Fault Discovery Protocol (FDP) for Passive Optical Networks (PONs)

Passive Optical Networks (PONs) are an attractive alternative to legacy copper based access lines, which still provide a number of services to customers despite their limited bandwidth and lack of future proof design. The recently growing volume of Ethernet PONs deployment [1], connected with low cost electronic and optical components used in the ONU modules, results in the situation where remote detection of faulty/active subscriber modules be-comes indispensable for proper operation of an EPON system. This paper addresses therefore the problem of the remote detection of faulty ONUs in the system, where the upstream channel is flooded with the Continuous Wave (CW) transmission from one or more damaged ONUs and standard communication is severed, providing a solution which is applicable in any type of PON networks, regardless of their operating protocol, physical structure, and data rate.