JP2000098181A - Method of synchronously switching optical connectors, etc. - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable all switching devices to perform switching operation simultaneously even though there is dispersion in the transmission time of the synchronous signals between the switching devices because the switching of the optical connectors, etc., by the switching devices are performed based on the signals from synchronized timers. SOLUTION: This synchronous switching method is arranged so that switching devices 1 for witching optical connectors, etc., are located at plural points, and each switching device 1 is provided with a timer 2 successively outputting a timer signal at constant time intervals and the signal outputs of these timers 2 are synchronized, and after a predetermined switching device 1 of these switching devices 1 transmits a synchronous signal to the other switching devices 1, it stands by and then drives to operate a driving part 3 to switch an optical connector, etc., when a timer signal is outputted from the timer 2 of the switching signal 1, while the other switching devices 1 stand by after they receive the synchronous signal from the predetermined switching device 1, and they switch to drive their driving parts 3 to switch the optical connectors, etc., when the timer signals are outputted from the timers 2 of each switching device 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a synchronous switching method for simultaneously switching optical connectors at a plurality of distant points by a switching device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a certain section of a working line (optical line) is switched from an existing line C to a new line D using switching devices A and B. The line E outside the switching section and the existing line C in the switching section are respectively connected to the switching devices A and B.
Are connected by optical connectors F and G, and each of the switching devices A and B releases the connection of the optical connectors F and G by a drive unit (not shown), and the optical connector of the line E outside the switching section. F and the optical connector H of the new line C,
Automatically switch the existing line from the existing line to the new line. In such connection switching of the working line, since the working line is cut off at the time of switching, it is necessary to perform the switching in a very short time, and generally a short time of 30 ms or less is desired.

[0003] The switching operation is often performed at a plurality of distant points, and it is necessary to synchronize and switch at the plurality of points. However, even if the switching device at each switching point can switch the connection of the optical connector in about 20 ms each, if the switching driving start time at the switching device at each point is shifted by 10 ms or more, it will no longer exceed 30 ms. Would.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, transmission and reception of a synchronization signal are performed between the switching devices A and B, and the optical connector is switched in accordance with the synchronization signal. In this case, one switching device (main device) A starts the switching drive after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after transmitting the synchronization signal, and the other switching device (slave device)
In B, switching is started in consideration of the communication time between the devices A and B by starting the switching drive immediately after receiving the synchronization signal from the main device A.

[0005]

However, when a public telephone line is used as a communication means between the devices A and B, or when wireless communication such as a portable telephone or a transceiver is used, the transmission time of the synchronization signal usually takes There is a variation of about several tens of ms, and especially when wireless communication is used, the transmission time of the synchronization signal may reach several seconds. For this reason, it is very difficult to accurately specify the transmission time of the synchronization time, and it is difficult to complete the switching within a predetermined short time even with the switching synchronization control method in consideration of the communication time in FIG. Not limited.
For example, when switching connection of optical fiber cable,
The instantaneous interruption time of the working line may exceed 30 ms, and in severe cases, the instantaneous interruption time may exceed 1 second.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synchronous switching method for a switching device, wherein switching devices for switching an optical connector or the like are provided at a plurality of points, and each switching device is operated for a predetermined time. A timer 2 that continuously outputs a timer signal at intervals is provided, and the signal output timings of the timers 2 coincide with each other. A predetermined one of the switching devices 1 transmits a synchronization signal to another switching device 1. After sending, wait afterwards,
When a timer signal is output from the timer 2 of the switching device 1, the driving unit 3 is switched and driven to switch an optical connector or the like, and the other switching devices 1 wait after receiving a synchronization signal from the predetermined switching device 1. Then, when a timer signal is output from the timer 2 of each switching device 1, the driving unit 3 is switched and driven to switch an optical connector or the like.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synchronous switching method for a switching device, comprising: a switching device for switching an optical connector or the like;
Are located at a plurality of points, each switching device 1 is provided with a timer 2 that keeps time, and the times of the timers 2 match, and a predetermined one switching device 1 in these switching devices 1
When a synchronization signal is transmitted to inform the switching time, the switching unit 1 drives and switches the drive unit 3 at the time of the switching to switch the optical connector and the like, and the other switching device 1 receives the synchronization signal from the predetermined switching device 1. When receiving the switching time, the driving unit 3 is switched and driven to switch the optical connector or the like at the switching time transmitted by the synchronization signal.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) FIG.
This is an embodiment of the synchronous switching method according to the present invention in which the optical connectors are switched at the same time at an example. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical connector switching device, each of which includes a timer 2, a driving unit 3, a communication unit 4, and a control unit 5. The timer 2 keeps generating a signal at fixed time intervals, and in this case, generates a timer signal exactly every 5 seconds. The drive unit 3 switches the optical connector according to an electrical control signal. The communication unit 4 transmits and receives signals to and from the other switching devices 1. In the main switching device 1, a synchronization signal is generated and transmitted to the control unit 5 and the other two slave switching devices 1.
Output to the main switching device 1
Can be received and output to the control unit 5. The communication unit 4 is composed of, for example, a mobile phone and a data modem, or a PHS and a data modem. The control unit 5 receives the timer signal output from the timer 2 and the synchronization signal of the communication unit 4, and outputs a control signal to instruct the drive unit 3 to start switching of the optical connector at a timing described later.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the synchronous switching method of the present invention in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 1 as an example. The details will be described below.

[0010] Three timers 2 provided in the main switching device 1 and the slave switching device 1 are simultaneously reset (a in FIG. 2). For the resetting method, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a device (timer reset unit 6) that simultaneously outputs an electric signal to the timer 2 of each switching device 1 is prepared in the base station,
The three timers 2 are connected to the timer reset device 6 (connected to the reset signal input terminal 7 of the timer 2). 3
The two timers 2 are reset immediately when the reset switch 8 of the timer reset unit 6 is pressed and the electric signal output from the reset unit 6 is received. In this case, the timer 2 transmits a periodic signal (timer signal) every 5 seconds, and after resetting, the three timers 2 continue to transmit the periodic signals at the same timing. In addition, 5 seconds which is the transmission interval of the on-time signal is a value longer than the communication time (time during which the signal is transmitted) between the switching devices 1.

After resetting the timer (FIG. 2A), the three switching devices 1 are installed at three points where the optical connectors are located. Thereafter, preparation for connector switching (b in FIG. 2) is performed, for example, by setting an optical connector to the switching device 1 at each switching point. In addition,
The timer 2 may be configured in a unit type that is detachable from the switching device 1, and resetting of the timer 2 or the like may be performed by carrying only the timer 2.

After the preparation for switching at three points is completed, 3
The switching devices 1 are in a standby state for starting the switching drive. In this state, for example, a worker starts a switching start instruction switch (not shown) provided in the main switching device 1.
Is input (c in FIG. 2).

Thereafter, the main switching unit 1 controls the control unit 5 to output the m1-th timed signal of the timer 2 (this signal is referred to as a first timed signal) counted from when the switch start instruction switch is input. Is received (d in FIG. 2), the control unit 5
Sends a synchronization signal to the other two slave switching devices 1 via the communication unit 4 (e in FIG. 2). Then, the main switching device 1
Waits until receiving the periodic signal (this is referred to as a second periodic signal) transmitted from the m2th timer 2 counting from the time when the synchronization signal is transmitted, and receives the second periodic signal ( As soon as f) in FIG. 2, the control unit 5 outputs a control signal to the drive unit 3, and the drive unit 3 switches the optical connector (g in FIG. 2).

On the other hand, in the two slave switching devices 1, the communication unit 4 receives the synchronization signal transmitted by the main switching device 1, and thereafter,
Upon receiving the periodic signal (this signal is referred to as a third periodic signal) transmitted from the timer 2 at the (m2) th time counting from the time of receiving the synchronization signal (h in FIG. 2), control is performed immediately (i in FIG. 2). The unit 5 outputs a control signal to the drive unit 3, and the drive unit 3 switches the optical connector (j in FIG. 2).

In the method described above, the communication time from when the synchronization signal is sent from the control unit 5 of the main switching device 1 to when the control unit 5 of the slave switching device 1 receives the synchronization signal is within 5 seconds. For example, the time at which the control unit of the main switching device 1 receives the second scheduled signal is the same as the time at which the control units 5 of the other two slave switching devices 1 receive the third scheduled signal. The three switching devices 1 perform switching at the same time. Even when wireless communication means such as a mobile phone is used as the communication means, the communication time is at most about 2 to 3 seconds, and the three switching devices 1 can be switched simultaneously by the switching method of the present invention.

(Embodiment 2) In the configuration of FIG. 1, the timer 2 of each switching device 1 counts time, and when reset, the timer 2 counts time from 0: 00: 00: 00. The synchronous switching method will be described below. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the synchronous switching method.

The three timers 2 provided in the main switching device 1 and the slave switching device 1 are simultaneously reset (a in FIG. 3). The reset method is performed by using a device (timer reset unit 6) that simultaneously outputs an electric signal to the timer 2 of the switching device 1 as in the first embodiment. When reset, the three timers 2 start counting from 0: 00: 00: 00.

After resetting the timer (FIG. 3A), the three switching devices 1 are installed at the respective switching points. Thereafter, preparation for connector switching (b in FIG. 3) is performed, for example, by setting an optical connector to the switching device 1 at each switching point.

After the preparation for switching at three points is completed, each switching device 1 is in a state of waiting for the start of switching drive. In this state, for example, when the operator inputs a switching start instruction switch (not shown) provided in the main switching device 1 (c in FIG. 3), the switching driving is started as follows.

In the main switching device 1, when the control unit 5 receives the time signal (first time signal) of the timer 2 which is transmitted m-th from the time when the switch start instruction switch is input (FIG. 3). d), the controller 5 determines the switching time of the optical connector (e in FIG. 3). For example, it is determined 5 seconds after the first time signal. Next, the control unit 5 sends out a synchronization signal notifying the switching time to the other two slave switching devices 1 (f in FIG. 3). After that, the main switching device 1 waits until a time signal (second periodic signal (5 seconds after the first periodic signal)) notifying the switching time is received from the timer 5, and receives the second periodic signal. (G in FIG. 3) and immediately
Are operated to perform switching (h in FIG. 3).

On the other hand, the control unit 5 of the two slave switching devices 1
When the synchronization signal transmitted from the main switching device 1 is received via the communication unit 4 (i in FIG. 3), the system waits until the switching start time transmitted by the synchronization signal, and the timer 2 notifies the time signal (third signal). Is output (5 seconds after the first time signal) (j in FIG. 3), a signal is immediately output to the drive unit 3 to start switching (k in FIG. 3).

(Other Embodiments) The present invention is similarly realized by the method of the present invention for n switching devices 1 composed of one main switching device 1 and n-1 slave switching devices 1. be able to.

Further, regarding the reset method of the timer 2,
Instead of using the timer reset unit 6 shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to use a radio clock or other means to perform the reset operation of the timer 2 at each point during the switching preparation.

The communication section 4 can use wireless communication means such as a transceiver in addition to a wireless public telephone line such as a portable telephone or a PHS and a data modem, or can use a wired public telephone line and a data modem, A wired communication device can also be used.

[0025]

According to the synchronous switching method for an optical connector or the like of the present invention, the switching of the optical connector or the like by the switching device 1 is synchronized even if the transmission time of the synchronization signal between the switching devices 1 varies. Since each is performed based on the signal from the timer 2, the switching can be performed at the same time by all the switching devices 1.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a synchronous switching method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first synchronous switching method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second synchronous switching method according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a timer reset method.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state of switching a working line.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of switching lines using a synchronization signal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 switching device 2 timer 3 drive unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiki Tokiyama 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ikuaki Tanaka 3-19 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No.2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Nobuo Tomita 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (reference) 2H036 QA60

Claims (2)

[Claims] A switching device (1) for switching an optical connector or the like is provided at a plurality of points, and each switching device (1) includes a timer (2) for continuously outputting a timer signal at a constant time interval. The signal output timings of (2) match, and one of the switching devices (1) among these switching devices (1) waits after transmitting a synchronization signal to another switching device (1), When a timer signal is output from the timer (2) of the switching device (1), the driving unit (3) is switched and driven to switch an optical connector or the like, and the other switching device (1) is connected to the predetermined switching device ( When a synchronization signal is received from 1), it waits after that, and when a timer signal is output from the timer (2) of each switching device (1), the drive unit (3) is switched and driven to switch an optical connector or the like. Synchronous switching of optical connectors etc. Law. 2. A switching device (1) for switching an optical connector or the like is provided at a plurality of points, each switching device (1) is provided with a timer (2) for counting time, and the times of the timers (2) coincide with each other. One of the switching devices (1) among these switching devices (1) waits after transmitting a synchronization signal for notifying the switching time to the other switching device (1), and then waits for the switching time. The unit (3) is switched to drive to switch an optical connector or the like, and the other switching device (1) waits after receiving a synchronization signal from the predetermined switching device (1), and then waits for the switching transmitted by the synchronization signal. Drive time (3)
A synchronous switching method for an optical connector or the like, characterized in that the optical connector is switched by driving the optical connector.