Communication method and communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024276128-A1
Application number	US-202118289916-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2021
Priority date	May 10, 2021
Publication date	Aug 15, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A communication method includes, in a state where first information equipment and second information equipment are communicatively connected via optical switches and an optical communication network, switching, by an optical switch to which the first information equipment is connected, a connection destination of the first information equipment from an input/output port connected to the optical communication network to a control port to which the control device is connected in response to a predetermined operation of the first information equipment, receiving, by the control device, information indicating third information equipment that is a communication connection destination different from the second information equipment via the control port of the optical switches from the first information equipment, allocating, by the control device, a wavelength used for communication to the first information equipment and the third information equipment based on information indicating the communication connection destination, and connecting, by the control device, the first information equipment to the third information equipment so as to be communicable by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

First claim

1 . A communication method performed by a communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches connecting an optical communication network and information equipment and a control device for controlling the optical switches, the communication method comprising:
in a state where first information equipment and second information equipment are communicatively connected via the optical switches and the optical communication network, switching, by an optical switch to which the first information equipment is connected, a connection destination of the first information equipment from an input/output port connected to the optical communication network to a control port to which the control device is connected in response to a predetermined operation of the first information equipment; receiving, by the control device, information indicating third information equipment that is a communication connection destination different from the second information equipment via the control port of the optical switches from the first information equipment; allocating, by the control device, a wavelength used for communication to the first information equipment and the third information equipment based on information indicating the communication connection destination; and connecting, by the control device, the first information equipment to the third information equipment so as to be communicable by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

2 . A communication method performed by a communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches connecting an optical communication network and information equipment, a control device for controlling the optical switches, and a branch device for branching an optical signal outputted from the optical switches to the optical communication network toward the control device, the communication method comprising:
in a state where first information equipment and second information equipment are communicatively connected via the optical switches and the optical communication network, receiving, by the control device, information indicating third information equipment that is a communication connection destination different from the second information equipment via the branch device from the first information equipment; allocating, by the control device, a wavelength used for communication to the first information equipment and the third information equipment based on the information; and connecting, by the control device, the first information equipment to the third information equipment so as to be communicable by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

3 . A communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches for connecting an optical communication network and information equipment, and a control device for controlling the optical switches, wherein
the control device comprises: in a state where first information equipment and second information equipment are communicatively connected via the optical switches and the optical communication network, an optical SW manager configured to manage, in an optical switch to which the first information equipment is connected, so as to switch a connection destination of the first information equipment from an input/output port connected to the optical communication network to a control port to which the control device is connected in response to a predetermined operation of the first information equipment; an optical receiver configured to receive, from the first information equipment, information indicating third information equipment that is a communication connection destination different from the second information equipment via the control port of the optical switches; and a wavelength manager configured to allocate, by the control device, a wavelength used for communication to the first information equipment and the third information equipment based on information indicating the communication connection destination, and the optical SW manager connects the first information equipment to the third information equipment so as to be communicable by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

4 . The communication system according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined operation is that the first information equipment stops light emission to a communication line and starts the light emission to the communication line after at least a predetermined time has elapsed.

5 . The optical communication system according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a branch device configured to branch an optical signal outputted from the optical switches to the optical communication network toward the control device, wherein the predetermined operation is that the first information equipment transmits information indicating that communication with the second information equipment is terminated to the control device via the branch device.

6 . A communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches connecting an optical communication network and information equipment, a control device for controlling the optical switches, and a branch device for branching an optical signal outputted from the optical switch to the optical communication network toward the control device, wherein
the control device comprises: in a state in which first information equipment and second information equipment are communicatively connected via the optical switches and the optical communication network, an optical receiver configured to receive, by the control device, information indicating third information equipment that is a communication connection destination different from the second information equipment via the branch device from the first information equipment; an allocation manager configured to allocate a wavelength used for communication to the first information equipment and the third information equipment based on the information; and an optical SW manager configured to connects the first information equipment to the third information equipment so as to be communicable by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

7 . A communication method performed by a communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches connecting an optical communication network and information equipment and a control device for controlling the optical switches, the communication method comprising:
in a state where first information equipment is communicatively connected to another information equipment via the optical switches and the optical communication network, switching, by an optical switch to which the first information equipment is connected, a connection destination of the first information equipment from an input/output port connected to the optical communication network to a control port to which the control device is connected; allocating, by the control device, a new wavelength to be used for communication to the first information equipment via the control port; and connecting, by the control device, the first information equipment to another information equipment so as to be communicable via a new communication path by controlling connection of an input/output port of the optical switches.

8 . A communication system comprising a plurality of optical switches for connecting an optical communication network and information equipment, and a control device for controlling the optical switches, wherein
the control device comprises: in a state where first information equipment is communicatively connected to another information equipment via the optical switches and the optical communication network, an optical SW manager configured to manage, in an optical switch to which the

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Senoo Yumiko
• Hara Kazutaka
• Kaneko Shin
• Kanai Takuya
• Honda Kazuaki
• Kani Junichi

Classifications

• H04Q2011/0016

  using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing · CPC title

• H04Q11/0005

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• H04Q11/0067 Primary

  Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0086

  Network resource allocation, dimensioning or optimisation · CPC title

• H04Q11/0062

  Network aspects · CPC title