Methods and apparatus for identifying a passive optical network failure

US7881607B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Tellabs Petaluma, Inc. · US

Inventors

• David A. DeLew · Abdulrahman Khaleefah Street, US
• Ryan D. Houlgate · Windsor, US
• Nathan D. Knuth · Sebastopol, US
• Manic C. Steyn · Penngrove, US
• Weijun Li · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 1, 2006
• Grant date: Feb 1, 2011
• Expiry date: Mar 26, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/0799
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and corresponding apparatus is disclosed for determining a particular Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in a Passive Optical Network (PON) is malfunctioning by sending a continuous stream of light up a shared fiber, which results in adversely affecting communications between the ONT and an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The example embodiment verifies the failure is due to a faulty optical transmitter in the ONT and not a different network fault, such as a fiber optic line cut or power outage. Through the use of the example embodiment, a service provider can determine in an automated manner which specific ONT of a PON is malfunctioning.