A Passive Optical Network (PON) is a telecommunications network architecture that brings optical fiber cabling and signals all the way to the end user. In a PON system, the term “passive” indicates that no active electronic components (such as repeaters or signal boosters) are used in the distribution network. Instead, optical signals are split and distributed passively to multiple end-users. PONs are widely used for broadband access networks, enabling the efficient and cost-effective delivery of high-speed internet and other services to residential, business, and institutional users.

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Distributed Acoustic Sensing Over PON Architecture by Using Enhanced Scattering Fiber

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Passive-Optical-Networks (PON) have emerged as a pivotal technology for broadband access network and are now expanding to wireless communication, supporting 5G and development of future 6G frameworks. PON systems are expected to find many new applications, including in electrical power grids, modern industrial factories, and smart city infrastructure. With the growing capabilities and increasing complexity and extent of the optical distribution network, effective surveillance of fiber infrastructure has become increasingly important to ensure long-term viability and dependability. Simultaneously, there is increasing demand for effective distributed monitoring systems for the power-grid elements and machinery in automated factories operating within PON environments. This paper discusses the challenges and potential solutions for implementing distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) within PON architecture. We will present design and experimental demonstrations of a co-existing DAS and 10G PON (XGS-PON) system with a 23.5 km feeder fiber (FF) and a 1 × 16 splitter. A unique signature from each distributed fiber (DF) and optical network units (ONU) is detected by utilizing a “coded” Enhanced Scatter Fiber (ESF). Vibration events originating from up to three DF/ONUs are identified using a novel scheme using the “coded” ESFs in conjunction with fiber delay lines. We further investigated the sensing performance and potential crosstalk between XGS-PON and DAS signals within this co-existing DAS and XGS-PON system.

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Wavelength tunable distributed vibration sensing over PON architecture using enhanced scattering fiber and ITLA

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We demonstrate a wavelength tunable Distributed-Vibration-Sensing over PON scheme using low-cost ITLA and Enhanced-Scattering-Fibers. Vibrations at frequency grids of 193.40THz and194.60THz in a PON with 1×16 splitter and 21 km feeder-fiber were successfully detected.

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Distributed Fiber Sensor Network Using Telecom Cables as Sensing Media: Technology Advancements and Applications

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Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) is a rapidly evolving field that allows the existing optical fiber infrastructure for telecommunications to be reused for wide-area sensing. Using the backscattering mechanisms of glass—which includes Rayleigh, Brillouin, and Raman backscatter—it is possible to realize distributed vibration and temperature sensors with good sensitivity at every fiber position, and spatial resolution is determined by the bandwidth of the interrogation signal. In this paper, we will review the main technologies in currently deployed DFOS. We review the digital signal processing operations that are performed to extract the sensing parameters of interest. We report recent distributed vibration sensing, distributed acoustic sensing, and distributed temperature sensing field trial results over an existing network with reconfigurable add/drop multiplexers carrying live telecom traffic, showing that the network is capable of simultaneous traffic and temperature monitoring. We report Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometry experimental results for monitoring static strain on aerial fiber cables suspended on utility poles. Finally, we demonstrate an example of network modification to make passive optical networks compatible with DFOS by adding reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers at optical network units.

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Distributed Fiber Sensor Network using Telecom Cables as Sensing Media: Applications

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Distributed fiber optical systems (DFOS) allow deployed optical cables to monitor the ambient environment over wide geographic area. We review recent field trial results, and show how DFOS can be made compatible with passive optical networks (PONs).

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Simultaneous Optical Fiber Sensing and Mobile Front-Haul Access over a Passive Optical Network

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We demonstrate a passive optical network (PON) that employs reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (RSOAs) at optical network units (ONUs) to allow simultaneous data transmission with distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS) on individual distribution fibers.

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