Passive optical network

• Main Author: CLARKE; DONALD E. A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.09.1995
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION; TRANSMISSION

PCT No. PCT/GB91/00100 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 16, 1992 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 16, 1992 PCT Filed Jan. 23, 1991 PCT Pub. No. WO91/11867 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 8, 1991.A head-end station for a passive optical network system is arranged to transmit and receive downstream and upstream multiplex data frames. The data frames include a plurality of basic frames, each basic frame including a plurality of traffic bits and a plurality of control bits. The head-end station includes a data receiver having a control processor arranged to receive control data, a control data buffer which provides a parallel data input to the control processor, a traffic interface and a serial-to-parallel converter. The converter receives upstream TDMA multiplexed frames and the parallel output from the converter is connected in parallel to the respective inputs of the control data buffer and the traffic interface. A data transmitter for such a head-end station also includes a control processor, a control buffer and a traffic interface. A parallel-to-serial converter receives the upstream TDMA. The parallel input to the converter is connected in parallel to the control data buffer and to the exchange interface. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the upstream and downstream TDMA frames include a header portion preceding the plurality of basic frames and the control data buffers are enabled both during the header portion and during the portions of the basic frames containing the control bits.