INTRODUCTION

A passive optical network (PON) is a point to multipoint, fiber to customer premise network architecture. Passive (Non-powered) optical splitters are used to enable a single optical fiber to serve multiple premises, typically 16-128. GPON stands for Gigabit Passive Optical Networks. GPON is defined by ITU-T recommendation series G.984.1 through G.984.6. GPON can transport not only Ethernet, but also ATM and TDM (PSTN, ISDN, E1 and E3) traffic. It provides high bandwidth for high-speed Internet access, video on demand, IPTV and voice over IP (VoIP) .
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INTRODUCTION
GPON network consists of mainly two active transmission equipments,
Optical Line Termination (OLT) at the service provider's central office and Optical Network Unit (ONU)/Optical Network Termination (ONT) near end users.

Downstream signals are broadcasted to all premises sharing multiple fibers.

Upstream signals are combined using a multiple access protocol, usually time division multiple access (TDMA). The OLTs "range" the ONUs in order to provide time slot assignments for upstream communication. 3

INTRODUCTION
A single fibre from the OLT runs to a passive Optical Splitter which is located near the users' locations. The Optical Splitter merely divides the optical power into N separate paths to the users (Normally, 2 to 128). A single mode (SM) fibre strand run to each user From the Optical Splitter.

INTRODUCTION
PON Network Splits Single Fiber Link Into Individual Links to Subscribers

Multiplexing Mechanism
GPON adopts two multiplexing mechanisms:
1. In downstream direction (from OLT to users), data packets are transmitted in an broadcast manner, but encryption (AES) is used to prevent eavesdropping. 2. In upstream direction (from users to OLT), two types of multiplexing
Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM): each customer transmits their signal using a unique wavelength. Time-division multiplexing (TDM): the customers "take turns" transmitting information.
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Fiber To The Premises

The signal is distributed using beam splitters in passive optical network. Each splitter typically splits the signal from a single fiber into 16, 32, or 64 fibers, depending on the manufacturer, and several splitters can be aggregated in a single cabinet. A beam splitter cannot provide any switching or buffering capabilities and doesn't use any power supply; the resulting connection is called a point-to-multipoint link. Due to the absence of switching, each signal leaving the central office must be broadcast to all users served by that splitter (including to those for whom the signal is not intended). The optical network terminal has to filter out any signals intended for other customers.
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Advantage/Disadvantage Of GPON Over Active N/W

Advantages :
Avoid the complexities involved in keeping electronic equipment operating outdoors. Allow for analog broadcasts, which can simplify the delivery of analog television.

Disadvantages :
Since each signal must be pushed out to everyone served by the splitter (rather than to just a single switching device), the central office must be equipped with a particularly powerful piece of transmitting equipment (OLT). Because each customer's optical network terminal must transmit all the way to the central office, reach extenders would be needed to achieve the distance from central office that is possible with outside plant based active optical networks.
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Passive Optical Components

The drivers behind the modern passive optical network are the optical components that enable Quality of Service (QoS).
Single-mode, passive optical components include branching devices such as
1. 2. 3. 4.

Wavelength Division Multiplexer/De-multiplexers (WDMs), Isolators, Circulators, Filters.

These components are used in

interoffice, loop feeder, Fiber In The Loop (FITL), Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Cable (HFC), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) systems; Other telecommunications networks employing optical communications systems that utilize Optical Fiber Amplifiers (OFAs) and Dense Wavelength 9 Division Multiplexer (DWDM) systems.

Passive Optical Components

WDMs:
Power is split or combined based on the wavelength composition of the optical signal through WDM.

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexers (DWDMs):

DWDM splits power over at least four wavelengths.

Wavelength insensitive couplers are passive optical components in which power is split or combined independently of the wavelength composition of the optical signal. A given component may combine and divide optical signals simultaneously, as in bidirectional (duplex) transmission over a single fiber.
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Passive Optical Components

Passive optical components are data format transparent, combining and dividing optical power in some predetermined ratio (coupling ratio) regardless of the information content of the signals.

WDMs can be thought of as wavelength splitters and combiners.

Wavelength insensitive couplers can be thought of as power splitters and combiners.

Optical isolator:
Two-port passive component

Allows light (in a given wavelength range) to pass through with low attenuation in one direction, while isolating (providing a high attenuation for) light propagating in the reverse direction.
Used as both integral and in-line components in laser diode modules and optical amplifiers to reduce noise caused by multi-path reflection in high bit11 rate and analog transmission systems.

Passive Optical Components

Optical circulator:
Operates in a similar way to an optical isolator, except that the reverse propagating lightwave is directed to a third port for output, instead of being lost. Used for bidirectional transmission, as a type of branching component that distributes (and isolates) optical power among fibers, based on the direction of the lightwave propagation.

Fiber optic filter:

Having two or more ports, Provides wavelength sensitive loss, isolation and/or return loss, These are in-line, wavelength selective, components that allow a specific range of wavelengths to pass through (or reflect) with low attenuation for classification of filter types. 12

GPON Key Technologies

1. ONU Identifier (ONU-ID): an 8-bit identifier

An OLT assigns to an ONU during ONU activation via PLOAM messages.

It is unique across the PON and remains until the ONU is powered off or deactivated by the OLT.

2.

Allocation Identifier (ALLOC_ID): a 12-bit identifier

An OLT assigns to an ONU to identify a traffic-bearing entity that is a recipient of upstream bandwidth allocations within that ONU. This traffic-bearing entity is also called T-CONT. Each ONU is assigned a default ALLOC_ID which is equal to that ONU's ONU-ID, and may be assigned additional ALLOC_IDs as per OLT's discretion.
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GPON Key Technologies

3. Transmission Containers (T-CONT)
A T-CONT is an ONU object representing a group of logical connections that appear as a single entity for the purpose of upstream bandwidth assignment on the PON. The number of supported T-CONTs is fixed for a given ONU. The ONU autonomously creates all the supported T-CONT instances during ONU activation. The OLT discovers the number of T-CONT instances supported by a given ONU.

To activate a T-CONT instance to carry upstream user traffic, the OLT has to establish a mapping between T-CONT instance and an ALLOC_ID, which has been previously assigned to the ONU via PLOAM messages.
Any ALLOC_ID assigned to the ONU, including the default ALLOC_ID, can be associated with single user traffic T-CONT. 14

GPON Key Technologies

There are 5 types of T-CONTs which can be allocated to the user:
Type 1

Fixed bandwidth type. Used for services sensitive to delay and high priority like VOIP.

Type 2 and Type 3

Guaranteed bandwidth type. Used for video services and data services of higher priorities.

Type 4

Best-effort bandwidth type Used for data services such as Internet and services of low priority which do not require high bandwidth. Mixed type involving all bandwidth types

Type 5

Bearing all services.

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GPON Key Technologies

4.

Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (DBA)

OLT is responsible for allocating upstream bandwidth to the ONUs. Because the access network is shared, ONU upstream transmissions could collide if they were transmitted at random times. ONUs can be located at varying distances from the OLT, and hence the transmission delay from each ONU is unique. The OLT measures delay and sets a register in each ONU via PLOAM (Physical Layer Operations, Administration and Maintenance) messages to equalize its delay with respect to all other ONUs on the access network. This is called Ranging. Once the delay of all ONUs have been set, the OLT transmits grants to individual ONUs.
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GPON Key Technologies

A grant is permission to use a defined interval of time for upstream transmission.

The grant map is dynamically re-calculated every few milliseconds.

The map allocates bandwidth to all ONUs such that each ONU receives timely bandwidth for its needs. DBA allows quick adoption of users bandwidth allocation based on current traffic requirements. It is especially good for dealing with bursty upstream traffic.

GPON uses TDMA for managing upstream access by ONUs, and at any one point in time, TDMA provides unshared timeslots (upstream bandwidth over time) to each ONU for upstream transmission.
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GPON Key Technologies

DBA allows upstream timeslots to shrink and grow based on the distribution of upstream traffic loads. DBA functions on T-CONTs, which are upstream timeslots, and each is identified by a particular ALLOC_ID. An ONU must have at least one T-CONT, but most have several T-CONTs, each with its own priority or traffic class, and each corresponds to a particular upstream timeslot on the PON. Without DBA support on the OLT, upstream bandwidth is statically assigned to T-CONTs, which cannot be shared, and can be changed only through a management system.

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GPON Key Technologies

Two types of DBA :
1. 2. Status Reporting DBA (SR-DBA). Non-Status Reporting DBA (NSR-DBA).

NSR-DBA:
An OLT constantly allocates a small amount of extra bandwidth to each ONU. If the ONU has no traffic to send, it transmits idle frames.

If the OLT observes that an ONU is not sending idle frames, it increases the bandwidth allocation to that ONU.
Once that ONU starts sending idle frames, the OLT reduces its allocation accordingly.

NSR-DBA has the advantage that the ONUs need not be aware of DBA, however, its disadvantage is that there is no way for the OLT to know how to allocate bandwidth to several ONUs in the most efficient way.
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GPON Key Technologies

SR-DBA
Uses explicit T-CONT buffer status provided by the ONUs when OLT polls them. The OLT solicits T-CONT buffer status, and the ONUs respond with a separate report for each assigned T-CONT. The report contains the data currently waiting in T-CONTs in the specified time slots. OLT receives the status (DBA) report, re-calculates bandwidth allocation (BW Map) through DBA algorithm and sends new BW Map to the ONUs in-band with downstream traffic. The ONU receives the BW Map from OLT and sends the data in the specified time slots. When an ONU has no information to send, upon receiving a grant from the OLT, it sends an idle cell upstream to indicate that its buffer is empty. This informs the OLT that the grants for that T-CONT can be assigned to other TCONTs. If an ONU has a long queue waiting in its buffer, the OLT can assign multiple T-CONTs 20 to that ONT.

GPON Key Technologies

GPON Transmission Convergence (TC) Layer
ITU-T recommendation G.984.3 describes GPON TC layer which is equivalent to Data Link layer of OSI model. It specifies GPON frame format, the media access control protocol, OAM processes and information encryption method.

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GPON Key Technologies

The downstream GTC frame consists of
1. Physical control block downstream (PCBd). 2. GTC payload section.

The upstream GTS frame contains multiple transmission bursts. Each upstream bursts consists of
1. The upstream physical layer overhead (PLOu) section. 2. One or more bandwidth allocation intervals associated with a specific ALLOC_ID.

The downstream GTC frame provides

1. The common time reference for the PON . 2. Common control signaling for the upstream.
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GPON Key Technologies

Downstream GPON Frame Format
A downstream GTC frame has a duration of 125us and is 38880 bytes long, which corresponds to downstream data rate of 2.488 Gbps. Figure shows a detailed downstream GTS frame format.

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GPON Key Technologies

The OLT sends the PCBd in the broadcast manner, and every ONU receives the entire PCBd. The ONUs then act upon the relevant information contained therein.

The Psync field indicates beginning of the frame to the ONUs. The Ident field contains an 8-KHz Super frame Counter field which is employed by the encryption system, and may also be used to provide low rate synchronous reference signals. The PLOAMd field handles functions such as OAM-related alarms or thresholdcrossing alerts. BIP ( Bit Interleaved Parity) field is used to estimate bit error rate. The downstream Payload Length indicator (Plend) gives the length of the upstream bandwidth (US BW) map.
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GPON Key Technologies

The Plend is sent twice for redundancy. Each entry in the Upstream Bandwidth (US BW) map field represents a single bandwidth allocation to a particular T-CONT. The number of entries is given in the Plend field. The Allocation ID (ALLOC_ID) field indicates the recipient of the bandwidth allocation i.e. a particular T-CONT. The lowest 254 allocation ID values are used to address the ONU directly. During the ranging process, the first ALLOC_ID given to the ONU must be in this range. This ALLOC-ID is known as the default Allocation ID. This ALLOC_ID is same as ONU-ID number used in PLOAM messages. If further ALLOC_ID values are required for that ONU, they should be taken from those above 255. 25

GPON Key Technologies

ALLOC_ID 254 is the ONU Activation ALLOC_ID used to discover unknown ONUs. The Flag field allows the upstream transmission of physical layer overhead blocks for a designated ONU.

The Slot Start and Stop field indicates the beginning and ending of upstream transmission window.

The CRC field provides error detection and correction on bandwidth allocation field. The GTC payload field contains a series of GEM (GPON Encapsulation Method) frames.

The downstream GEM frame stream is filtered at the ONU based upon the 12bit Port ID field contained in the header of each GEM frame.
Each ONU is configured to recognize which Port-IDs belong to it. The Port-ID 26 uniquely identifies a GEM Frame.

GPON Key Technologies

Upstream GPON Frame Format
The Upstream GTS frame duration is also 125us and is 19440 Bytes long, which gives an upstream data rate of 1.24416 Gbps. Each upstream frame contains a number of transmission bursts coming from one or more ONUs. Each upstream transmission burst contains an upstream physical layer overhead (PLOu) section and one or more bandwidth allocation intervals associated with individual ALLOC-IDs. The BW map dictates the arrangement of the bursts within the frame and the allocation intervals within each burst. Each allocation interval is controlled by a specific allocation structure of the BW map.
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GPON Key Technologies

Figure below shows upstream GTC frame format.

The physical layer overhead (PLOu) at the start of the ONU upstream burst contains the preamble which ensures proper physical layer operation of the burstmode upstream link. The PLOu field contains the ONU-ID field which indicates the unique ONU-ID of the ONU that is sending this transmission. The upstream physical layer OAM (PLOAMu) field is responsible for management functions like ranging, activation of an ONT, and alarm notifications.
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GPON Key Technologies

The upstream power leveling sequence (PLSu) field contains information about the laser power levels at the ONUs as seen by the OLT.

The dynamic bandwidth report (DBRu) field informs the queue length of each T-CONT at the ONT.

Mapping of GEM Frames into GTC Payload

GEM traffic is carried over the GTC protocol in transparent fashion.

In the downstream direction, GEM frames are transmitted from the OLT to the ONUs
using the GTC frame payload section. The OLT may allocate as much duration as it needs in the downstream, up to and including all of the downstream frame. The ONU filters the incoming frames based on Port-ID.

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GPON Key Technologies

In the upstream direction, frames are transmitted from ONU to OLT using the configured GEM allocation time.
The ONU buffers GEM frames as they arrive, and then sends them in bursts when allocated time to do so by the OLT.
The OLT receives the frames and multiplexes them with the frames from other ONUs.

Ethernet over GEM

The Ethernet frames are carried directly in the GEM frame payload. The preamble and SFD bytes are discarded prior to GEM encapsulation. Each Ethernet is mapped to a single or multiple (by fragmenting) GEM frames.
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GPON Key Technologies

PLI (12 bits)
Gem header (5 bytes)

Inter-packet gap(12 bytes) Preamble(7 bytes) SFD(1 byte) Destination addr (6 bytes) Source addr (6 bytes) Length/type(2 bytes) Data(46-1500 bytes) FCS( 4 bytes)

Port-ID (12 bits) FTI(3 bits) CRC (13 bits) Gem Payload

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Comparison of DSL, Cable and GPON Technology Bandwidth

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