Concept for a central unit and a distributed unit in a point-to-multipoint network

Abstract

Various examples relate to a central unit and a corresponding method and computer program, to a distributed unit and a corresponding method and computer program, to an optical line terminal comprising a central unit, to an optical networking unit comprising a distributed unit, and to a system comprising a central unit and one or more distributed units. The central unit for a time-division multiplexed (TDM) point-to-multipoint (P2MP) network comprises circuitry configured to grant, during a first time window, a first distributed unit not yet registered to the TDM P2MP network to transmit first activation data to the central unit. The circuitry is configured to grant, during the first time window, at least one second distributed unit already registered to the TDM P2MP to transmit upstream data to the central unit. The central unit is configured to receive the first activation data during the first time window. The central unit is configured to determine an estimate for a round-trip time of the first distributed unit based on the first activation data and a length of a second time window based on the estimate for the round-trip time. The circuitry is configured to grant exclusively the first distributed unit to transmit second activation data to the central unit during the second time window. The circuitry is configured to register the first distributed unit to the TDM P2MP network based on the second activation data.