terminating with and being shared by all said N ONT units;
- wherein said physical PON port being adapted for downstream forwarding of packets with unknown destination addresses only via a suitable said shared GEM port.
A hardware/software module suitable for being accommodated in an OLT unit of a GPON network, the module being adapted to:
- configure a shared virtual GEM port at a physical PON port of the OLT unit for an N:1 service group, for a specific type of service;
- and
- ensure downstream forwarding of packets with unknown destination addresses, whenever applied by said OLT unit to said physical PON port, only via said suitable shared GEM port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.