Patent ID: 6967949
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for forwarding packets in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) which includes a central node and at least one remote node, the method comprising: assigning a logical link identifier (LLID) to a remote node, wherein an LLID corresponds to a logical link between the central node and a remote node; associating an LLID with a port of a switch within the central node, wherein receiving a downstream packet from a network-side port; searching a mapping table to determine whether one or more field values of the downstream packet correspond to any LLIDs or ports; if the one or more field values correspond to an LLID, assigning the LLID to the downstream packet and transmitting the downstream packet to a remote node; maintaining knowledge at the central node of all active multicast groups within the EPON; sending a message from the central node to a multicast source to join a multicast group if a remote node sends a message to join that multicast group of which no remote node is a member; receiving a multicast packet at the central node on behalf of a number of remote nodes which are members of a multicast group; and broadcasting the multicast packet from the central node to every remote node, thereby eliminating the need for transmitting a separate copy of the multicast packet to each remote node which is a member of the multicast group.