Authentication and Initial Key Exchange in Ethernet Passive Optical Network over Coaxial Network

摘要

A method comprising generating an updated security key upon expiration of a key exchange timer, transferring the updated security key to a Coaxial Network Unit (CNU), retaining an original key, wherein the updated security key comprises a different key identification number than the original key, accepting and decrypting upstream traffic that employs either the original key or the updated key, after transferring the updated security key to the CNU, creating a key switchover timer, before the key switchover timer expires, verify that upstream traffic transferred from the CNU on a logical link uses the updated security key, and when upstream traffic is encrypted using the updated security key, begin using the updated security key to encrypt downstream traffic and clear the key switchover timer.

主权项

1. A Fiber Coaxial Unit (FCU) comprising:
an optical interface configured to:
couple to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) via a Passive Optical Network (PON); andreceive downstream traffic from the OLT; a processor coupled to the optical receiver; an electrical interface coupled to the processor and configured to:
couple to the Coaxial Network Unit (CNU) via an Ethernet PON over coaxial (EPoC) network;transmit a plurality of encrypted security keys to the CNU via the EPoC; andforward the downstream traffic toward the CNU,wherein the downstream traffic is encrypted by the plurality of security keys.