Alcatel Lucent

Leopold Diouf

Tom Van Caenegem

Data representing video content is distributed over a passive optical network (PON) on virtual channels that are assigned to television (TV) channels as subscribers request the TV channels and de-assigned from TV channels when subscribers are no longer viewing them. Associating and de-associating TV channels with virtual channels can be performed with very low latency by using a near-physical layer protocol, such as the Physical Layer Operation Administration and Maintenance (PLOAM) protocol.

Internet protocol video delivery in passive optical networks

A method in accordance with the present invention comprises identifying a M-bit multicast address and deriving a N-bit PON port identifier from the M-bit multicast address. Identifying the M-bit multicast address and deriving the N-bit PON port identifier are performed at an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) of a Passive Optical Network (PON). The N-bit PON port identifier has fewer bits than the M-bit multicast address. Deriving the N-bit PON port identifier includes mapping N&#x2212;1 Least Significant Bits (LSB) of the M-bit multicast address to N&#x2212;1 LSB of the N-bit PON port identifier and setting a 1 Most Significant Bit (MSB) of the N-bit PON port identifier to a bit setting that designates the N-bit PON port identifier as being a multicast port identifier.

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Leopold Diouf