Optical network unit self-calibration in multi-wavelength passive optical network

An optical network unit (ONU) apparatus for operation in an optical communication network, comprising:

• a receiver configured to perform a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• a processor configured to implement a method comprising:
• setting up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• monitoring a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• reporting, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT);
• receiving a channel_tracking message that includes drift value information from the OLT, the drift value information having been generated based on a previous report from the ONU to the OLT;
• and
• adjusting the configured threshold based on the received channel_tracking message.

An optical network unit (ONU) for operation in an optical communication network, comprising a memory and a processor;

• wherein the memory stores instruction code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to implement a method, comprising:
• performing a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• setting up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• monitoring a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• reporting, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT);
• receiving a channel_tracking message that includes drift value information from the OLT, the drift value information having been generated based on a previous report from the ONU to the OLT;
• and
• adjusting the configured threshold based on the received channel_tracking message.

A method of operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• transmitting an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• receiving a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• determining, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• broadcasting, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.

An apparatus for operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• a processor configured to implement a method comprising:
• receiving a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• determining, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• broadcasting, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.

A non-transitory computer-readable program medium having code stored thereupon, the code comprising instructions causing a processor to implement a method of operating an optical network unit (ONU) in an optical communication network, comprising:

• instructions for performing a physical layer scan over a tuning range;
• instructions for setting up operation of the ONU on a channel based on the physical layer scan;
• instructions for monitoring a controllable tuning parameter during the operation to a configured threshold;
• instructions for reporting, when the controllable tuning parameter exceeds the configured threshold, a value of the controllable tuning parameter to an optical line termination (OLT);
• instructions for receiving a channel_tracking message that includes drift value information from the OLT, the drift value information having been generated based on a previous report from the ONU to the OLT;
• and
• instructions for adjusting the configured threshold based on the received channel_tracking message.

A non-transitory computer-readable program medium having code stored thereupon, the code comprising instructions causing a processor to implement a method of operating an optical line termination (OLT) apparatus in an optical communication network, comprising:

• instructions for transmitting an optical carrier in a downstream direction towards one or more optical network units (ONUs), the optical carrier being transmitted at a first wavelength;
• instructions for receiving a drift report from an ONU, the drift report indicating that, as measured by the ONU, the transmission was received at a second wavelength value that was different from the first wavelength value;
• instructions for determining, based on the received drift report, whether a wavelength drift has occurred in the transmission of the optical carrier;
• and
• instructions for broadcasting, when it is determined that the wavelength drift has occurred, channel_tracking information indicative of the wavelength drift.