Dynamic Readjustment of Energy Efficient Network Control Policy Parameters in an Optical Network Unit Based on a SIEPON Protocol

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an optical interface in an optical network unit, a control command from an upstream optical line terminal that is coupled to said optical network unit via an optical fiber cable, said control command providing a limitation on an available time period during which said optical network unit can communicate with said optical line terminal over said optical fiber cable;
• loading, in association with said limitation on said available time period during which said optical network unit can communicate with said optical line terminal, one or more parameters into a control register that is accessible by an energy efficiency control policy that controls transitions by at least part of a downstream network interface of said optical network unit between different power states;
• and
• operating said energy efficiency control policy using said one or more parameters that are loaded from said control register at a time proximate to an event controlled by said control command.

An optical network unit, comprising:

• an optical interface that is configured to receive a control command from an upstream optical line terminal that is coupled to said optical interface via an optical fiber cable, said control command providing a limitation on an available time period during which the optical network unit can communicate with said optical line terminal over said optical fiber cable;
• an energy efficiency control policy that controls transitions by at least part of a downstream network interface between different power states;
• and
• a control register that is configured to load, in association with said limitation on said available time period during which said optical network unit can communicate with said optical line terminal, one or more parameters that are accessible by said energy efficiency control policy, said one or more parameters being loaded from said control register at a time proximate to an event controlled by said control command.