Method and apparatus for dynamic bandwidth allocation in an ethernet passive optical network

1 . A method for dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) in a passive optical network that includes a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) coupled to an optical line terminal (OLT), the method comprising the steps of: by the OLT, in each given cycle:

a) calibrating requests issued by each of the ONUs to obtain respective calibrated requests;

b) allocating a bandwidth amount to each ONU based on said calibrated requests using an allocation scheme selected from the group consisting of an under-utilization allocation scheme and an over-utilization allocation scheme; and

c) based on said bandwidth allocation, granting the ONUs a second plurality of constant delay grants per each said cycle;

whereby said granting facilitates a tight jitter/delay guarantee and high fairness and eliminates grant loss.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in each said cycle, each said ONU issues a report to said OLT, and wherein said step of calibrating requests includes limiting said requests by an available credit.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said limiting of said requests by an available credit is preceded by the following: for each said ONU:

i. reading a requested amount of bytes that represent a current report value of said report;

ii. estimating a queue occupancy by updating said report value based on grants issued by the OLT in an immediately preceding cycle;

iii. by the OLT, using said available credit to account for said updated report value; and

iv. adjusting each said request to achieve a guaranteed service level.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of allocating bandwidth using an under-utilization allocation scheme includes assigning a grant based on a respective ONU request and on service level agreement (SLA) parameters based on a respective ONU importance.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of allocating bandwidth using an over-utilization allocation scheme includes calibrating all said ONUs to provide a grant size that will fairly satisfy all service level agreements (SLAs) of all said ONUs, thereby providing high uplink utilization.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said assigning a grant based on a respective importance factor includes adding an additional amount of bytes to a requested amount of bytes, said additional amount correlated with an ONU importance.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said assigning a grant based on a respective importance factor further includes:

a) running a first loop from a lowest to a highest said importance factor, to provide an input variable;

b) using said input variable, running a second loop over all said ONUs, starting with said highest importance ONU, to provide an indication if a grant can be increased; and

c) if a respective ONU grant can be increased, increasing said respective ONU grant with a configurable byte amount

9 . In an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON), a method for dynamically allocating bandwidth to a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) that are granted grants by an optical line terminal (OLT) in response to requests, the method comprising the steps of:

a) per each grant cycle, responsive to the requests of each ONU, determining an uplink utilization state that includes a state selected from the group of under-utilization and over-utilization; and

b) running independently a bandwidth allocation scheme correlated with said uplink utilization state, said bandwidth allocation scheme selected from the group of respectively an under-utilization allocation scheme and an over-utilization allocation scheme.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said step of determining an uplink utilization includes comparing a sum of all said requests with a size of said cycle, whereby said under-utilization occurs when said sum of all requests is smaller than said cycle size.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein in a case of said under-utilization each of said ONUs is associated with an importance parameter, and wherein said step of running an under-utilization scheme includes handling said ONUs based on each said ONU respective importance.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said handling of said ONUs based on their respective importance further includes determining a grant size per each said cycle by adding a given amount of bytes to each said ONU, said addition of bytes based on said respective importance.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said determining a grant size per each said cycle by adding a given amount of bytes to each said ONU base on said respective importance further includes:

a) running a first loop from a lowest to a highest said importance factor, to provide an input variable;

b) using said input variable, running a second loop over all said ONUs, starting with a highest importance ONU, to provide an indication if a grant can be increased, and;

c) if a respective ONU grant can be increased, increasing said respective ONU grant with a configurable byte amount

14 . The method of claim 10 , further said step of running an under-utilization scheme further includes stopping said handling after a cycle in which a said grant equals said cycle size.

15 . In an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) that includes a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) interacting with an optical line terminal (OLT), a method for dynamically allocating bandwidth by the OLT to the ONUs in an under-utilization state of a cycle, comprising the steps of:

a) determining the importance of each ONU; and

b) allocating bandwidth based on said importance.