System and method for improved data protection in PONs

In an optical network termination that is in optical communication with an optical line termination and operably coupled to at least one subscriber device, a method comprising the steps of:

• receiving downstream data from a deframer module based on an associated ATM Over Passive Optical Network (APON) identifier;
• decrypting a digitally encrypted, churned portion of the downstream data from the optical line termination using a digital decryption algorithm;
• in response to a determination that at least a portion of the downstream data is churned, dechurning the decrypted portion of the downstream data from the optical line termination, wherein in response to a determination that the downstream data is not churned, the decrypted downstream data is not dechurned;
• and
• encrypting upstream data prior to transmission to the optical line termination.

In an optical network termination that is in optical communication with an optical line termination and operably coupled to at least one subscriber device, a method comprising the steps of:

• receiving downstream data from a deframer module based on an associated ATM Over Passive Optical Network (APON) identifier;
• dechurning digitally encrypted, churned portion of the downstream data from the optical line termination, where dechurning includes sending a signal indicating whether at least a portion of the received downstream data being dechurned are encrypted;
• decrypting, in response to a determination that at least a portion of the dechurned data is also encrypted, the dechurned portion of the downstream data using a digital decryption algorithm;
• and
• encrypting upstream data prior to transmission to the optical line termination.

A system comprising:

• an optical line termination being adapted to transmit, via a passive optical network, downstream data, wherein at least a portion of the downstream data is digitally encrypted and churned;
• and
• an optical network termination in optical communication with the optical line termination via the passive optical network, the optical network termination being adapted to:
• dechurn the portion of downstream data, where dechurning includes sending a signal indicating whether at least a portion of the received downstream data being dechurned are encrypted, wherein the downstream data is received from a deframer module based on an associated ATM Over Passive Optical Network (APON) identifier;
• and
• decrypt, in response to a determination that at least a portion of the dechurned data is also encrypted, the portion of downstream data, wherein upstream data is encrypted prior to transmission to the optical line termination.

In an optical network termination that is in optical communication with an optical line termination and operably coupled to at least one subscriber device, a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions being adapted to manipulate a processor to:

• dechurn a digitally encrypted, churned portion of downstream data from the optical line termination, where dechurning includes sending a signal indicating whether at least a portion of the received downstream data being dechurned are encrypted, wherein the downstream data is received from a deframer module based on an associated ATM Over Passive Optical Network (APON) identifier;
• decrypt, in response to a determination that at least a portion of the dechurned downstream data is also encrypted, the dechurned portion of the downstream data using a digital decryption algorithm;
• and
• encrypt upstream data prior to transmission to the optical line termination.