In-service communication channel sensing based on reflectometry for dynamic wavelength assigned wavelength- and time-division multiplexed passive optical network systems

Abstract

In future radio access systems, base stations will be mainly accommodated in wavelength- and time-division multiplexing passive optical network (PON) based mobile backhaul and fronthaul networks, and in such networks, failed connections in an optical network unit (ONU) wavelength channel will severely degrade mobile system performance. A cost-effective in-service ONU wavelength channel monitor is essential to ensure proper system operation without failed connections. To address this issue, we propose a reflectometry-based remote sensing method that provides ONU wavelength channel information with the optical line terminal-ONU distance. The proposed method enables real-time monitoring of ONU wavelength channels without data signal quality degradation and is also able to determine if the ONUs are connected to the PON. Experimental results show that it achieves wavelength channel distinction with a high distance resolution (∼ 10 m ). Additionally, with the method, the distance resolution for distinguishing the ONUs after the PON splitter is determined by the received signal bandwidth or the test light modulation speed rather than by the pulse width as in conventional optical time-domain reflectometry.