Optical network unit self-calibration in multi-wavelength passive optical network

An optical network unit (ONU) apparatus for operation in an optical communication network, comprising:

• a scan module that performs a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• an operation set up module that sets up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• a parameter monitoring module that monitors a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• and
• a drift report module that reports, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT).

An optical network unit (ONU) for operation in an optical communication network, comprising a memory and a processor;

• wherein the memory stores instruction code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to implement a method, comprising:
• performing a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• setting up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• monitoring a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• and
• reporting, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT).

A method of operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• transmitting an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• receiving a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• determining, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• broadcasting, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.

An apparatus for operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• a transmission module that transmits an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• a drift report reception module that receives a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• a drift determination module that determines, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• a channel_tracking broadcast module that broadcasts, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.

A multi-wavelength passive optical network (MW-PON) system comprising

• (a) an optical distribution network (ODN) comprising trunk fiber, one or more branching element, and a plurality of distribution fibers of the ODN,
• (b) a plurality of optical line terminations (OLTs) attached via a wavelength multiplexor (WM) to the trunk fiber of the ODN, each said OLT being associated with an individual bi-directional wavelength channel comprising a single downstream and single upstream wavelengths, and supporting a specific downstream line rate and one or more distinct upstream line rates;
• and
• (c) a plurality of optical network units (ONUs), each said ONU being attached to a respective distribution fiber, being tunable over a specific range of downstream wavelengths and a specific range of upstream wavelengths, and supporting a specific downstream line rate and a specific upstream line rate;
• where in ONU executes a self-calibration procedure, and the OLT facilitates the execution of this procedure by estimating the downstream channel transmission wavelength drifts and ensuring that the downstream channel transmission wavelength drift information for all active downstream channels in the MW-PON system is broadcast downstream on all channels in MW-PON system.

A computer-readable program medium having code stored thereupon, the code comprising instructions causing a processor to implement a method of operating an optical network unit (ONU) in an optical communication network, comprising:

• instructions for performing a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• instructions for setting up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• instructions for monitoring a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• and
• instructions for reporting, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT).

A computer-readable program medium having code stored thereupon, the code comprising instructions causing a processor to implement a method of operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• instructions for transmitting an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• instructions for receiving a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• instructions for determining, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• instructions for broadcasting, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.