Calix, Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150295890 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS - A system and method for establishing secure communication between a first device and a second device, wherein the first device is behind a firewall. A Secure Shell (SSH) connection is established between the first device and the second device, wherein establishing a connection includes establishing a secured communications tunnel from the first device to the second device via an SSH protocol. The first device is registered with the second device, wherein registering includes sending an SSH protocol REGISTER DEVICE message from the first device to the second device. The REGISTER DEVICE message is acknowledged by the second device, wherein acknowledging includes receiving the REGISTER DEVICE message, determining the client applications to register, determining a separate socket port number to be used as a remote port on the second device for each the registered client applications from the list of one or more client applications running on the first device, and transmitting a REGISTER DEVICE ACK message including the remote port number for each registered client application from the second device to the first device. A reverse port forwarding request is made based on the local port number and the remote port number received from in the REGISTER DEVICE ACK message. | 10-15-2015 |
20150222526 | NETWORK AND SERVICE LAYERS FOR NEXT GENERATION ACCESS NETWORKS - Network and service layers for next generation access networks are provided. In one embodiment, a method for providing network services within an access network is provided. The method comprises: receiving one or more user packets of a user packet flow at a first node located within an access network, wherein the access network comprises a plurality of service nodes each hosting at least one network service application; defining subscriber policy requirements associated with the user packet flow by inspecting at least a first user packet of the user packet flow at the first node; and encapsulating the one or more user packets within an access network routing packet, the access network routing packet including application server addressing that routes the user packet flow to at least a first service node of the plurality of service nodes based on the subscriber policy requirements. | 08-06-2015 |
20150085678 | DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLOW IDENTIFICATION IN AN ACCESS NETWORK - A system and method for tracking and adjusting packet flows through a network having a service delivery node and one or more residential services gateways. Packet flows are recognized as they pass through one or more residential services gateway and flow analytics information corresponding to the packet flows recognized in the residential services gateways are transferred from the residential gateways to the flow identification control unit. The flow analytics information received from the residential services gateways is analyzed within the flow identification control unit and traffic through one or more of the service access platform and the residential services gateways is adjusted, if necessary, as a function of the flow analytics information analyzed by the flow identification control unit. | 03-26-2015 |
20150083795 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVICING A DEVICE HAVING A MATRIX BARCODE - A method of servicing a target device having a matrix barcode comprises analyzing data from a scan of the matrix barcode on the target device to obtain device identification information encoded in the matrix barcode; obtaining secondary information related to the target device; associating the device identification information with the secondary information; and transmitting the device identification information and secondary information over a network to a back office system. | 03-26-2015 |
20150067117 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADVERTISEMENT OF SLA ATTRIBUTES OF A SERVICE AND THE TEST CAPABILITY OF THE ENDPOINT DEVICE - A system comprises a first endpoint device; and a second endpoint device coupled to the first endpoint device over a service provider network. The first endpoint device is configured to insert a Service Level Agreement (SLA) Type Length Value (TLV) element into a Protocol Data unit (PDU) to form an enhanced PDU, the first endpoint device further configured to transmit the enhanced PDU to the second endpoint device. The SLA TLV element includes fields for at least one of service configuration information and test capability information of the first endpoint device. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063107 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED QUALITY OF SERVICE CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE ACCESS NETWORK - A system comprises a plurality of access nodes configured to provide one or more services to customer equipment; and a plurality of transport elements coupled together to form a network. Each transport element is configured to receive data packets committed to the network by one or more of the other transport elements and to commit data packets to the network, each data packet assigned to one of a plurality of traffic classes. Each respective transport element is further configured to shape a first set of traffic comprising data packets received from another transport element based on the respective traffic class of each data packet and to shape a second set of traffic comprising data packets to be committed to the network by the respective transport element based on the respective traffic class of each data packet, the first set of traffic shaped separately from the second set of traffic. Each respective transport element is further configured to shape the shaped first set of traffic together with the shaped second set of traffic based on respective weights associated with the first set of traffic and the second set of traffic. | 03-05-2015 |
20150039481 | SERVICE UTILIZATION BROWSER PLUG-IN - A method of using a data monitoring service may include transmitting a request for subscriber billing status information; in response to the request, receiving the subscriber billing status information in a response message; formatting a status message based in part on the received subscriber billing status information, the status message including an estimated cost for a billing cycle of the subscriber; and presenting the status message in a network application. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036533 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR NETWORK FLOW ANALYSIS AND CONTROL - Techniques for network packet flow analysis and control are described herein. One example method may include obtaining network topology information corresponding to a plurality of nodes of an access network, receiving communication monitoring messages from two or more of the plurality of nodes, wherein the communication monitoring messages include communication information corresponding to a plurality of communication layers, and determining information loss statistics associated with the plurality of nodes based on the communication monitoring messages and the network topology information. | 02-05-2015 |
20150016278 | NETWORK LATENCY TESTING - In general, techniques are described that may allow a network element to analyze the performance of a network without using external equipment external to the network. In one example, a method includes injecting a plurality of data units onto the network, forwarding the plurality of data units around the network loop, injecting at least one timing data unit on to the network, forwarding the at least one timing data unit around the network loop, and determining at least one latency statistic correlated to the at least one characteristic of the forwarded plurality of data units. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016247 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DISTRIBUTED PACKET FLOW CONTROL - Techniques for network packet flow management are described herein. For example, example methods may include receiving, at a first network device, a first flow identifier that identifies a first content of a first packet flow and a second flow identifier that identifies a second content of a second packet flow, wherein the first flow identifier and the second flow identifier are generated by a second network device. Such methods may also include receiving priority information indicating that the first content has a first priority and that the second content has a second priority that is lower than the first priority. Moreover, example methods may include transmitting the first packet flow and a modified second packet flow that includes the priority information to one or more other network devices. | 01-15-2015 |
20140335877 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DYNAMIC BACKHAUL BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT IN WIRELESS NETWORKS - Techniques for dynamic backhaul bandwidth provisioning are described herein. For example, a method may include determining a potential subscriber user equipment load change, transmitting a backhaul bandwidth change request message based a potential subscriber UE load change, wherein the backhaul bandwidth change request message includes a requested backhaul bandwidth level, receiving a backhaul bandwidth change reply message in response to transmitting the backhaul bandwidth change request message, implementing a subscriber UE load change response corresponding to the potential subscriber UE load change based on receiving the backhaul bandwidth change reply message. Further example methods disclosed may include receiving a backhaul bandwidth change request message, wherein the backhaul bandwidth change request message includes a requested backhaul bandwidth level, calculating an available backhaul bandwidth level corresponding to a backhaul, transmitting a backhaul bandwidth change acknowledgement message when the available backhaul bandwidth level supports the requested backhaul bandwidth level. | 11-13-2014 |
20140254394 | NETWORK ACTIVATION TESTING - In general, techniques are described that may allow a network element to autonomously validate a network or network segment. In one example, a method includes configuring a VLAN on a network having at least two network elements, configuring, via a first one of the at least two three network elements on the network, a network loop on the VLAN, generating, via the first one of the at least two network elements on the network, a plurality of data units and injecting the data units onto the network, forwarding, via each of the at least two network elements on the network, the data units around the network loop on the VLAN for a specified time at media speed, configuring one of the at least two network elements on the ring network to stop the network loop, and determining whether there are any network errors. | 09-11-2014 |
20140105597 | NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE SYNCHRONIZATION - Techniques are disclosed that relate to synchronizing a clock on a network interface device with a clock on an optical line terminal (OLT). In one example, the technique to synchronizing the clocks may include monitoring one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information to the OLT and determining when a frame should be received by the network interface device based on the monitored one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information the OLT. | 04-17-2014 |
20140086073 | DETERMINING QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE WITH A NETWORK DEVICE - A demarcation point device positioned at a customer network to provide the customer network access to a service provider network. The demarcation point device comprises a control unit that transmits one or more service query data packets on the customer network to test at least one service within the customer network. The control unit receives one or more service reply data packets from the customer network in response to transmitting the service query data packets, and determines one or more service statistics based on one or more of the service query data packets and the service reply data packets. | 03-27-2014 |
20140056582 | DETECTING AND COMMUNICATING POTENTIAL OPTICAL FIBER ISSUES IN OPTICAL NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described to detect potential issues with optical fibers. The techniques may be implemented using various optical network hardware. An example optical network unit (ONU) includes a network interface coupled to an optical fiber through which the ONU communicates with an optical line terminal (OLT). The ONU further includes a control unit that determines at least a first signal strength and a second signal strength of a signal received via the optical fiber, determines a rate of signal strength degradation based on the first signal strength and the second signal strength, compares the rate of signal strength degradation to a rate threshold so as to determine a potential issue with the optical fiber, and based on the comparison, causes the network interface to send a message to the OLT indicating a potential issue with the optical fiber to which the ONU connects to communicate with the OLT. | 02-27-2014 |
20140052814 | DISTRIBUTED CACHE SYSTEM FOR OPTICAL NETWORKS - Caching techniques are described. An example network device positioned between an optical line terminal (OLT) and a service provider device includes a hot cache, a wide cache controller, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to receive, from a first service delivery platform, a request for digital content, and determine whether the requested digital content is stored on the hot cache. The control unit is further configured to, when the requested digital content is not stored on the hot cache, determine, using the wide cache controller, whether the requested digital content is stored on a wide cache of a second service delivery platform, receive, from the second service delivery platform, the requested digital content, and responsive to the request received from the first delivery platform, send the received digital content to the first delivery platform. | 02-20-2014 |
20140029635 | LASER POWER CONTROL USING BIAS AND MODULATION CURRENT FEEDBACK - Techniques are described for maintaining the extinction ratio of an output optical signal over temperature and aging. In some examples, the techniques may determine the instantaneous slope efficiency of the laser outputting the optical signal, while the laser is outputting the optical signal. Based on the determined slope efficiency, the techniques may determine the needed drive current components (e.g., at least one of the bias current and the modulation current) that results in maintaining the extinction ratio to within a desired range. | 01-30-2014 |
20140026174 | APPLYING HEURISTICS TO MANAGE MULTICAST SUBSCRIPTIONS WITHIN COMPUTER NETWORKS - An access node comprises a control unit that determines an anticipated working set of television channels based on a historically delivered working set of television channels to which a subscriber network has previously subscribed. The anticipated working set indicates a time at which the subscriber network is expected to subscribe to a different set of channels. The access node includes at least one interface that couples the access node to the subscriber network, that prior to the time at which the subscriber network is expected to subscribe to the different set of channels, subscribes to the different set of television channels in accordance with the anticipated working set such that media content associated with the different channels of the anticipated working set is available for delivery to the subscriber network at the time during which the access node expects the subscriber network to subscribe to the different set of channels. | 01-23-2014 |
20130329580 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING FRAME LOSS IN MULTIPOINT NETWORKS - Systems and methods for measuring frame loss in multipoint networks are provided. In one embodiment, a method for calculating frame loss comprises: performing a first continuity check message exchange between a first and a plurality of other devices, the first exchange comprises the first device collecting a first set of frame count data from each of the first and other devices, the first set of frame count data associated with a first instance of time by a first sequence identifier; performing a second continuity check message exchange between the first and plurality of other devices, the second exchange comprises the first device collecting a second set of frame count data from the first other devices, the second set of frame count data associated with a second instance of time by a second sequence identifier; and calculating a frame loss measurement by accounting for frame Ingress and frame Egress. | 12-12-2013 |
20130329579 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING FRAME LOSS IN MULTIPOINT NETWORKS - Systems and methods for measuring frame loss in multipoint networks are provided. In one embodiment, a method for calculating frame loss in a multipoint network is provided. The method comprises: synchronizing local PM frame count bin boundaries across a multipoint network; collecting a first sample of frame count data at a network manager from a first local PM frame count bin for each VLAN Endpoint on the multipoint network; and calculating a frame loss for the multipoint network by accounting for frame ingress and frame egress from the multipoint network based on the first sample of frame count data; wherein the first sample of frame count data is associated with a first period of time defined by the local PM frame count bin boundaries. | 12-12-2013 |
20130202113 | PROTECTING OPTICAL TRANSPORTS FROM CONSECUTIVE IDENTICAL DIGITS IN OPTICAL COMPUTER NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described for protecting optical networks from consecutive identical digit (CID) errors. An optical network device comprising a control unit and an interface may implement the techniques described in this disclosure. The control unit determines whether a data packet will result in a CID error prior to encapsulating at least a portion of the data packet to form a passive optical network (PON) frame and then, in response to the determination that the data packet will result in the CID error, modifies the data packet to form a modified data packet so that the modified data packet will not result in the CID error. The control unit encapsulates the modified data packet to form a PON frame. The control unit applies a scrambling polynomial to the PON frame to form a scrambled PON frame. The interface transmits the scrambled PON frame. | 08-08-2013 |
20130202112 | PROTECTING OPTICAL TRANSPORTS FROM CONSECUTIVE IDENTICAL DIGITS IN OPTICAL COMPUTER NETWORKS - An example method includes encapsulating, by an optical network device, at least a portion of a data packet to form a passive optical network (PON) frame. The method further includes applying, by the optical network device, a scrambling polynomial to at least a portion of the PON frame to generate a scrambled PON frame. The method further includes determining, by the optical network device, that the scrambled PON frame comprises a consecutive identical digit (CID) sequence greater than a threshold length. The method further includes replacing, by the optical network device the determined CID sequence with a correction pattern to generate a modified scrambled PON frame. The method further includes transmitting, by the optical network device, the modified scrambled PON frame. | 08-08-2013 |
20130058337 | INLINE PACKET REPLICATION IN NETWORK DEVICES - In general, techniques are described for inline packet replication in network devices. A network device referred to as an optical line terminal (OLT) may implement the techniques. The OLT comprises a customer interface that supports different logical interfaces to which couple a plurality of optical network terminals (ONTs) and a network interface that receives a data unit. The OLT further comprises a conversion unit, such as a media access control (MAC) module, located in a data path of the optical line terminal that determines whether the received data unit is a candidate for replication. The conversion unit includes an inline packet processing module that performs replication to generate at least one copy of the data unit based on the determination that the received packet is a candidate for packet replication. The customer interface outputs the at least one copy of the data unit to the ONTs. | 03-07-2013 |
20130022132 | COMMUNICATION AMONG NETWORK DEVICES AT SUBSCRIBER PREMISES - One or more example techniques of this disclosure may be directed to providing a diversity of ways in which a network interface device may receive information from or transmit information to one or more of subscriber devices within a subscriber premises. For example, the network interface device may wirelessly transmit and receive information. The network interface device may also be coupled to a power supply device, and may receive information from and transmit information to the power supply device. The power supply device may receive information from and transmit information to the one or more of the subscriber devices utilizing wireless techniques and/or power line communication (PLC) techniques. | 01-24-2013 |
20120321315 | SCHEDULING DELIVERY OF UPSTREAM TRAFFIC BASED ON DOWNSTREAM TRAFFIC IN OPTICAL NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described for monitoring downstream traffic in order to schedule delivery of upstream traffic in a computer network. The techniques may be implemented by an optical line terminal (OLT) comprising a control unit and an interface. The control unit determines an amount of upstream data that is waiting at one of a plurality of ONTs to be transmitted upstream to the OLT, and determines an amount of downstream data that is transmitted by the OLT to this ONT. The control unit increases the determined amount of upstream data based on the determined amount of downstream data transmitted by the OLT to the ONTs and, after increasing the determined amount of upstream data, generates an upstream grant map that grants time slots to the ONTs based on the determined amount of upstream data. The interface transmits the upstream grant map downstream to the ONTs. | 12-20-2012 |
20120321312 | GRANT SCHEDULER FOR OPTICAL NETWORK DEVICES - In general, techniques are described for performing grant scheduling in optical networks. An optical line terminal (OLT) comprising a control unit may implement the techniques. The control unit determines an amount of upstream data associated with a category of service that is waiting at a first one of a plurality of ONTs to be transmitted upstream to the OLT and computes a number of GCPs for each of the ONTs based on a determined amount of data associated with the category of service that is waiting to be transmitted upstream to the OLT for each of the ONTs. After computing the number of GCPs, the control unit then grants time slots to the one or more of the ONTs based on the number of GCPs computed for each of the ONTs, wherein the time slots comprise time slots for upstream communication form the ONTs to the OLT. | 12-20-2012 |
20120294154 | ETHERNET OAM TO ATM OAM INTERWORKING FOR LOOPBACK CAPABILITY - In general, techniques are described for interworking between Ethernet organization, administration, and maintenance (OAM) frames and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) ATM OAM cells. For example, an access node in an Ethernet and ATM network may implement the techniques. The access node comprises an Ethernet interface that receives an Ethernet OAM Loopback frame from a device within an Ethernet network. The access node includes a control unit that constructs an ATM OAM End-to-End Loopback cell from the Ethernet OAM Loopback frame, and an ATM interface that transmits the ATM OAM End-to-End Loopback cell from the access node towards a virtual circuit connected to a subscriber device to verify connectivity from the originating device within the Ethernet network to the subscriber device within the ATM network. | 11-22-2012 |
20120207019 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTICAST ADMISSION CONTROL - Systems and methods for multicast admission control are provided. In one embodiment, a node comprises: a first interface configured to receive a multicast channel access request, from a subscriber interface, including an address for a channel; a memory including a subscriber profile and VLAN configuration data for the network; a processor that identifies a first VLAN corresponding to the address from the VLAN configuration data and determines whether the subscriber is authorized to receive the channel via the first VLAN based on access policy designated by the subscriber profile; wherein the processor further determines whether granting access to the channel violates admission control policy based on predefined bandwidth requirements and/or a stream count limit for the first VLAN; wherein when the subscriber interface is authorized to receive the channel and when granting access to the channel does not violate admission control policy, the processor routes the channel to the subscriber. | 08-16-2012 |
20120131097 | ISOLATION VLAN FOR LAYER TWO ACCESS NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described for providing an isolation virtual local area network (VLAN) for layer two access networks. A server comprising an interface and a control unit may implement the techniques. The interface receives a message that initiates a request for a layer three (L3) network address for use by a client device via an isolation virtual local area network (VLAN) that supports transmitting data from a network device to the server, where the network device is intermediately positioned between the client device and the server. The message includes a layer two (L2) address associated with the client device. The control unit determines whether to allow the client device to access the network and assigns the L3 network address to the client device based on the determination. | 05-24-2012 |
20120106976 | NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE SYNCHRONIZATION - Techniques are disclosed that relate to synchronizing a clock on a network interface device with a clock on an optical line terminal (OLT). In one example, the technique to synchronizing the clocks may include monitoring one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information to the OLT and determining when a frame should be received by the network interface device based on the monitored one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information the OLT. | 05-03-2012 |
20120093508 | PROVISIONING NETWORK DEVICES IN ETHERNET-BASED ACCESS NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described for provisioning network devices in an Ethernet-based access network. For example, an access node located in an Ethernet-based access network positioned intermediate to a back office network and a customer network may implement the techniques. The access node comprises a control unit that discovers a demarcation point device that terminates the access network of the service provider network at the customer network. The control unit of the access node implements an Ethernet protocol to provide layer two network connectivity between the service provider network and the customer network, authenticates the demarcation point device based on a unique identifier assigned to the demarcation point device and, after successfully authenticating the demarcation point device, provisions the demarcation point device. | 04-19-2012 |
20120076467 | CABLE RESTRAINT - Techniques are disclosed that restrain cables in order to relieve excessive tensile force and to prevent breakage at a point of termination. In one example, a system includes a clip and a receiver configured to receive the clip. The clip includes a first member and a second member pivotally connected to each other by a hinge, the hinge located intermediate opposed ends of the first member and the second member, the hinge defining a groove for receiving a first portion of the cable. | 03-29-2012 |
20120045187 | OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER ASSEMBLY - Techniques are disclosed that allow an optical transceiver module to be secured to a surface. In one example, an optical transceiver assembly includes an optical transceiver module, and a compressible support clip configured to engage the optical transceiver module, the support clip configured to receive at least a portion of a surface defining an aperture in order to at least partially support the optical transceiver module within the aperture. | 02-23-2012 |
20110280159 | MULTI-CARD NETWORK DEVICE APPEARING AS SINGLE ENTITY IN SPANNING TREE NETWORK - Techniques are disclosed that may allow a network device comprising multiple line cards that are each executing a spanning tree algorithm to appear as a single spanning tree protocol entity to other network devices within a bridged local area network (LAN). In one example, a method includes determining, via a first processor on a first card of a network device, a first superior local port on the first card, transmitting, from the first card to a second card of the network device, a data unit specifying the determined first superior local port, and determining, via a second processor on the second card, a superior port on the network device among the first superior local port and a second plurality of ports on the second card based on a second plurality of BPDUs received via the second plurality of ports. | 11-17-2011 |
20110249970 | INLINE PACKET REPLICATION IN NETWORK DEVICES - In general, techniques are described for inline packet replication in network devices. A network device referred to as an optical line terminal (OLT) may implement the techniques. The OLT comprises a customer interface that supports different logical interfaces to which couple a plurality of optical network terminals (ONTs) and a network interface that receives a data unit. The OLT further comprises a conversion unit, such as a media access control (MAC) module, located in a data path of the optical line terminal that determines whether the received data unit is a candidate for replication. The conversion unit includes an inline packet processing module that performs replication to generate at least one copy of the data unit based on the determination that the received packet is a candidate for packet replication. The customer interface outputs the at least one copy of the data unit to the ONTs. | 10-13-2011 |
20110249551 | VIRTUAL SNOOPING BRIDGE IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In general, techniques are described for implementing a virtual snooping bridge in computer networks. The techniques may be implemented by a ring network comprised of a plurality of ring network devices arranged in a ring topology. In one aspect, a ring network device coupled to an adjacent device that provides access to multicast content implements the techniques. This ring network device comprises one or more ports and a control unit. The ports receive ring messages from one or more of the other ring network devices in accordance with a group management ring protocol (GMRP). The ring messages indicate operations requested by one or more host devices with respect to delivery of content of the multicast group. The control unit then presents the received operations to the adjacent network device such that, from the perspective of the adjacent network device, the ring network appears as a single layer two network device. | 10-13-2011 |
20110032951 | MERGING MULTIPLE NETWORK DATA FLOWS - The disclosure presents techniques for merging multiple data flows in a network such as a Passive Optical Network (PON). The PON comprises an interface module and network nodes connected to the interface module via an optical fiber link. Each network node further serves client devices. The client devices request multiple data flows, requiring the interface module to serve multiple data flows to a network node for delivery to the devices. The interface module merges received data flows to permit multiple flows to be processed by a single segmentation and reassembly (SAR) engine, reducing hardware cost and complexity within the node. However, subunits associated with different data flows within a merged data flow are not interleaved with one another. Instead, the subunits associated with an original unit of information are transmitted contiguously within the merged data flow, facilitating identification and reassembly of the subunits for a particular microflow. | 02-10-2011 |
20090274463 | UPGRADE RESILIENT MULTI-TRANSPORT OPTICAL NETWORK TERMINAL - This disclosure is directed to devices and methods for facilitating the upgrade of optical networks. An optical network terminal (ONT) that terminates an optical fiber link of an optical network comprises two or more transport engines that each converts data transmitted via different transports to data corresponding to a service. For example, the ONT may include a first transport engine and a second transport engine. The first transport engine converts data received over the optical network via a first transport, e.g., a legacy transport, into data corresponding to a service for one or more subscriber devices. The second transport engine converts the data received over the optical network via a second transport, e.g., a next generation transport, into the data corresponding to the service for the subscriber devices. The ONT is selectively configurable to select one of the first and second transport engines, thereby making the ONT upgrade-resilient. | 11-05-2009 |
20090060530 | OPTICAL NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICES AND METHODS - A system comprises an optical network terminal (ONT) that provides an interface to a passive optical network (PON). The ONT is coupled to a subscriber gateway device via at least one cable. The ONT may be located outside a subscriber premises while the subscriber gateway device may be located within the subscriber premises. The ONT converts optical signals received from PON to electrical signals and transmits the electrical signals to the subscriber gateway device without performing any MAC layer functions. The subscriber gateway device includes an optical media access control (MAC) unit that converts the electrical signals into MAC layer signals and a gateway unit that distributes the MAC layer signals to one or more subscriber devices. In this manner the MAC and gateway layer functions are relocated from the ONT to the subscriber gateway device. | 03-05-2009 |