JP2010114507A - Optical communication apparatus and erroneous connection monitoring method for the optical communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the necessity of a circuit for monitoring erroneous connection between a wavelength separating portion and a transponder, and for separating and interpreting management information except a main signal, and a circuit for generating a signal including the management information. <P>SOLUTION: A wavelength multiplexing demultiplexing unit 40 includes: an input output means 50 and an erroneous connection decision unit 60 which are provided per channel and optically connected to each other, and a wavelength multiplexing means 52 optically connected to the erroneous connection determining means of each of the channels. The erroneous connection determining section includes: a wavelength selecting means 70 for selecting an optical signal of a wavelength allocated to the channel and for output of the optical signal, and interrupting an optical signal of a wavelength allocated to another channel; an optoelectric conversion means 74 for converting the optical signal output from the wavelength selecting means into an electric signal; a determining means 76 for comparing the strength of the electric signal with a predetermined threshold and determining the presence of an optical signal of the wavelength allocated of the channel; and a determination result output means 78 for output of the results of determination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical communication apparatus, and more particularly to an optical communication apparatus including a wavelength demultiplexing unit that multiplexes optical signals having different wavelengths. In addition, the present invention monitors an erroneous connection between a wavelength demultiplexing unit provided in an optical communication device and a transponder unit that converts a plurality of externally input signals into optical signals having different wavelengths. It relates to the monitoring method.

  In recent years, the demand for communication is rapidly increasing due to the spread of the Internet and the like, and a high-speed and large-capacity optical communication network using an optical fiber is being developed correspondingly. In order to increase the capacity of communication, an optical multiplexing technique that transmits optical pulse signals for a plurality of channels collectively on a single optical fiber transmission line is regarded as important. One of the optical multiplexing techniques is a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system that is realized by assigning a plurality of different wavelengths for each channel, and is currently widely used as a general technique.

  A WDM optical communication network will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a WDM optical communication network.

  In the WDM optical communication network, WDM signals are transmitted and received between the center devices 12 and 14, and between the center devices 12 and 14 and the local devices (also referred to as client devices) 92-1 to n and 94-1 to n. The electrical signal is transmitted and received. An optical communication apparatus that performs wavelength division multiplexing (hereinafter referred to as a WDM apparatus) used as the center apparatus 12 of this WDM optical communication network generally has a number of transponder units 24- equal to the number n of multiplexed channels. 1 to n and a wavelength demultiplexing unit 44 (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). Each of the transponder units 24-1 to 24-n and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44 is configured by an individual substrate.

  Client devices 92-1 to 92-n are connected to the transponder units 24-1 to 24-n of the center device 12, respectively. Each transponder unit 24-1 to n converts the electrical signal received from the connected client device 92-1 to n to an optical signal and sends the optical signal to the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44. At this time, each of the transponder units 24-1 to 24-n converts the electrical signal into optical signals having different wavelengths assigned to each channel. In addition, each transponder unit 24-1 to n converts the optical signal received from the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44 into an electrical signal, and the electrical signal is connected to each transponder unit 24-1 to n. 92-1 to n.

  The wavelength multiplexing means 52 provided in the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44 generates a WDM signal by multiplexing the optical signals received from the transponder units 24-1 to 24-n, and transmits the WDM signal to another center apparatus 14. . Further, the wavelength demultiplexing unit 54 included in the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44 demultiplexes the WDM signal received from the other center apparatus 14 into the wavelengths assigned to the respective channels, and the corresponding transponder units 24-1 to n. Send to.

  Here, if there is an erroneous connection between the transponder units 24-1 to n and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44, for example, an optical signal having a wavelength that is not planned is input to the input port of the wavelength multiplexing unit 52. As a result, the optical signal is blocked or the signal is sent to the wrong destination. For this reason, it is necessary to monitor and prevent erroneous connection between the transponder units 24-1 to 24-n and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 44.

  In order to monitor this erroneous connection, proposals have been made to use connection management information separately from the main signal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  With reference to FIG. 5, a conventional example of the erroneous connection monitoring system disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a conventional example of an erroneous connection monitoring system.

  In the conventional optical communication apparatus including the erroneous connection monitoring system, the transponder unit 26 includes the E / O conversion means 30, the signal switching unit 37, and the connection management information generation unit 39. The connection management information generation unit 39 generates a signal that includes connection management information and is slower than the main signal. This signal is sent to the E / O conversion unit 30 through the signal switching unit 37, converted into an optical signal having a predetermined wavelength by the E / O conversion unit 30, and then sent to the wavelength demultiplexing unit 46.

  The wavelength demultiplexing unit 46 includes an erroneous connection determination unit 66 in addition to the wavelength multiplexing unit 52. The erroneous connection determination unit 66 includes a branching unit 72, a photoelectric conversion unit 80, an optical level detection unit 82, and a connection management information interpretation unit 84.

  The optical signal received from the transponder unit 26 is sent to the photoelectric conversion means 80 via the branching means 72. The photoelectric conversion means 80 is composed of a photoelectric detection element that can normally detect only a low-speed signal, and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal.

The optical level detection means 82 detects the optical power level, and the connection management information interpretation means 84 extracts connection management information from the electrical signal. The optical power level detected by the optical level detection means 82 and the connection management information extracted by the connection management information interpretation means 84 are sent to the control means 86 provided in the wavelength demultiplexing unit 46. The control means 86 performs erroneous connection monitoring using the received optical power level and connection management information.
JP 2001-358666 A Tomohiro Yonezawa et al. “Development of compact WDM equipment for economical entrance optical transmission line construction” NTT DoCoMo Technical Journal Vol. 14. No. 3 pp. 32-37, 2006

  However, in the conventional WDM device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a wavelength separation unit requires a circuit for separating management information other than the main signal and interpreting the management information according to the number of channels. It becomes. Each transponder unit requires a circuit for generating a signal including management information. As a result, the circuit scale of the wavelength separation unit and each transponder unit increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to select and output an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to a channel to a wavelength multiplexing unit and to another channel. An optical communication device that includes wavelength selection means for blocking light of an assigned wavelength for each channel, and monitors for erroneous connection based on the presence or absence of an optical signal output from the wavelength selection means, and an erroneous connection in this optical communication device It is to provide a monitoring method.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, an optical communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a wavelength demultiplexing unit that multiplexes n-channel (n is an integer of 2 or more) optical signals.

  The wavelength demultiplexing unit includes an input / output unit and an erroneous connection determination unit that are optically connected to each other, and a wavelength multiplexing unit that is optically connected to the erroneous connection determination unit of each channel. ing.

  Each of the erroneous connection determination units provided for each channel includes a wavelength selection unit, a photoelectric conversion unit, a determination unit, and a determination result output unit.

  The wavelength selecting means selects and outputs an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel, and blocks light having a wavelength assigned to another channel. The photoelectric conversion means converts the optical signal output from the wavelength selection means into an electrical signal. The determining means compares the intensity of the electric signal with a predetermined threshold value to determine the presence / absence of an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel. The determination result output means outputs the determination result.

  According to the preferred embodiment of the optical communication apparatus described above, each of the erroneous connection determination units divides the optical signal output from the wavelength selection unit into two, sends one to the wavelength multiplexing unit, and the other to the photoelectric conversion unit. It is good to provide the branch means to send. According to another preferred embodiment of the optical communication device described above, each of the erroneous connection determination units splits the optical signal sent from the input / output means into two, sends one to the wavelength multiplexing means, and sends the other to the wavelength multiplexing means. It is preferable to provide branching means for sending to the wavelength selection means.

  In implementing the above-described optical communication apparatus, it is preferable that the wavelength demultiplexing unit further includes wavelength separation means, and each of the n input / output means includes a pair of terminals. At this time, one terminal is optically connected to the erroneous connection determination unit, and the other terminal is optically connected to the wavelength separation means.

  The optical communication apparatus of the present invention preferably includes n transponder units optically connected to the input / output means of the wavelength demultiplexing unit.

  Each of the transponder units includes an input signal converting unit that converts a signal input from the outside into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the corresponding channel and sends the optical signal to the wavelength demultiplexing unit.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the optical communication device of the present invention, each of the transponder units may include an input signal conversion unit, an output signal conversion unit, and a pair of terminals. The input signal conversion means converts an externally input signal into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the corresponding channel, and sends the optical signal to the wavelength demultiplexing unit. The output signal converting means converts the signal sent from the wavelength demultiplexing unit into a predetermined signal and outputs it to the outside.

  One of the pair of terminals is optically connected to the input signal conversion means, and the other is optically connected to the output signal conversion means. A terminal of the wavelength demultiplexing unit and a terminal of the transponder unit are connected by a pair of transmission and reception optical fibers.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the erroneous connection monitoring method in the optical communication apparatus of the present invention multiplexes an n-channel (n is an integer of 2 or more) transponder unit and an optical signal transmitted from the transponder unit. An optical communication device including a wavelength demultiplexing unit, a method for monitoring an erroneous connection between each of the transponder units and the wavelength demultiplexing unit, comprising the following steps implemented in the wavelength demultiplexing unit Yes.

  First, with respect to the optical signal sent from the transponder unit, an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel is selected and output, and light having a wavelength assigned to another channel is blocked. Next, the optical signal output from the wavelength selection means is converted into an electrical signal. Next, the intensity of the electric signal is compared with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether there is an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel. Next, the determination result is output.

  According to the optical communication device and the erroneous connection monitoring method in the optical communication device of the present invention, the optical signal assigned to each channel is output to the preceding stage of the optical multiplexing unit, and the optical signal assigned to the other channel is blocked. A selection unit is provided, and an erroneous connection is monitored depending on the presence or absence of an optical signal output from the selection unit.

  For this reason, since it is possible to monitor erroneous connection without using information other than the main signal, a circuit for processing connection management information becomes unnecessary. Further, since a circuit for processing connection management information is not necessary, the apparatus can be easily downsized.

  In addition, when a pair of terminals are provided in each of the transponder unit and the wavelength multiplexing / demultiplexing unit, and the transponder unit and the wavelength multiplexing / demultiplexing unit are connected by a pair of transmission / reception optical fibers, only one of the transmission / reception is monitored, It is possible to determine whether there is an incorrect connection.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments are merely schematically shown to the extent that the present invention can be understood. Moreover, numerical conditions etc. are only suitable examples. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and many changes or modifications that can achieve the effects of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the configuration of the present invention.

(First embodiment)
The optical communication apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram for explaining the optical communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. The optical communication apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment is an apparatus that performs wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and may be referred to as a WDM apparatus in the following description.

  As described with reference to FIG. 4, the WDM optical communication network includes a plurality of center devices 12 and 14 and a plurality of client devices 92 and 94. The center devices 12 and 14 are connected by optical fibers, and WDM signals are transmitted and received between the center devices 12 and 14. On the other hand, each client device 92 and 94 is connected to one of the center devices 12 and 14. Electrical signals or optical signals are transmitted and received between the client devices 92 and 94 and the center devices 12 and 14.

  In this example, a WDM device 10 is used as the center device, and n (n is an integer of 2 or more) client devices (not shown in FIG. 1) are connected to the WDM device 10. I will explain to you. The WDM device 10 multiplexes n-channel signals to generate a WDM signal.

  The WDM apparatus 10 includes a number of transponder units 20-1 to 20-n corresponding to the number of channels n and a wavelength demultiplexing unit 40. Each channel is assigned a different wavelength. Each of the n transponder units 20-1 to 20-n and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 is configured by an individual substrate (board). The transponder units 20-1 to 20-n and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 are connected by optical fibers 90-1 to 90-n.

  The transponder units 20-1 to 20-n receive signals (indicated by arrows S100-1 to Sn in the figure) input from the outside, and optical signals having the assigned wavelengths (indicated by arrows S120-1 to S120n in the figure). To the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40. The transponder units 20-1 to 20-n are configured to include an electric / optical (E / O) conversion means 30 and an input / output means 32 on a substrate.

  The E / O conversion means 30 converts the electrical signal input to the transponder unit 20 into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to each channel. The input / output means 32 includes a connection terminal used to connect the transponder unit 20 and the wavelength multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 40 with an optical fiber 90. The optical signal S120 converted by the E / O conversion means 30 is sent to the wavelength multiplexing / demultiplexing section 40 via the input / output means 32.

  The transponder unit 20 also includes optical / electrical (O / E) conversion means 34. The O / E converting means 34 converts the optical signals (indicated by S140-1 to Sn in the figure) received from the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 via the input / output means 32 into electrical signals (indicated by S111-1 to n in the figure). Show.) The electrical signal S111 converted by the O / E conversion unit 34 is transmitted to the client device connected to the transponder unit 20.

  Note that, when the client device and the transponder unit are connected by an optical fiber, an optical signal may be input to the transponder unit from the outside.

  With reference to FIG. 2, a transponder unit when an optical signal is input from the outside will be described as another configuration example of the transponder unit. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the transponder unit.

The transponder unit 22 to which an optical signal is input from the outside includes an E / O conversion unit 30, an input / output unit 32, an O / E conversion unit 34, an input O / E conversion unit 36, and an output E / O conversion unit 38. It is prepared for. An optical signal having a predetermined wavelength λ ₀ (indicated by an arrow S102 in the figure) input to the transponder unit 22 is converted into an electric signal (indicated by an arrow S136 in the figure) by the input O / E conversion means 36. After that, the E / O conversion means 30 converts it into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to each channel.

For example, when the first wavelength λ ₁ is assigned to the first channel, the E / O conversion means 30 included in the transponder unit 22 of the first channel converts the electrical signal to the optical signal S 130 having the first wavelength λ _1. Convert. Thereafter, the optical signal S120 is sent through the input / output means 32 to a wavelength demultiplexing unit (not shown in FIG. 2). The optical signal S140 received by the transponder unit 22 from the wavelength demultiplexing unit is sent to the O / E conversion unit 34 via the input / output unit 32. The optical signal is converted into an electrical signal (indicated by an arrow S134 in the figure) by the O / E converter 34, and then converted into an optical signal S122 having a predetermined wavelength λ _{0 by} the output E / O converter 38. The This optical signal S122 is transmitted to the client device.

  The above-described E / O conversion means 30 and O / E conversion means 34 of the transponder unit are, for example, an SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) type, an XFP (10 Gigabit Small Form-factor Pluggable) type, or a 300 pin MSA ( It can be configured as a multi-source agreement) type module.

  With reference to FIG. 1 again, the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 will be described.

  The wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 is provided for each channel, and is optically connected to the input / output units 50-1 to 50-n and the erroneous connection determination units 60-1 to 60-n, and the erroneous connection determination unit 60- of each channel. 1 to n, and a wavelength demultiplexing means 54 optically connected to the input / output means 50-1 to 50-n of each channel.

  Between the input / output units 50-1 to 50-n and the erroneous connection determination units 60-1 to 60-n, between the erroneous connection determination units 60-1 to 60-n and the wavelength multiplexing unit 52, and between the input / output units 50-1 to 50-n and the wavelength The optical connection between the separating means 54 is made using an optical fiber, for example. In the following, an example using an optical fiber will be described. Depending on each optical component of the wavelength demultiplexing unit, a spatial coupling using a lens system or an optical waveguide built in a substrate is used as an optical connection. You can also

  The input / output units 50-1 to 50-n are connection terminals (connectors) used to connect the transponder units 20-1 to 20-n and the wavelength multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 40 with the optical fibers 90-1 to 90-n. As this connector, any suitable conventionally known one may be used. When the input / output means 50-1 to 50-n use a pair of two terminals, and the optical fibers 90-1 to 90-n use, for example, a pair of two-core optical fibers, the transponder unit It is possible to monitor misconnection only by monitoring the optical signal from 20 to the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40, and it is not necessary to monitor the optical signal in the reverse direction, that is, the optical signal from the wavelength demultiplexing unit 40 to the transponder unit 20. .

  The wavelength multiplexing unit 52 and the wavelength demultiplexing unit 54 may have any suitable known configuration used for wavelength division multiplexing in a WDM apparatus. When light having different wavelengths is input to a plurality of single wavelength ports, the wavelength multiplexing means 52 multiplexes the input light and outputs the multiplexed light from the WDM port. The wavelength separation means 54 can be configured in the same manner as the wavelength multiplexing means 52. When a wavelength multiplexed signal is input to the WDM port of the wavelength demultiplexing means 54, light of different wavelengths set for each port is output from each single wavelength port.

  Each of the erroneous connection determination units 60-1 to 60-n includes a wavelength selection unit 70, a branching unit 72, a photoelectric conversion unit 74, a determination unit 76, and a determination result output unit 78.

  The wavelength selection means 70 selects and outputs an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel, and blocks light having a wavelength assigned to another channel. For example, the wavelength selection unit 70 can be configured in the same manner as the wavelength separation unit 54 described above. When an optical signal is input to the WDM port, light of a wavelength set for each port is output from each single wavelength port, so that an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength can be output and optical signals of other wavelengths can be blocked.

  The wavelength selection means 70 only needs to have a function as a so-called wavelength filter that outputs light of a predetermined wavelength and blocks light of other wavelengths, and has any suitable conventionally known configuration. Can do. For example, as a wavelength selection unit, an FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) in which a diffraction grating is formed in an optical fiber may be used to reflect light having a predetermined wavelength determined by the interval of the diffraction grating.

  When the first wavelength λ1 to the nth wavelength λn are assigned to the first to nth channels, respectively, the first channel wavelength selection means 70-1 outputs the optical signal of the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 To block the optical signal of the nth wavelength λn. Similarly, the second to n-channel wavelength selectors 70-2 to 70-n output optical signals of the second to n wavelengths λ2 to λn, respectively, and block optical signals of other wavelengths.

  A selection optical signal (indicated by an arrow S170 in the figure) that is an optical signal output from the wavelength selection means 70 is sent to the branching means 72. The branching unit 72 splits the selection light signal S170 into two, sends one first selection light signal (indicated by an arrow S172 in the figure) to the photoelectric conversion unit 74, and the other second selection light signal (in the figure). , Indicated by arrow S173) to the wavelength multiplexing means 52.

  The branching unit 72 only needs to have a function of branching and outputting an input optical signal in two, and is constituted by, for example, an optical branching component. The branching ratio in the branching means 72 may be set to any suitable ratio depending on the design. For example, for the first selection optical signal S172, the intensity required for determining the presence or absence of the optical signal in the photoelectric conversion means 74 or the determination means 76 is considered, and for the second selection optical signal S173, transmission of the optical signal is performed. The ratio is set taking into account the required strength.

  The wavelength multiplexing unit 52 wavelength-multiplexes the second selection optical signal S173 received from each of the erroneous connection determination units 60-1 to 60-n to generate a WDM signal. This WDM signal is transmitted to another WDM apparatus.

  The photoelectric conversion unit 74 converts the first selection light signal S172 received from the branching unit 72 into an electric signal S174. The photoelectric conversion means 74 only needs to have a function of converting an optical signal into an electric signal, and is configured using, for example, a photodiode (PD). The electric signal S174 generated by the photoelectric conversion means 74 is sent to the determination means 76.

  The determination unit 76 compares the intensity of the electric signal S174 with a predetermined threshold value. If the intensity of the electrical signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the optical signal having the wavelength assigned to the channel is determined to be “present”. If the intensity is smaller than the threshold value, the optical signal having the wavelength assigned to the channel is determined. It is determined as “None”. When the optical signal is “present”, the determination unit 76 sends an H level logic signal (indicated by an arrow S176 in the figure) indicating “1” to the determination result output unit 78, while the optical signal is “ In the case of “No”, an L level logic signal S 176 indicating “0” is sent to the determination result output means 78.

  The determination means 76 only needs to be able to determine the presence or absence of an optical signal, that is, whether or not the electrical signal is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and generate a logic signal indicating the result, and is configured in the same way as an existing signal break detection circuit can do.

  The determination result output means 78 outputs the determination result to the outside. The determination result output unit 78 is configured using a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED). In this case, when the logical signal S176 indicates “1”, that is, when there is an optical signal having a predetermined wavelength, the LED is turned on, and when the logical signal S176 indicates “0”, that is, light having a predetermined wavelength. The LED may be turned off when there is no signal. Alternatively, it may be lit in green when a predetermined optical signal is present, and may be lit in red when there is no optical signal.

  Thus, if the determination result output means 78 is comprised with a light emitting element, the presence or absence of a misconnection can be confirmed easily by visually recognizing light emission of LED.

  When the WDM device is equipped with a monitoring / control unit, the determination result output unit 78 may notify the monitoring result to the monitoring / control unit.

  According to the optical communication device and the erroneous connection monitoring method in the optical communication device of the present invention, the optical signal assigned to each channel is output to the preceding stage of the optical multiplexing unit, and the optical signal assigned to the other channel is blocked. A selection unit is provided, and an erroneous connection is monitored depending on the presence or absence of an optical signal output from the selection unit.

  For this reason, it is possible to monitor erroneous connection without using information other than the main signal, so that a circuit for processing connection management information is not required. In addition, since a circuit for processing connection management information is not required, the apparatus can be easily downsized.

  In addition, since the signal can be monitored without using a signal including connection management information, that is, without switching the main signal and the connection management signal, the optical signal is always transmitted even during transmission of the main signal. The presence or absence of a signal can be monitored.

  As a result, the transponder unit is not only monitored for erroneous connection when connecting the wavelength demultiplexing unit, but also from the transponder unit due to deterioration over time when operating in the normal state where the main signal is transmitted. It is also possible to monitor the decrease in the intensity level of the optical signal sent to the wavelength demultiplexing unit.

(Second Embodiment)
With reference to FIG. 3, the optical communication apparatus of 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated. The optical communication device of the second embodiment is different from the optical communication device of the first embodiment in the configuration of the erroneous connection determination unit, and is otherwise the same as the optical communication device of the first embodiment. The overlapping description may be omitted.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the erroneous connection determination unit.

  The erroneous connection determination unit 62 includes a branching unit 72, a wavelength selection unit 70, a photoelectric conversion unit 74, a determination unit 76, and a determination result output unit 78.

  The branching unit 72 splits the optical signal into two, sends one first optical signal S272 to the wavelength selecting unit 70, and sends the other second optical signal S273 to the wavelength multiplexing unit. The branching unit 72 only needs to have a function of branching and outputting an input optical signal in two, and is constituted by, for example, an optical branching component. The branching ratio in the branching means 72 may be set to any suitable ratio depending on the design. For example, for the first optical signal, the ratio may be determined based on the intensity required for determining the presence or absence of the optical signal in the wavelength selection unit 70, the photoelectric conversion unit 74, and the determination unit 76. In addition, about the 2nd optical signal, in order to suppress attenuation | damping of the transmitted optical signal, the one where the ratio of a 2nd optical signal is high is good.

  The wavelength selection means 70 selects and outputs an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel included in the first optical signal S272, and blocks light having a wavelength assigned to another channel.

  A selection light signal S 171 that is an optical signal output from the wavelength selection means 70 is sent to the photoelectric conversion means 74. The photoelectric conversion unit 74 converts the first optical signal output from the wavelength selection unit 70 into an electrical signal. The electrical signal generated by the photoelectric conversion means 74 is sent to the determination means 76.

  The judging means 76 compares the intensity of the electric signal with a predetermined threshold value. If the intensity of the electrical signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the optical signal having the wavelength assigned to the channel is determined to be “present”. If the intensity is smaller than the threshold value, the optical signal having the wavelength assigned to the channel is It is determined as “None”. When the optical signal is “present”, the determination unit 76 sends an H level logic signal S176 indicating “1” to the determination result output unit 78, and when the optical signal is “none”, indicates “0”. The L level logic signal S176 is sent to the determination result output means 78.

  The determination result output means 78 outputs the determination result to the outside.

  The wavelength selection unit 70, the photoelectric conversion unit 74, the determination unit 76, and the determination result output unit 78 may be configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted here.

  In the optical communication apparatus of the first embodiment, the input optical signal is sent to the branching means via the wavelength selection means, and one optical signal branched into two by the branching means is sent to the wavelength multiplexing means. According to the optical communication apparatus of the first embodiment, wavelength selection can be performed efficiently when the intensity of the optical signal is high. On the other hand, it is necessary to consider the attenuation of the optical signal in the wavelength selection means.

  In contrast, in the optical communication apparatus of the second embodiment, the input optical signal is branched into two by the branching unit, one is sent to the wavelength multiplexing unit, and the other is sent to the wavelength selection unit. According to the optical communication apparatus of the second embodiment, the multiplexed signal is sent to the wavelength multiplexing means without going through the wavelength selection means, so there is no need to consider the attenuation of the optical signal in the wavelength selection means. On the other hand, since the other branched optical signal is sent to the wavelength selection means, it is necessary to consider that the intensity is lowered.

  That is, when it is desired to increase the optical signal strength at the time of erroneous connection determination according to the design, the configuration of the first embodiment is adopted, and when the demand for the optical signal strength transmitted between the optical communication devices is strong, The configuration of the second embodiment can be adopted.

It is the schematic for demonstrating the optical communication apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is the schematic for demonstrating a transponder part. It is the schematic for demonstrating a misconnection determination part. It is the schematic for demonstrating an optical communication network. It is the schematic for demonstrating the prior art example of an erroneous connection monitoring system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 WDM apparatus 12, 14 Center apparatus 20, 22, 24, 26 Transponder part 30 E / O conversion means 32, 50 Input / output means 34 O / E conversion means 36 Input O / E conversion means 37 Signal switching part 38 For output E / O conversion means 39 Connection management information generation section 40, 44, 46 Wavelength demultiplexing section 52 Wavelength multiplexing means 54 Wavelength demultiplexing means 60, 62, 66 Misconnection determination section 70 Wavelength selection means 72 Branch means 74, 80 Photoelectric conversion means 76 determination means 78 determination result output means 82 optical level detection means 84 connection management information interpretation means 86 control means 90 optical fiber 92, 94 local device (client device)

Claims (7)

An optical communication apparatus including a wavelength demultiplexing unit that multiplexes n-channel (n is an integer of 2 or more) optical signals,
The wavelength demultiplexing unit is
Input / output means and an erroneous connection determination unit optically connected to each other provided for each channel;
Wavelength multiplexing means optically connected to the erroneous connection determination unit of each channel,
Each of the erroneous connection determination units provided for each channel,
Wavelength selecting means for selecting and outputting an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel, and blocking light having a wavelength assigned to another channel;
Photoelectric conversion means for converting the optical signal output from the wavelength selection means into an electrical signal;
A determination means for comparing the intensity of the electric signal with a predetermined threshold value and determining the presence or absence of an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to the channel;
An optical communication apparatus comprising: a determination result output unit that outputs the determination result. Each of the misconnection determination units includes a branching unit that splits the optical signal output from the wavelength selection unit into two, sends one to the wavelength multiplexing unit, and sends the other to the photoelectric conversion unit. The optical communication apparatus according to claim 1. Each of the erroneous connection determination units includes branching means for branching the optical signal sent from the input / output means into two, sending one to the wavelength multiplexing means, and sending the other to the wavelength selection means. The optical communication apparatus according to claim 1. The wavelength demultiplexing unit further comprises wavelength separation means,
Each of the input / output means comprises a pair of terminals,
One terminal is optically connected to the erroneous connection determination unit,
The optical communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the other terminal is optically connected to the wavelength separation unit. Comprising n transponder units optically connected to the input / output means of the wavelength demultiplexing unit;
Each of the transponders is
4. Input signal conversion means for converting an externally input signal into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to a corresponding channel and sending the optical signal to the wavelength demultiplexing unit. The optical communication device according to one item. Comprising n transponder units optically connected to the input / output means of the wavelength demultiplexing unit;
Each of the transponders is
Input signal conversion means for converting an externally input signal into an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to a corresponding channel and sending the optical signal to the wavelength demultiplexing unit;
An output signal converting means for converting the signal sent from the wavelength demultiplexing unit into a predetermined signal and outputting it to the outside;
One is optically connected to the input signal conversion means, and the other is provided with a pair of terminals optically connected to the output signal conversion means,
The optical communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a terminal of the wavelength demultiplexing unit and a terminal of the transponder unit are connected by a pair of transmitting and receiving optical fibers. An optical communication apparatus comprising an n-channel (n is an integer of 2 or more) transponder unit and a wavelength demultiplexing unit that multiplexes an optical signal transmitted from the transponder unit, each of the transponder units, the wavelength demultiplexing unit, A method of monitoring misconnections between
In the wavelength demultiplexing unit,
A process of selecting and outputting an optical signal having a wavelength allocated to the channel with respect to the optical signal transmitted from the transponder unit, and blocking light having a wavelength allocated to another channel;
A process of converting an optical signal output from the wavelength selection means into an electrical signal;
Comparing the intensity of the electrical signal with a predetermined threshold to determine the presence or absence of an optical signal of a wavelength assigned to the channel;
And a step of outputting a result of the determination. A method of monitoring misconnection in an optical communication apparatus.

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