Optical network unit (ONU) for low latency packet transmission in time division multiplexing-passive optical network (TDM-PON), method of operating the same, and apparatus for controlling ONU

An Optical Network Unit (ONU) for low latency packet transmission in a Time Division Multiplexing-Passive Optical Network (TDM-PON), the ONU comprising:

• a first bandwidth allocation information manager configured to receive, from a base station, first bandwidth allocation information regarding a bandwidth allocated by the base station to a terminal for uplink packet transmission, and
• a bandwidth allocation requester configured to transmit a bandwidth allocation request, which is based on the received first bandwidth allocation information, to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) before completing packet reception from the base station,
• wherein:
• the first bandwidth allocation information manager analyzes the received first bandwidth allocation information to estimate an amount of packets to be received from the base station;
• and
• the bandwidth allocation requester transmits the bandwidth allocation request, which includes the estimated amount of packets, to the OLT.

An apparatus for controlling an Optical Network Unit (ONU) for low latency packet transmission in a Time Division Multiplexing-Passive Optical Network (TDM-PON), the apparatus comprising:

• a first bandwidth allocation information manager configured to receive, from a base station, first bandwidth allocation information regarding a bandwidth allocated by the base station to a terminal for uplink packet transmission, and analyze the received first bandwidth allocation information to estimate an amount of packets to be received from the base station;
• a storage configured to store a first duration and a second duration;
• and
• a bandwidth allocation request time determiner configured to determine a bandwidth allocation request time by considering the stored first duration and second duration,
• wherein the apparatus controls the ONU to transmit the bandwidth allocation request, which includes the estimated amount of packets, to the OLT at the determined bandwidth allocation request time.