In this paper, a novel method of resource abstraction and an abstracted-resource model for dynamic resource control in optical access networks are proposed. Based on this proposal, an implementation assuming application to 5G mobile fronthaul and backhaul is presented. Finally, an evaluation of the processing time for resource allocation using this method is performed using a software prototype of the control function. From the results of the evaluation, it is confirmed that the proposed method offers better characteristics than former approaches, and is suitable for dynamic resource control in 5G applications.

A novel adaptive code division multiplexing system with hybrid electrical and optical codes is proposed for flexible and dynamic resource allocation in next generation asynchronous optical access networks. We analyze the performance of a 10Gbps × 12 optical node unit, using hierarchical 8-level optical and 4-level electrical phase shift keying codes.

The spread of optical access broadband networks using Fiber to the Home (FTTH) has not reached the rural areas of developing countries. The current state of global deployment of ICT indicates that it is difficult to sell network systems as stand-alone products due to prohibitive costs, and the demand is for total services that include construction, maintenance, and operation. Moreover, there is a need to offer proposals that include various solutions utilizing broadband networks, as well as for a business model that takes the sustainability of those solutions into consideration. In this paper, we discuss the issues in constructing broadband networks, introduce case studies of solutions using broadband networks for solving social issues in rural areas of developing countries, and discuss the challenges in the deployment of the solutions.

This paper describes optical access networks focusing on passive optical network (PON) technologies from a technical point of view. Optical access networks have been applied to fiber-to-the-home as a driving force of broadband services and their use will continue growing in the near future. They will be applied as an aggregate component of broadband wireless networks. This paper also addresses solutions for their application.

In this paper, a novel interference suppression technique from added RoF (Radio-on-Fiber) system is proposed. In general RoF system, received RF (radio frequency) signal intensity is periodically varied depending on chromatic dispersion that is known as fading phenomenon. In proposed technique null points of this fading phenomenon are intentionally applied to minimize signal interferences. This technique can realize two types of multiplexing RoF signal. In the first configuration, a single optical carrier is modulated twice using two optical modulators connected in series. In second configuration, new RoF signal is added to the existing network using individual light source. Multiplexing RoF signals of 10 GHz-band with data of 30 Mbps 64QAM is experimentally demonstrated.

The emergence of new services in the cloud computing era has made smooth service migration an important issue in access networks. However, different types of equipment are typically used for the different services due to differences in service requirements. This leads to an increase in not only capital expenditures but also operational expenditures. Here we propose using a service adaptive approach as a solution to this problem. We analyze the requirements of a future access network in terms of service, network, and node. We discuss available access network technologies including the passive optical network, single star network. Finally, we present a future service adaptive access/aggregation network and its architecture along with a programmable optical line terminal and optical network unit, discuss its benefit, and describe example services that it would support.

We propose frequency-domain optical code-division-multiplexing (CDM) employing quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) using two of multi-level (M-ary) data generated based on electrical-domain spatial code spreading. Its spectral efficiency is enhanced compared to the conventional scheme with amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) using only one of M-ary data. Although it demands the recovery of amplitude and optical phase information, the practicality of the receiver is retained with self-homodyne detection using a phase-shift-keying (PSK) pilot light. Performance is theoretically evaluated and the optimal parameters are derived. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed technique is experimentally confirmed.

We propose Turbo-coded two-dimensional (2-D) free-space optical (FSO) CDMA systems for broadband access networks. The performance bound for the proposed system over atmospheric turbulence channels is obtained considering multiple-access interference (MAI) and receiver noise. The results show that the proposed system offers a better performance than that of previously proposed ones. Also, it has a better tolerance to the atmospheric turbulence and the increase in the number of users.

This letter proposes novel optical fiber cables with extremely small cable diameter that employs rollable 20-fiber ribbons, which will improve fiber ribbon and cable productivity compared with optical fiber cable employing rollable 4-fiber ribbons. We fabricated the cables and investigated its feasibility in terms of high-count compactness, cable productivity, fiber strain induced by cable bending, optical loss characteristics and capacity for mass splicing. As a result, we confirmed the excellence of these cables and their fiber splicing workability.

This paper presents spectral multi-level (M-ary) amplitude shift keying (ASK) optical code-division-multiplexing (OCDM) as a key technology for future optical access network. A novel transmitter configuration to achieve flexible scalability that is required in future optical access network is proposed. The transmitter employs pre-biasing circuits and dummy data input. Pre-biasing circuits enable us to achieve high tolerance to multiple access interference by compensating for the nonlinearity of the M-ary ASK and increase the number of multiplexed binary data streams. By inputting the dummy data into the transmitter so that the total number of multiplexed binary data streams including those that actually accommodate users/services and the dummy streams remains constant, the number of users/services can be increased up to the total number of data streams without changing the parameters for pre-biasing. Therefore, the proposed transmitter can flexibly enhance the scalability of the spectral M-ary ASK OCDM. The formulas for calculating the bit error rate characteristics are described when using the conventional and proposed transmitters. The feasibility of the proposed transmitter is verified theoretically using the established formulas.

The optical access fiber network is spreading rapidly as a result of the progress made on optical communication technologies and the availability of a wide range of broadband Internet content. If the optical access network is not properly maintained, the service quality will decrease. This paper describes some effective technologies that have been researched and developed to maintain a high quality of service, and to achieve efficient maintenance and operation.

Various types of optical connector with a precise alignment mechanism and long-term reliability have been researched, developed and improved during about 30 years since practical optical communication systems were first introduced in Japan in 1981. The main issues related to optical fiber connector development changed from performance improvement to miniaturization, cost reduction and ease of field assembly when optical communication systems expanded from optical trunk networks to optical access networks. Various different key technologies for optical connectors have been developed to meet these requirements, and a large number of optical connectors are currently being used for the flexible and efficient construction, maintenance and operation of optical access networks. This paper describes the structure, features, and basic technologies of the optical connectors employed in optical access networks in Japan and their standardization and future prospects.

We have already proposed a Gigabit Ethernet-Optical Switched Access Network (GE-OSAN) architecture that realizes longer transmission distances and achieves higher security than the conventional Passive Optical Network (PON). To confirm the technical feasibility of the architecture, we introduce here a GE-OSAN prototype system for downstream transmission. We present the Optical Switching Module (OSM), which uses (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 (PLZT) optical packet switches, and show that it realizes switching within 10 ns of the designed position in the Inter-Frame Gap (IFG). We also introduce an Optical Network Unit (ONU) with optical burst receiver that uses off-the-shelf commercial devices to reduce its cost; two types of an optical to electrical signal (O/E) converter are implemented for performance comparison. After testing both of them, we select the one that satisfies our acquisition time requirement of 64 ns.

We demonstrate a wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network (WDM-PON) based on wavelength-locked Fabry-Perot laser diodes and thin-film filters. Twelve Fast Ethernet signals are bi-directionally transmitted over the multi-branch optical distribution network (ODN). The ODN has distributed branch nodes and bus networks.

A method for flexibly allocating and reallocating optical access network (OAN) resources, including fibers and equipment, using the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) is described. OAN resource allocation during service delivery provisioning involves various input conditions and allocation sequences, so an OAN resource allocation method has to support various workflow patterns. Furthermore, exception processing, such as reallocating OAN resources once they are allocated, is inevitable, especially during the spread of service using optical fiber and during the deployment of an optical access network. However, it is almost impossible to describe all workflow patterns including exception processes. Improving the efficiency of these exception processes, as well as that of the typical processes, is important for reducing the service delivery time. Describing all these patterns and process flows increases development cost. The CSP can be used to search for solutions without having to fix the process sequence and input conditions beforehand. We have formulated the conditions for OAN resource allocation and reallocation as a CSP. Use of this method makes it possible to handle various allocation workflow patterns including exception processes. Evaluation of the solution search time demonstrated its feasibility.

This paper introduces the design of an Optical Switching Module (OSM) for our newly proposed Gigabit Ethernet Optical Switched Access Network (GE-OSAN) architecture that uses the Multi-Point Control Protocol (MPCP), defined in IEEE 802.3ah. We outline the GE-OSAN architecture to clarify OSM's role in the network. We offer an OSM configuration that has the basic functions needed to realize downstream and upstream high-speed data services in GE-OSAN. We clarify the OSM optical switching time that allows GE-OSAN to achieve the same throughput as GE-PON. Our survey of currently available optical switches identifies the optical packet switches that can meet this switching time requirement. We evaluate OSM insertion loss with these switches. We propose an OSM configuration that has a regeneration function as well as the basic ones to realize wider network configurations that can lead to a reduction in overall system costs. In addition, we present OSM configurations that have broadcast and multicast functions as well as the basic ones so that GE-OSAN can support broadcast and multicast video services to equal and exceed GE-PON.

We propose a scheme by which Broadcast Satellite/Communication Satellite- radio frequency (BS/CS-RF) converted TV signals are transmitted over optical fiber, and also propose a simultaneous Frequency Modulation (FM) converted CATV and BS/CS-RF converted TV optical transmission system as one of its applications. To confirm the proposals, we demonstrate the simultaneous transport of FM converted CATV signals and BS/CS-RF converted TV signals over a single optical fiber. In the experiments, 40 carriers of AM-VSB CATV channels, 30 carriers of 64-QAM digital TV channels, 8 carriers of FM/TC8PSK BS-TV channels, and 12 carriers of QPSK CS-TV channels are simultaneously transmitted. For optical access network application, the practical transmission length of 15 km over 1.3 µm-zero-dispersion optical fiber can be achieved by using dispersion compensation fiber (DCF).

This paper proposes a new optical access network architecture that differs from those of conventional Point-to-Point (PP) and Passive Optical Networks (PON). The proposed architecture, Optical Switched Access Network (OSAN), uses Optical Switching Modules (OSMs) that connect an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) to Optical Network Units (ONUs) in a virtual point to point configuration so that it offers the merits of both PP and PON while overcoming their demerits. Each OSM optically switches packets of variable length one by one under electrical control. To allow the elimination of optical buffers from OSM, OSAN uses the Multi-Point Control Protocol (MPCP) defined in IEEE 802.3ah. We evaluate the transmission distances between OLT and ONUs, and consider a network synchronization scheme and discovery mechanism that supports MPCP.

In this paper, we first address the current state of broadband services in Korea. Here, we introduce relevant statistics, current access network architectures, and activities of some major carriers. We also briefly introduce Korean government's policies on research and development projects and plans for promoting the country toward an advanced information society. We then introduce a large-scale, collaborative project named "Photonic Access To the Home (PATH)" with five-year period of performance, started in year 2002. The project is under leadership of the government and ETRI in collaboration with universities and industry. We finally provide a rather detailed description of the FTTH (Fiber To The Home) technology based on the wavelength division multiplexing technology, which has been under research in our laboratory as a part of the PATH project. We show some of our achievement including new architectures and networking principles for the FTTH network, analysis of the dynamic allocation of user bandwidth, and the experiment for a low-cost WDM optical source.

This paper proposes an optical access networks that guaranteed QoS in bidirections. Our scheme is the PON (Passive Optical Network) systems using OCDM (Optical Code Division Multiplexing) technology. For the bidirectional 100 Mbps guaranteed, we examined the simple decision circuit, code length (the number of chips), the number of simultaneously accesses and transmission distance. Furthermore, we reported the results that evaluated prototype of speed-down (4 Mbps, 16 chips) for the functional check of simple decision circuit.