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
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, being an additional virtual GEM port which is 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 virtual GEM 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 virtual 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 additional virtual GEM port.
A method for use in a Passive Optical Network (PON) for transmitting packets having unknown destination addresses from an Optical Line Termination (OLT) unit connected to a first plurality of Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), towards a second plurality of ONTs included in the first plurality of ONTs, the method comprising:
- providing in said OLT unit a plurality of ports, wherein each port out of said plurality of ports is adapted to perform encapsulation for transmitting frames interpretable by one ONT out of the first plurality of ONTs;
- assigning in said OLT unit one or more additional shared ports, wherein one shared port out of the one or more additional shared ports is adapted to perform encapsulation for transmitting frames interpretable by all of the ONTs of the second plurality of ONTs;
- forwarding a packet having unknown destination address towards said one shared port out of the one or more additional shared ports;
- encapsulating the packet having unknown destination address at said one shared port to obtain a shared frame which can be interpreted by all of the ONTs that belong to the second plurality of ONTs;
- and
- transmitting the shared frame towards all ONTs belonging to the second plurality of ONTs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.