JP2006165875A - Maintenance management device, method, program, and optical media converter equipped therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect a user frame certainly against damage and to surely prevent a maintenance frame from being left untransmitted. <P>SOLUTION: First, it is detected whether a user frame and a maintenance frame are transmitted or not. As the result of this detection, when it is detected that the user frame is being transmitted, a maintenance frame accompanied with a ceratin IFG is transmitted after the user frame is transmitted. On the other hand, it is detected that the maintenance frame is being transmitted, the user frame accompanied with a certain IFG is transmitted after the maintenance frame is transmitted. As mentioned above, the maintenance frame accompanied with a certain IFG is incorporated without simply delaying the user frame so as to incorporate the maintenance frame into IFG, so that the user frame is protected intrinsically against damage, and the maintenance frame prevented substantially from being left untransmitted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a maintenance management device for an optical communication network system. Below, the optical media converter is MC (Media Converter) and the interframe gap is IFG (Inter
Frame Gap) ”.

  FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical communication network system. In the optical communication network system 90, a subscriber side terminal 93 and a subscriber side MC 95 are installed in a subscriber 91, a station building MC 97 and a station building side device 99 are installed in a station 92, and the subscriber side terminal 93 and the subscriber side terminal 93 are joined. The customer side MC 95 is connected by a UTP cable 94, the subscriber side MC 95 and the station building side MC 97 are connected by an optical fiber 96, and the station building side MC 97 and the station building side device 99 are connected by a UTP cable 98. It is. UTP (Unshield Twisted-Pair wire) cables 94 and 98 are a kind of copper cables. Subscriber side MC 95 mutually converts the signal of UTP cable 94 and the signal of optical fiber 96. The station side MC 97 mutually converts the signal of the optical fiber 96 and the signal of the UTP cable 98.

  When operating an optical communication network system, it is necessary to maintain the system without affecting the operation of the system. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, a method of maintaining the system without affecting the operation of the system by incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining the system in the IFG of the operating user frame is considered. . IFG is a gap between user frames. However, when a maintenance frame is incorporated into the IFG of an operating user frame, there may be a conflict between user frame transmission and maintenance frame transmission. At this time, if the user frame is destroyed or a maintenance frame is not transmitted, it becomes a problem related to the quality of the system.

JP 2003-18162 A

  In an optical communication network system, when a maintenance frame is incorporated into the IFG of an operating user frame, there is a competition between the maintenance frame and user frame transmission depending on the timing of incorporating the maintenance frame and the phase relationship between the user frames. obtain. Therefore, contention control is required. As an example of the contention control means, as shown in FIG. 14, a means of simply delaying a user frame with a buffer or the like and adjusting the phase to incorporate a maintenance frame into the IFG of the user frame is considered (for example, the above-mentioned patent document). 1). However, in this method, depending on conditions such as the frequency of maintenance frame transmission and the IFG size of the user frame, the maintenance frame may not be incorporated successfully. For example, when the IFG of the user frame is short, an appropriate IFG (minimum of 12 bytes in IEEE802.3 is defined) between the user frames and a maintenance frame cannot be incorporated.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance management device and the like that can reliably prevent destruction of a user frame and transmission failure of a maintenance frame.

  The maintenance management apparatus according to the present invention incorporates a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system in an IFG between user frames, and outputs it from the MC to the optical communication network system. The maintenance management apparatus according to the present invention includes the following three means. The first means detects the transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame. When the first means detects that the user frame is being transmitted by the first means, the second means transmits a maintenance frame with a certain IFG added after the user frame is transmitted. When the first means detects that the maintenance frame is being transmitted by the first means, the third means transmits a user frame with a certain IFG added after the maintenance frame is transmitted.

  Rather than simply delaying the user frame and incorporating the maintenance frame into the IFG, a certain IFG is added after the user frame is transmitted and the maintenance frame is incorporated. Does not happen.

  The third means may transmit a user frame with a fixed IFG after the maintenance frame is transmitted when the first means detects that the maintenance frame is being transmitted or is waiting to be transmitted. . In this case, since the maintenance frame waiting for transmission is transmitted with priority over the user frame, transmission of the maintenance frame is more reliably prevented.

  Furthermore, the maintenance management method according to the present invention represents each means of the maintenance management apparatus according to the present invention as a procedure. The maintenance management program according to the present invention is for causing a computer to function each means of the maintenance management apparatus according to the present invention. The MC according to the present invention includes the maintenance management device according to the present invention. Each unit of the maintenance management device according to the present invention can be realized by software (program or the like) or hardware (IC or the like).

  In other words, in the present invention, when a conflict occurs between the transmission of the maintenance frame and the transmission of the user frame, the maintenance is not performed by simply delaying the user frame by a buffer or the like and adjusting the phase to incorporate the maintenance frame. Competitive control is executed by constantly grasping the relationship between the timing of loading and the phase of the user frame. When the timing of the maintenance frame is earlier, priority is given to transmission of the maintenance frame, and when the phase of the user frame is earlier, priority is given to transmission of the user frame.

  That is, the present invention is characterized in that in the operation and maintenance of an optical communication network system using MC, the system can be maintained without affecting the system operation. In FIG. 13, a maintenance frame for performing maintenance of the optical communication network system from the station side MC or the subscriber side MC is inserted into the IFG of the operating user frame as shown in FIG. In this way, according to the present invention, since a maintenance frame can be incorporated into the system without destroying the user frame in operation, the system can be maintained without affecting the operation of the system.

  According to the present invention, rather than simply delaying the user frame and incorporating the maintenance frame into the IFG, a certain IFG is added and the maintenance frame is incorporated after transmission of the user frame. Transmission leakage can be reliably prevented.

  In other words, according to the present invention, when a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system is incorporated into an operating user frame, by performing contention control between user frame transmission and maintenance frame transmission, It is possible to reliably transmit the user frame and the maintenance frame without causing the destruction of the user frame or the transmission failure of the maintenance frame.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an MC according to the present invention. Hereinafter, description will be given based on this drawing.

MC 10 corresponds to the subscriber side MC 95 and the station building side MC 97 in FIG. 13, the UTP cable 14 corresponds to the UTP cables 94 and 98 in FIG. 13, and the optical fiber 15 corresponds to the optical fiber 96 in FIG. When the MC 10 is divided into functions, the physical function unit (PHY Function) 11 that terminates the physical layer (first layer) of the 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX, which is the electrical side interface, and the MC function unit that realizes the MC function (MC
Function) 12 and a physical function unit 13 that terminates the physical layer (first layer) of 100BASE-FX that is the optical side interface. As a general configuration, a MAC (Media Access Control) function unit that handles bridge processing is inserted between the physical function unit 11 and the MC function unit 12. However, since the MAC function unit is not directly related to the present invention, it is omitted in this embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the physical function units 11 and 13. Hereinafter, description will be given based on this drawing.

The physical function units 11 and 13 are further divided into three functions defined by IEEE802.3 Layer1. Each function is PCS (Physical Coding Sub
Layer 21, PMA (Physical Medium Attachment) 22, PMD (Physical Medium Dependent) 23. The PCS 21 performs 4B / 5B code conversion that converts 4-bit data into a 5-bit code or vice versa. The PMA 22 performs serial / parallel conversion. The PMD 23 performs signal waveform conversion according to the transmission medium. In the present embodiment, the MII (Media
Incorporate and detect maintenance frames on the Independent Interface).

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the transmission unit 12a of the MC function unit 12, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the reception unit 12b of the MC function unit 12. Hereinafter, description will be given based on these drawings.

  The MC function unit 12 is a block that realizes an MC function, and is divided into a transmission unit 12a and a reception unit 12b. In the present embodiment, only transmission and reception of maintenance frames will be mentioned. Since other functions are not directly related to the present invention, the description thereof is omitted.

  The transmission unit 12a includes a maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 for instructing start of maintenance frame transmission, a maintenance frame generation unit 42 for generating a maintenance frame to be transmitted, a user frame storage buffer 44 for storing user frames, a maintenance frame A frame transmission control unit 43 that performs contention control when contention between transmission and user frame transmission occurs, and a frame transmission selection unit 45 that selects transmission of a maintenance frame or user frame permitted to be transmitted by contention control Composed. “First means” in the claims corresponds to the frame transmission control unit 43, and “second and third means” similarly corresponds to the frame transmission selection unit 45.

  The receiving unit 12b includes a maintenance frame detection unit 61 that detects a maintenance frame, and a maintenance frame storage buffer 62 that stores the detected maintenance frame.

  Next, each part of the MC function unit 12 will be described in detail. First, the block of the transmission unit 12a will be described.

  The maintenance frame transmission instructing unit 41 notifies that an event for transmitting a maintenance frame has occurred in order to perform maintenance of the optical communication network system, and determines transmission contents of the maintenance frame to be transmitted. Specifically, the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 is notified to the frame transmission control unit 43, and the maintenance frame transmission content 51 is notified to the maintenance frame generation unit 42.

  In addition, the user frame is taken into the user frame storage buffer 44 for contention control when a transmission conflict with the maintenance frame occurs. The capacity of the user frame storage buffer 44 can be arbitrarily determined from the waiting time during contention control defined on the system when contention occurs between the maintenance frame transmission and the user frame transmission.

  The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified from the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the state 54 of the user frame storage buffer 44, and determines which of the maintenance frame and the user frame is first. Determine whether to send to. When transmitting a maintenance frame, a maintenance frame generation instruction 55 is notified to the maintenance frame generation unit 42, and a frame transmission selection (in this case, maintenance frame transmission selection) 58 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit 45. On the other hand, when transmitting a user frame, a buffer read instruction 56 is notified to the user frame storage buffer 44 and a frame transmission selection (in this case, user frame transmission selection) 58 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit 45.

  The maintenance frame generation unit 42 generates a maintenance frame to be transmitted based on the maintenance frame generation instruction 55 notified from the frame transmission control unit 43 and the maintenance frame transmission content 51 notified from the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41.

  The frame transmission selection unit 45 receives the frame transmission selection 58 from the frame transmission control unit 43. As a result, when the maintenance frame is transmitted, the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is transmitted. When transmitting a user frame, the user frame 59 stored in the user frame storage buffer 44 is transmitted.

  Next, the block of the receiving unit 12b will be described. The maintenance frame detection unit 61 detects only the maintenance frame 63 from the received maintenance frame and user frame, and passes it to the maintenance frame storage buffer 62. The maintenance frame storage buffer 62 stores the maintenance frame 63 detected by the maintenance frame detector 61.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the transmission operation of the MC 12. Hereinafter, the transmission operation of the MC 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the subject of the operation is the frame transmission control unit 43.

  The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified from the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the state 54 of the user frame storage buffer 44 (step 101). When the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 is notified, it is confirmed whether a user frame is transmitted at that time (step 102). When it is confirmed that the user frame is not being transmitted, the time schedule management is performed so that the IFG12 byte, which is the minimum specified value, is added before the maintenance frame to be transmitted (step 103), and then the maintenance frame generation unit 42 A maintenance frame generation instruction 55 is notified (step 104). Also, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (maintenance frame transmission selection in this case) 58, and the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is transmitted (step 104).

  On the other hand, if a user frame is being transmitted, it waits for the transmission of the user frame to be completed, and after confirming the completion of the user frame transmission (step 102), before the maintenance frame to be transmitted, the IFG12 byte which is the minimum specified value is set. After performing time schedule management so as to be added (step 103), a maintenance frame generation instruction 55 is notified to the maintenance frame generation unit 42 (step 104). Also, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (maintenance frame transmission selection in this case) 58, and the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is transmitted (step 104).

  If there is no notification of the occurrence of the maintenance frame transmission event 52 and the user frame is stored in the user frame storage buffer 44, it is confirmed whether the maintenance frame is transmitted at that time (steps 111 and 112). If a maintenance frame has not been transmitted, time schedule management is performed so that a minimum prescribed value of IFG 12 bytes is added before the user frame to be transmitted (step 113), and then frame transmission selection is sent to the frame transmission selection unit 45. (In this case, user frame transmission selection) 58 is notified, and the user frame 59 stored in the user frame storage buffer 44 is transmitted (step 114).

  On the other hand, when the maintenance frame is transmitted, after the transmission of the maintenance frame is completed (step 112), the time schedule management is performed so that the IFG12 byte which is the minimum specified value is added before the user frame to be transmitted. Thereafter (step 113), the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (in this case, user frame transmission selection) 58, and the user frame 59 stored in the user frame storage buffer 44 is transmitted (step 113). 114).

  6 shows a maintenance frame transmission operation when there is no contention control, FIG. 7 shows a maintenance frame transmission operation when there is contention control, and FIG. 8 shows a maintenance frame transmission operation when compared with the prior art of FIG. Indicates. Based on these drawings, this embodiment is summarized as follows. First, transmission states of user frames and maintenance frames are detected. As a result, when it is detected that a user frame is being transmitted, a maintenance frame is transmitted with a certain IFG added after the user frame is transmitted. On the other hand, when it is detected that a maintenance frame is being transmitted, a user frame is transmitted with a certain IFG added after the maintenance frame is transmitted. In this way, instead of simply delaying the user frame and incorporating the maintenance frame into the IFG, a certain IFG is added after the user frame is transmitted and the maintenance frame is incorporated, so the user frame is destroyed or the maintenance frame is not transmitted. Essentially does not happen.

  If the maintenance frame transmission and the user frame transmission occur at exactly the same timing, it is possible to transmit the frame to be prioritized according to the definition on the system which should be prioritized.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a transmission operation in the second embodiment of the MC according to the present invention. Hereinafter, based on FIG.3 and FIG.9, transmission operation | movement in MC of this embodiment is demonstrated. Note that the subject of the operation is the frame transmission control unit 43. Moreover, in this embodiment, the description of the same part as the first embodiment is omitted.

  If it is necessary to transmit the next maintenance frame during transmission of the maintenance frame, the maintenance frame transmission waiting queue can be controlled to prevent the maintenance frame from being transmitted and to reliably transmit the maintenance frame. it can. This embodiment relates to flow control when queue control waiting for transmission of maintenance frames is added to the first embodiment.

  The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified from the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the state 54 of the user frame storage buffer 44. When the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 is notified, it is confirmed whether the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 has already been received (steps 201 and 202). When the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 is received for the first time, it is confirmed whether or not a user frame is transmitted at that time (step 204). If the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 has already been received, registration is performed in the maintenance frame transmission queue (step 203), and then the process proceeds to a phase for confirming whether a user frame is being transmitted (step 204).

  When it is confirmed that the user frame is not being transmitted, a maintenance frame generation instruction 55 is notified to the maintenance frame generation unit 42. Further, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (maintenance frame transmission selection in this case) 58, and the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is transmitted (steps 205 and 206).

  On the other hand, if the user frame is being transmitted, it waits for the transmission of the user frame to be completed, and after confirming the completion of the user frame transmission (step 204), notifies the maintenance frame generation unit 42 of the maintenance frame generation instruction 55. To do. Further, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (maintenance frame transmission selection in this case) 58, and the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is transmitted (steps 205 and 206).

  After the maintenance frame is transmitted, if there is a maintenance frame transmission queue registration (step 207), the registered transmission queue is deleted (step 208) and the maintenance frame 57 waiting for transmission is transmitted. (Steps 205 and 206).

  If there is no notification of the occurrence of the maintenance frame transmission event 52 and the user frame is stored in the user frame storage buffer 44, a maintenance frame has been transmitted at that time, or a maintenance frame transmission wait has occurred. (Steps 211 and 212). If neither has occurred, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of frame transmission selection (in this case, user frame transmission selection) 58, and the user frame 59 stored in the user frame storage buffer 44 is transmitted ( Steps 213 and 214).

  On the other hand, if a maintenance frame has been transmitted or a maintenance frame is waiting to be transmitted, they will no longer occur (step 212), and then the frame transmission selection unit 45 will receive a frame transmission selection (in this case, a user). (Frame transmission selection) 58 is notified, and the user frame 59 stored in the user frame storage buffer 44 is transmitted (steps 213 and 214).

  FIG. 10 shows a maintenance frame transmission operation when a maintenance frame transmission wait occurs.

  11 and 12 are block diagrams showing a third embodiment of the MC according to the present invention. FIG. 11 shows a transmitter, and FIG. 12 shows a receiver. Hereinafter, description will be given based on these drawings. However, the same parts as those in FIG. 3 and FIG.

  In this embodiment, the interface between the MC 10 and the physical function units 11 and 13 in FIG. 1 is RMII (Reduced MII) or SMII (Serial MII) instead of MII. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is possible to cope with this problem by providing the interface converters 46 and 47 in the transmitter 12c and the interface converter 64 in the receiver 12d.

It is a block diagram which shows 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the physical function part in 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the transmission part of MC function part in 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the receiving part of MC function part in 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission operation | movement of MC in 1st embodiment. 6 is a time chart showing a maintenance frame transmission operation when there is no contention control in the first embodiment. 6 is a time chart showing a maintenance frame transmission operation in the first embodiment when there is contention control. 5 is a time chart showing a maintenance frame transmission operation in the first embodiment when compared with the prior art. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission operation in 2nd embodiment. 10 is a time chart showing a maintenance frame transmission operation when a maintenance frame transmission wait occurs in the second embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the transmission part of MC function part in 3rd embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the receiving part of MC function part in 3rd embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of an optical communication network system. It is a time chart which shows the conventional maintenance frame transmission operation.

Explanation of symbols

10 MC (optical media converter)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11, 13 Physical function part 12 MC function part 12a, 12c Transmission part 12b, 12d Reception part 14 UTP cable 15 Optical fiber 41 Maintenance frame transmission instruction | indication part 42 Maintenance frame generation part 43 Frame transmission control part (1st means)
44 User frame storage buffer 45 Frame transmission selection section (second and third means)
46, 47, 64 Interface converter 61 Maintenance frame detector 62 Maintenance frame storage buffer

Claims (7)

In a maintenance management apparatus for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system.
First means for detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
When the first means detects that the user frame is being transmitted, second means for transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame;
When the first means detects that the maintenance frame is being transmitted, third means for transmitting the user frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the maintenance frame;
A maintenance management device characterized by comprising: In a maintenance management apparatus for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system.
First means for detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
When the first means detects that the user frame is being transmitted, second means for transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame;
When the first means detects that the maintenance frame is being transmitted or is waiting to be transmitted, third means for transmitting the user frame with a certain interframe gap added after the maintenance frame is transmitted;
A maintenance management device characterized by comprising:
In a maintenance management method for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system,
A first step of detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
A second step of transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame when the user frame is detected as being transmitted by the first step;
A third step of transmitting the user frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the maintenance frame when the maintenance frame is detected as being transmitted by the first step;
A maintenance management method characterized by comprising: In a maintenance management method for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system,
A first step of detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
A second step of transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame when the user frame is detected as being transmitted by the first step;
A third step of transmitting the user frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the maintenance frame when the maintenance frame is detected during transmission or waiting for transmission in the first step;
A maintenance management method characterized by comprising:
In a maintenance management program used for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system.
A first means for detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
When the first means detects that the user frame is being transmitted, a second means for transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame; and
A third means for transmitting the user frame by adding a certain interframe gap after the maintenance frame is transmitted when the maintenance frame is detected by the first means;
Maintenance management program characterized by causing a computer to function as In a maintenance management program used for incorporating a maintenance frame for maintaining an optical communication network system into an interframe gap between user frames and outputting the same from an optical media converter to the optical communication network system.
A first means for detecting a transmission state of the user frame and the maintenance frame;
When the first means detects that the user frame is being transmitted, a second means for transmitting the maintenance frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the user frame; and
Third means for transmitting the user frame with a certain interframe gap added after transmission of the maintenance frame when the maintenance frame is detected as being transmitted or waiting for transmission by the first means.
Maintenance management program characterized by causing a computer to function as
  An optical media converter comprising the maintenance management device according to claim 1.

Images