System and method for performing high-speed communications over fiber optical networks

Abstract

Processing a received optical signal in an optical communication network includes equalizing a received optical signal to provide an equalized signal, demodulating the equalized signal according to an m-ary modulation format to provide a demodulated signal, decoding the demodulated signal according to an inner code to provide an inner-decoded signal, and decoding the inner-decoded signal according to an outer code. Other aspects include other features such as equalizing an optical channel including storing channel characteristics for the optical channel associated with a client, loading the stored channel characteristics during a waiting period between bursts on the channel, and equalizing a received burst from the client using the loaded channel characteristics.

1 . A method for equalizing upstream and downstream channels in a passive optical network having an Optical Line Terminator (OLT) and an Optical Networking Unit and/or Optical Networking Terminal (ONU/ONT), the method comprising the steps of:
 sending a first training sequence in the downstream channel from the OLT;   receiving the first training sequence at the ONU/ONT;   equalizing the downstream channel responsive the received first training sequence;   receiving network parameters from the equalized downstream channel at the ONU/ONT;   sending a second training sequence in the upstream channel from the ONU/ONT;   receiving the second training sequence at the OLT; and   equalizing the upstream channel responsive to the received second training sequence.