Security Enhancements in Novel Passive Optical Networks

Passive optical networks (PONs) solve the bandwidth bottleneck issue as they extend optical networks to homes and businesses. Security concerns in time division multiplexed PONs that are traditionally addressed through filtering and encryption techniques are replaced by an enhanced physical security technique that is presented herein. This security enhancement is accomplished through the inclusion of tunable lasers in the optical line terminal of a PON architecture. Simulation tools verify the viability of the physical security scheme. Presented results verify that implementation of this enhanced security technique can be successfully employed in a PON.