Processing data in an optical network

#This application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national stage filing of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/052212, filed on Feb. 15, 2011. The contents of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

#The invention relates to a method for processing data in an optical network and to components of such optical network.

#A passive optical network (PON) is a promising approach regarding fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), fiber-to-the-business (FTTB) and fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) scenarios, in particular as it overcomes the economic limitations of traditional point-to-point solutions.

#Embodiments of the invention are shown and illustrated in the following figures:

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a signal generation arrangement as it can be provided by an OLT;

#FIG. 2A shows a schematic diagram (frequency plan) of a spectrum in an optical domain comprising downstream channels (from an OLT to several ONUs) around carrier frequencies located at a given (frequency) distance from a base frequency f0;

#The solution presented herein describes a method of generating and/or detecting a multitude of individually modulated optical wavelengths with a spectral distance of, e.g., (only) a few GHz, wherein the optical wavelengths may be generated based on a single laser source.

#An application for such ultra dense wavelength grid could be an optical access system like NGOA, which may provide a wavelength (or wavelength range) for every user or subscriber.

#It is noted that, e.g., ultra dense wavelength grid optical access systems can be referred to as NGOA which could provide for each subscriber, user or service (or group thereof) a separate wavelength (i.e. at least one wavelength range). Also, a particular wavelength (i.e. wavelength range) can be assigned to at least one subscriber, user or service.