Cost-effective fiber-to-the-PAN architecture based on PON and spectral encoded all-optical CDMA

The increase of bandwidth combined with mobility calls for new networking concepts. The personal network concept describes the issues related to ubiquitous access to services in a virtual personal environment. A personal network inherently is mobile, but the access network plays a very important role as broadband backbone. Novel architectures are required that allow a personal network to exist. Such architecture, a fiber-to-the-personal area network architecture, is elaborated in this paper. Its basic topology and functionality of the nodes are discussed. A suitable multiple access scheme is found in optical code division by passive spectral encoding of a cost-effective broadband source, e.g. an LED.