Multi-rate and multi-modulation ont and olt

An optical network unit for a passive optical network comprising:

• (a) a light sensitive diode suitable to sense light from a passive optical network and provide a first output in response thereto;
• (b) a transimpedance amplifier that receives said first output and provides a second output in response thereto;
• (c) a switch selectively providing said second output to a first amplifier or a second amplifier;
• (d) said first amplifier receiving said second output and amplifying said second output based upon a limiting amplifier to provide a limited amplified output;
• (e) said second amplifier receiving said second output and amplifying said second output based upon a non-limiting amplifier to provide a non-limited amplified output;
• (f) a processor selectively receiving either of said limited amplified output and said non-limited amplified output for subsequent processing;
• (g) wherein said first output is current signal, wherein said second output is a voltage signal, wherein said switch is programmable between said first amplifier and said second amplifier, wherein when said second output is a NRZ signal it is provided to said first amplifier, wherein when said second output is a PAM signal it is provided to said second amplifier, wherein non-limited amplifier is a substantially linear amplifier, wherein an output from said first amplifier is deserialized, wherein an output from said second amplifier is deserialized.