JP2012039176A - Media converter, data communication method of media converter, and network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To notify a communication state by using IFS even when a disturbance occurs in a part of a physical lane.SOLUTION: In a coding layer 200a, data are coded by dividing the data into blocks of 66 bit unit by a 64B/66B coding system. An MLD layer 200b distributes the blocks into four PCS lanes 1 to 4. The MLD layer 200b inserts AM into a block alignment for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4 seen in the direction of transferring the data. Also, the MLD layer 200b inserts IFS into the block alignment for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4 by synchronizing with the timing of inserting AM.

Description

  The present invention relates to a media converter, a data communication method for the media converter, and a network system.

  Conventionally, for example, when transmitting / receiving a frame in a wide area network, a prior art is known in which a monitoring / control signal for monitoring and controlling a communication state is inserted into a transmission frame transmission interval (Inter Frame Gap: IFG). (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). In this prior art, when a frame is transmitted / received between two mutually connected relay apparatuses, in one relay apparatus, a monitor / control frame is inserted into the IFG by the Insert / Drop function section, and the frame is transmitted by the TDM function section. Is mapped to OC192 including IFG and transmitted to the opposite relay device. The opposing relay device extracts the monitoring / control signal by the Insert / Drop function unit and notifies the monitoring device of the result.

  According to the above prior art, by inserting the monitoring / control signal into the IFG, the communication state can be monitored using the monitoring / control signal without affecting the band of transmission data including user data.

JP 2009-232193 A

  However, the prior art described above is concerned with the following problems.

  For example, in the communication standard using the 40 Gbps / 100 Gbps region standardized by IEEE 802.3ba, in order to correspond to the high bit rate level, data is distributed to a plurality of PCS (Physical Coding Sublayer) lanes, and further, a plurality of PCS lanes. A method is adopted in which data is transferred to a plurality of physical lanes. In this case, as an example, it is assumed that an optical transceiver is arranged in each of a plurality of physical lanes in the relay apparatus. Each of the plurality of optical transceivers converts data from an electrical signal to an optical signal for each physical lane. The optical signals output from the plurality of optical transceivers are multiplexed by the wavelength filter and transmitted to the connected relay apparatus through one optical fiber or each of the plurality of optical fibers.

  However, when a failure occurs in one of the optical transceivers in the same repeater, data is output from other normal optical transceivers, but no data is output from the failed optical transceiver. Alternatively, when communication is performed through a plurality of optical fibers as described above, even if the optical transceiver itself is normal, if any optical fiber fails, data cannot be transmitted in a complete state. In any case, since the relay device to which the connection is made at this time receives data including the monitoring / control signal in a partially lost state, the above-described Insert / Drop function unit reads the monitoring / control signal. I can't. As described above, when a failure occurs in a part of the physical lane, the two relay apparatuses cannot notify the communication state of each other by the monitoring / control signal.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of notifying a communication state using IFS (Inter Frame Signaling) even when a failure occurs in a part of a physical lane.

  In order to achieve the above object, the media converter of the present invention receives, for each PCS lane, a distribution unit that distributes data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits, and a block distributed by the distribution unit. An alignment information insertion unit for inserting alignment information for aligning the block arrangement with respect to the block arrangement in which a plurality of blocks are arranged, and management information for notifying the block arrangement of the communication state for each PCS lane And a management information insertion unit for inserting.

  In order to achieve the above object, a data communication method for a media converter according to the present invention includes a distribution step of distributing data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits, and the blocks distributed in the distribution step. For each PCS lane, an alignment information insertion step for inserting alignment information for aligning the block array with respect to a block array in which a plurality of the blocks are arrayed, and the block array for each PCS lane. On the other hand, a management information inserting step of inserting management information for notifying the communication state is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, the network system of the present invention is a network system having at least two media converters connected to each other via a network cable for transmitting an optical signal and transmitting / receiving data through the network cable. Each of the media converters distributes data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits, and receives the blocks distributed by the distribution unit for each of the PCS lanes. An alignment information insertion unit for inserting alignment information for aligning the block arrangement with respect to the block arrangement in which the block arrangement is arranged, and management information for notifying the block arrangement of the communication state for each PCS lane And a management information insertion unit for inserting.

  According to the present invention, even if a failure occurs in a part of a physical lane, the communication state can be notified using IFS.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a network system according to a first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of a media converter roughly. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the media converter in 1st Embodiment hierarchically using an OSI reference model. It is a figure which shows roughly the transfer process of the data in the data transfer part of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission process of IFS in a data transfer part and a data transmission / reception part. It is a flowchart which shows the reception process of IFS in a data transfer part and a data transmission / reception part. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the media converter in 2nd Embodiment hierarchically using an OSI reference model. It is a figure which shows roughly the transfer process of the data in the data transfer part of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the media converter in 3rd Embodiment hierarchically using an OSI reference model. It is a figure which shows roughly the transfer process of the data in the data transfer part of 3rd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, a description will be given centering on the form as a media converter, but a network constructed using a plurality of media converters becomes a form as a network system. Further, the communication method executed by the media converter in the following is a form as a data communication method of the media converter.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a network system according to the first embodiment. Note that an arrow indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 indicates a direction in which data is transferred.

[Network system]
The network system has, for example, a plurality of media converters 1 and 2. These media converters 1 and 2 comply with a communication standard in the 40 Gbps (Gigabit per second) / 100 Gbps range standardized by IEEE (Institut of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3ba, for example. Thus, communication is performed in a long distance section (for example, a section of 100 km or more). A SONET / SDH transmission facility (not shown) may be connected between the media converters 1 and 2, and by using these, data can be transmitted over a long-distance section separated up to about several thousand km.

  Network repeaters 10 and 12 are connected to the media converters 1 and 2 via network cables 6 and 8, respectively. The media converters 1 and 2 may be connected to a monitoring device (not shown). The network repeaters 10 and 12 are switching hubs such as a layer 2 switch and a layer 3 switch, for example, which transmit and receive frames via the media converters 1 and 2. Moreover, the monitoring apparatus which is not illustrated acquires the management information which shows the communication state detected with the media converter 1 or the media converter 2, for example.

  The network repeater 10 transfers data to the media converter 1 connected thereto. The media converter 1 inserts management information indicating a communication state between data as IFS (Inter Frame Signaling) and transfers the management information to the media converter 2. The media converter 2 extracts IFS from the received data and transfers the data to the switching hub 12.

  Further, the network repeater 12 transfers the data to the media converter 2 connected thereto. The media converter 2 inserts management information as IFS between data and transfers it to the media converter 1. The media converter 1 extracts IFS from the received data and transfers the data to the switching hub 10.

  In this way, management information is transmitted and received between the media converters 1 and 2 using IFS, and the media converters 1 and 2 can recognize each other's communication state based on the received management information. Further, by connecting a monitoring device (not shown) to the media converters 1 and 2, for example, management information (for example, R-INN (power-off), AIS, etc.) received by the media converters 1 and 2 when the operator remotely operates the monitoring device (Alarm Indication Signal), alarm information such as RDI (Remote Defect Indication), and bit error rate information). The IFS processing by the media converters 1 and 2 will be described in more detail later using another drawing.

[Media Converter]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a functional configuration of the media converters 1 and 2. 2 illustrates the functional configuration using the media converter 1 shown in FIG. 1, the functional configuration of the media converter 2 is the same as the functional configuration of the media converter 1.

  The media converter 1 includes data transmission / reception units 14 and 16, data transfer units 18 and 20, a frame processing unit 22, and a CPU 24. The CPU 24 controls data transfer processing executed by the data transmission / reception units 14 and 16, the data transfer units 18 and 20, and the frame processing unit 22.

  The data transmission / reception unit 14 includes, for example, ports corresponding to 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps communication speeds such as 40 GBASE-CR4, 40 GBASE-SR4, 100 GBASE-CR4, and 100 GBASE-SR4. Moreover, the data transmission / reception part 16 is comprised by the some optical transceiver corresponding to the communication speed of 10 Gbps as an example. For example, four optical transceivers corresponding to the communication speed of 10 Gbps are mounted as media converters that perform communication at 40 Gbps. In the case of 100 Gbps, 10 optical transceivers are mounted.

  The data transmitter / receiver 14 is connected to a port (not shown) of the network repeater 10 via the network cable 6. The data transmitter / receiver 16 is connected to the media converter 2 via the optical fiber cable 4. The data transmission / reception unit 16 converts the data transferred from the media converter 2 shown in FIG. 1 from an optical signal to an electrical signal and transfers it to the data transfer unit 20. Further, the data transmitting / receiving unit 16 converts the data transferred from the data transfer unit 20 from an electric signal to an optical signal and transfers the converted signal to the media converter 2.

  The data transfer units 18 and 20 and the frame processing unit 22 are configured by integrated circuits such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

  The data transfer units 18 and 20 restore the data transferred from the data transmission / reception units 14 and 16 by the 64B / 66B encoding method and transfer the data to the frame processing unit 22 or the frame processing unit 22. The data transferred from is encoded by the 64B / 66B encoding method and transferred to the data transmitting / receiving units 14 and 16.

  In addition, the data transfer unit 20 distributes the encoded data to a plurality of PCS lanes and transfers the data to the data transmission / reception unit 16. In the process of arranging the data arrangement by the media converter on the reception side (Alignment Markers: AM (hereinafter abbreviated as “AM”) or IFS is inserted in synchronization with the timing of AM insertion.

  Further, when data is transferred from the data transmitting / receiving unit 16, the data transfer unit 20 extracts the IFS from the data and then transfers the data to the frame processing unit 22. Further, the extracted IFS is stored, for example, in a memory (not shown) or transferred to a monitoring device (not shown).

  The data transmitter / receiver 16 transmits / receives the data in parallel through a plurality of physical lanes. As an example, each physical lane transfers data at 10 Gbps. For example, in the case of a media converter supporting 40 Gbps, data is transferred in parallel in four physical lanes, and in parallel at 10 physical lanes at 100 Gbps. Data transfer. At this time, as an example, the data transceiver 16 is connected to an optical transceiver for each physical lane. In the data transmitter / receiver 16, each optical transceiver converts the transferred data from an electrical signal to an optical signal, and further multiplexes and transmits a plurality of optical signals transferred from a plurality of optical transceivers by wavelength filters. Note that the optical signal may be transmitted through a plurality of bundled optical fibers without being multiplexed for one optical fiber.

  Data transfer processing executed by the data transmitter / receiver 16, the data transfer unit 20, and the frame processing unit 22 will be described in more detail later with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the media converters 1 and 2 in the first embodiment in a hierarchical manner using an OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model. In particular, in FIG. 3, the configurations of the data transmitting / receiving unit 16, the data transfer unit 20, and the frame processing unit 22 shown in FIG. 2 are more specifically represented by using the OSI reference model. Also, the up and down arrows in FIG. 3 indicate the direction in which data is transferred.

  The PMD (Physical Medium Dependent) layer 16 a and the PMA (Physical Medium Attachment) layer 16 b of the OSI reference model correspond to the data transmitting / receiving unit 16. The PCS layer 200 corresponds to the data transfer unit 20. The PCS layer 200 is divided into an encoding layer 200a, an MLD (Multi Lane Distribution) layer 200b, and a LaneLock layer 200c. The MAC layer 22 a corresponds to the frame processing unit 22. Further, although not shown in FIG. 2, an RS (Reconciliation Sublayer) layer 26 and an MII (Media Independent Interface) layer 28 correspond to interfaces that connect the PCS layer 200 and the MAC layer 22a.

  In the RS layer 26, an interval for transmitting frames (Inter Frame Gap, hereinafter abbreviated as “IFG”) is adjusted. The MII layer 28 is an interface for connecting the RS layer 26 and the PCS layer 200. The data transferred from the RS layer 26 is divided into 8 bits and is divided into 8 octets (64 bits). Transfer to the conversion layer 200a. At this time, 64-bit data is transferred to the coding layer 200a in a parallel bit arrangement.

  In the data transfer unit 20, the encoding layer 200a encodes the 64-bit unit data transferred from the MII layer 28 in parallel data arrangement by the 64B / 66B encoding method. Specifically, the scramble process is performed on the data transferred by the MII layer 28 in units of 8 octets (64 bits). A header of 2 bits is added to the scrambled 64-bit data to generate a 66-bit block. Then, the coding layer 200a transfers the block to the MLD layer 200b.

  When the encoding layer 200a receives a block from the MLD layer 200b, the encoding layer 200a removes the 2-bit header information from the block and generates 64-bit data. Furthermore, the coding layer 200a descrambles the 64-bit data and then transfers the data to the MII layer 28.

  In the data transfer unit 20, the MLD layer 200b distributes the block transferred from the encoding layer 200a to a plurality of PCS lanes. Specifically, 40 Gbps distributes to 4 PCS lanes, and 100 Gbps distributes to 20 PCS lanes. The MLD layer 200b inserts AM at a predetermined timing into a block arrangement in which a plurality of blocks are arranged for each PCS lane. In addition, the MLD layer 200b inserts IFS into the block arrangement for each PCS lane in synchronization with the timing of inserting AM. When an IFS is inserted, IFG bits are deleted from the block array by the amount corresponding to the inserted IFS. Then, the MLD layer 200b transfers the data array for each PCS lane to the LaneLock layer 200c. In the MLD layer 200b, FIG. 4 is used for the process of distributing and transferring blocks to a plurality of PCS lanes, the process of inserting an AM into a block array, and the process of inserting an IFS into a block array. Further details will be described later.

  When the MLD layer 200b receives the block arrangement from the LaneLock layer 200c, the MLD layer 200b arranges (deskews) the data arrangement (data order) of the block arrangement among the plurality of PCS lanes based on the AM. Next, the MLD layer 200b merges blocks of a plurality of PCS lanes into one flow and removes AM from the block array. The MLD layer 200b extracts the IFS from the block arrangement of each PCS lane when removing the AM. The MLD layer 200b transfers the block to the encoding layer 200a.

  In the data transfer unit 20, the LaneLock layer 200c further transfers the data transferred in each PCS lane from the MLD layer 200b to the PMA layer 16a for each PCS lane.

  Further, when receiving data from the PMA layer 16a, the LaneLock layer 200c refers to 2-bit header information in each PCS lane and identifies the position of a block in 66-bit units. The LaneLock layer 200c, after identifying the position of the block, transfers the block arrangement to the MLD layer 200b.

  The PMA layer 16a distributes data of a plurality of PCS lanes to a plurality of physical lanes. For example, 4 PCS lanes are allocated to 4 physical lanes at 40 Gbps, and 20 PCS lanes are allocated to 10 or 4 physical lanes at 100 Gbps. Then, the PMA layer 16a transfers data to the PMD layer 16b for each physical lane.

  In addition, the PMA layer 16a distributes the data transferred from the PMD layer 16b for each of the plurality of physical lanes to the plurality of PCS lanes. Then, the PMA layer 16a transfers data to the LaneLock layer 200c for each PCS lane.

  In the data transmitter / receiver 16, the PMD layer 16b is configured by, for example, a plurality of optical transceivers, and these are connected to the PMA layer 16a for each physical lane. The PMD layer 16b corresponds to the port (data transmission / reception unit 16) shown in FIG. The PMD layer 16b converts the data transferred from the PMA layer 16a for each physical lane from an electrical signal to an optical signal. The plurality of optical signals are multiplexed and transmitted from one optical fiber or from a plurality of fibers.

  In addition, when the received optical signal is multiplexed, the PMD layer 16b distributes to each optical transceiver using a wavelength filter. Each optical transceiver converts data from an optical signal to an electrical signal and transfers the data to the PMA layer 16a via each physical lane.

  The process of transferring data for each block in the encoding layer 200a, the MLD layer 200b, and the LaneLock layer 200c will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a data transfer process in the data transfer unit 20 according to the first embodiment. A process in which the data transfer unit 20 distributes and transfers data to a plurality of PCS lanes for each block will be described for each layer of the PCS layer 200a shown in FIG. Note that numbers (0) to (7) enclosed in squares in the drawing represent each block of data encoded in units of 66 bits using the 64B / 66B encoding method for convenience.

  FIG. 4 illustrates a case where the encoding layer 200a, the MLD layer 200b, and the LaneLock layer 200c each transfer data via four PCS lanes using a media converter that supports 40 Gbps.

(Encoding layer)
In the data transfer unit 20, the encoding layer 200a uses the 64B / 66B encoding method to transfer data transferred in a parallel bit arrangement every 8 octets (64 bits) from the MII layer 28 shown in FIG. Each block is divided and encoded. Then, the block is transferred to the MLD layer 200b.

[MLD layer (distribution unit, alignment information insertion unit, management information insertion unit)]
In the data transfer unit 20, the MLD layer 200b distributes the blocks (0) to (3) shown in FIG. 4 to the PCS lane 1 to PCS lane 4, respectively. Blocks (4) to (7) are also distributed to PCS lane 1 to PCS lane 4 in the same manner as blocks (0) to (3). Therefore, in the MLD layer 200b, the blocks (0) and (4) in the PCS lane 1, the blocks (1) and (5) in the PCS lane 2, the blocks (2) and (6) in the PCS lane 3, and The data is transferred to the PCS lane 4 in the arrangement of blocks (3) and (7).

  In addition, the MLD layer 20 inserts AM into the block arrangement of the blocks transferred for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4. For example, the AM is inserted every 16383 blocks in a block arrangement in the direction of transferring data for each PCS lane from the MLD layer 200b to the LaneLock layer 200c.

  In addition, the MLD layer inserts an IFS for each block array transferred for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4. At this time, the timing for inserting the IFS is synchronized with the timing for inserting the AM. For example, the interval between the AM insertion and the next AM insertion is calculated in advance, and the IFS is inserted at this half interval. At this time, the IFS is periodically inserted at the 8192th position from the AM in the block arrangement in the direction of transferring data in each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4. When AM and IFS are inserted, IFG bits are deleted from the block array by the amount of AM and IFS inserted. Further, the timing for inserting the IFS is only required to be synchronized with the timing for inserting the AM, and in the block array as viewed in the direction of transferring data to each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4, it is possible to insert the IFS in any order. Good.

  The MLD layer 200b transfers the data in which AM and IFS are inserted to the LaneLock layer 200c. In the MLD layer 200b, the IFS is extracted from the block array for each PCS lane with respect to the data transferred from the LaneLock layer 200c with reference to the AM.

  As described above, since the IFS is inserted for each PCS, even if a failure occurs in some of the plurality of physical lanes, the IFS is started from any of the PCS lanes allocated to the physical lanes that can transmit and receive data. Management information can be acquired.

  Specifically, when the data transmitter / receiver 16 is configured by a plurality of optical transceivers, if one of the optical transceivers fails, data cannot be transmitted from the optical transceiver. However, since the IFS is inserted for each PCS lane in the MLD layer 200b, the data including the IFS can be transmitted from the remaining optical transceivers, and the management information can be acquired by extracting the IFS from the data.

  The AM and IFS are always arranged at regular intervals in the block arrangement of data transferred through the PCS lanes 1 to 4. Therefore, when data is received, the position of the IFS in the block array can be easily specified by specifying the position of the AM in the MLD layer 200b.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing IFS transmission processing in the data transfer unit 20 and the data transmission / reception unit 16. A data transfer process executed by the data transfer unit 20 and the data transmission / reception unit 16 when transferring the data transferred from the frame processing unit 22 shown in FIG.

  Step S100: In the data transfer unit 20, the encoding layer 200a encodes the data transferred in units of 64 bits into units of 66 bits using the 64B / 66B encoding method. The encoding layer 200a transfers the block to the MLD layer 200b.

[Distribution process, alignment information insertion process, management information insertion process]
Step S102: In the data transfer unit 20, the MLD layer 200b distributes the block to a plurality of PCS lanes.
Step S104: The MLD layer 200b inserts AM for every 16383 blocks into the block arrangement for each PCS lane. Further, the MLD layer 200b inserts the IFS in synchronization with the timing of inserting the AM. Data from the MLD layer 200b is transferred to the data transmitter / receiver 16 for each physical lane via the LaneLock layer 200c and the PMA layer 16a.

Step S106: The data transmitter / receiver 16 converts data from an electrical signal to an optical signal for each physical lane.
Step S108: The data transmitter / receiver 16 multiplexes the plurality of optical signals converted for each physical lane using, for example, a wavelength filter. When optical signals are transmitted in parallel using a plurality of optical fibers, it is not necessary to multiplex the optical signals.
Step S110: The data transmitter / receiver 16 transmits the multiplexed optical signal and ends (END) this process.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing IFS reception processing in the data transfer unit 20 and the data transmission / reception unit 16. A data transfer process executed by the data transfer unit 20 and the data transmission / reception unit 16 when the data transferred from the data transmission / reception unit 16 shown in FIG.

Step S200: The data transmitter / receiver 16 receives the multiplexed optical signal.
Step S202: The data transmitting / receiving unit 16 separates the multiplexed optical signal using the wavelength filter, and transfers it to the optical transceiver for each physical lane.

  Step S204: The data transmitting / receiving unit 16 converts the plurality of optical signals into electrical signals using an optical transceiver. The data converted into the electric signal is transferred to the MLD layer 200b as a block arrangement for each PCS lane via the PMA layer 16a and the LaneLock layer 200c.

  Step S206: The MLD layer 200b specifies the position of the AM in the block array and specifies the position of the IFS with reference to the position of the AM. Further, the MLD layer 200b aligns the block arrangement based on the AM, removes the AM, merges the blocks of a plurality of PCS lanes into one flow, and transfers the blocks to the encoding layer 200a. At this time, the specified IFS is extracted from the block arrangement for each PCS lane.

  Step S208: The encoding layer 200a restores the 66-bit unit block encoded using the 64B / 66B encoding method into 64-bit unit data.

  Step S210: The data transfer unit 20 transfers the data restored in the encoding layer 200a to the frame processing unit 22, and ends (END) this process.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the media converters 1 and 2 will be described. In the first embodiment described above, the IFS is added or extracted from the MLD layer 200b of the data transfer unit 20, but in the second embodiment, the encoding layer 200a and the MLD layer 200b in the data transfer unit 20 A new IFS layer is provided between them, and the IFS is inserted here. Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described in comparison with the first embodiment. In addition, about the matter which is common in 1st Embodiment, it shall use the code | symbol which is common with illustration, and it abbreviate | omits suitably about the overlapping description.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the media converters 1 and 2 in the second embodiment in a hierarchical manner using an OSI reference model.

  In the second embodiment, an IFS layer 200d is disposed between the encoding layer 200a and the MLD layer 200b.

  In the data transfer unit 20, the encoding layer 200a is common to the first embodiment in that the data transferred from the MII layer 28 in parallel data arrangement every 64 bits is encoded by the 64B / 66B encoding method. Further, in the MLD layer 200b, the block is distributed to a plurality of PCS lanes, and the AM is inserted into the block arrangement in each PCS lane, in common with the first embodiment.

  However, in the first embodiment, the MLD layer 200b inserts the AM into the block array and inserts the IFS. However, in the second embodiment, after the data is encoded, the block is distributed to a plurality of PCS lanes. Before doing so, an IFS is inserted between blocks in the IFS layer 200d. When data is received, the IFS is extracted from between the blocks in the IFS layer 200d. The operation of inserting an IFS in the IFS layer 200d will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a data transfer process in the data transfer unit 20 according to the second embodiment. A data transfer process in each of the encoding layer 200a, the IFS layer 200d, the MLD layer 200b, and the LaneLock layer 200c of the data transfer unit 20 illustrated in FIG. 7 will be described.

(Encoding layer)
Similar to the first embodiment, the encoding layer 200a divides the data transferred from the MII layer 28 every 8 octets (64 bits) in parallel data arrangement into blocks of 66 bits using the 64B / 66B encoding method. To encode. Also, the encoding layer 200a transfers the blocks to the IFS layer 200d in a 66-bit parallel data array.

[IFS layer (management information insertion part)]
The IFS layer 200d inserts an IFS between blocks transferred from the encoding layer 200a. In the second embodiment, four blocks of IFS are continuously inserted between blocks before the blocks are distributed to a plurality of PCS lanes in the MLD layer 200b. Thus, by continuously inserting IFSs according to the number of PCS lanes, when distributing to a plurality of PCS lanes, the IFS can be distributed evenly to each PCS lane.

  When inserting the IFS, the IFS layer 200d puts a specific data pattern for identifying the IFS in the IFS. When receiving data from the MLD layer 200b, the IFS layer 200d finds a data pattern that identifies the IFS and extracts the IFS.

[MLD layer 200b (distribution unit, alignment information insertion unit)
The MLD layer 200b distributes the blocks (0) to (3), the four blocks of IFS, and the blocks (4) to (7) shown in FIG. 8 from the PCS lane 1 to the PCS lane 4. Further, the MLD layer 200b inserts an AM into the block arrangement for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4. The AM is inserted every 16383 blocks in a block array including IFS blocks. When inserting an AM, the IFG bits are deleted from the block array by the amount of the AM inserted.

  Also in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, since the IFS is inserted for each PCS lane, even if a failure occurs in some of the plurality of physical lanes, the IFS is extracted from any of the PCS lanes. Management information can be acquired.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the media converters 1 and 2 will be described. Hereinafter, a description will be given focusing on differences from the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the media converters 1 and 2 in the third embodiment in a hierarchical manner using an OSI reference model. In the first embodiment described above, the IFS is inserted in the MLD layer 200b. However, in the third embodiment, the IFS layer 200d is provided between the MDL layer 200b and the LaneLock layer 200c, and the IFS is inserted here.

  In the IFS layer 200d, an IFS is inserted into the block arrangement of data transferred for each PCS lane. At this time, in the IFS layer 200d, one IFS block is added to the block arrangement.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a data transfer process in the data transfer unit 20 of the third embodiment. A data transfer process in each of the encoding layer 200a, the IFS layer 200d, the MLD layer 200b, and the LaneLock layer 200c of the data transfer unit 20 illustrated in FIG. 9 will be described.

(Encoding layer)
In the encoding layer 200a, data transferred every 8 octets (64 bits) in parallel data arrangement from the MII layer 28 is converted into blocks in 66-bit units using the 64B / 66B encoding method as in the first embodiment. Separate and encode.

[MLD layer (distribution part, alignment information insertion part)
In the MLD layer 200b, the data transferred from the encoding layer 200a is distributed to a plurality of PCS lanes 1 to 4, and AM is inserted into the block arrangement for each PCS lane 1 to 4.

[IFS layer (management information insertion part)]
In the IFS layer, the IFS is inserted into the block arrangement in which the AM is inserted for each of the PCS lanes 1 to 4. At this time, in the third embodiment, one IFS block is added without removing the IFG bits of the block array. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which one block of IFS is inserted between AMs. In the IFS layer 200d, the data transferred through the PCS lanes 1 to 4 is viewed in a block arrangement, and 16384 blocks are arranged between the AMs.

  When inserting the IFS, the IFS layer 200d puts a specific data pattern for identifying the IFS in the IFS. When receiving data from the Lane Lock layer 200c, the IFS layer 200d finds a data pattern that identifies the IFS and extracts the IFS.

  Also in the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, since the IFS is inserted for each PCS lane, even if a failure occurs in some of the plurality of physical lanes, the IFS is extracted from any of the PCS lanes. Management information can be acquired.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Media converter 4 Optical fiber cable 16 Data transmission / reception part 20 Data transfer part 22 Frame processing part 200 PCS layer 200a Coding layer 200b MLD layer 200c LaneLock layer 200d IFS layer

Claims (12)

A distribution unit that distributes data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits;
An alignment information insertion unit that receives the blocks distributed by the distribution unit for each of the PCS lanes, and inserts alignment information for aligning the block arrangement with respect to a block arrangement in which a plurality of the blocks are arranged;
A media converter comprising a management information insertion unit that inserts management information for notifying a communication state to the block arrangement for each PCS lane. The media converter of claim 1, wherein
The management information insertion unit
The media converter, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array in synchronization with a timing at which the alignment information is inserted by the alignment information insertion unit. The media converter according to claim 2,
The management information insertion unit
The media converter, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array at a position away from the alignment information by a predetermined number of blocks. The media converter according to claim 3, wherein
The management information insertion unit
An IFG bit is deleted from the block array by inserting the management information. A distribution step of distributing data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits;
An alignment information insertion step of receiving the blocks distributed in the distribution step for each of the PCS lanes, and inserting alignment information for aligning the block arrangement with respect to a block arrangement in which a plurality of the blocks are arranged;
A data communication method for a media converter, comprising: a management information insertion step of inserting management information for notifying a communication state to the block array for each PCS lane. In the data communication method of the media converter according to claim 5,
In the management information insertion step,
A data communication method for a media converter, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array in synchronization with a timing at which the alignment information is inserted in the alignment information insertion step. The data communication method of the media converter according to claim 6,
In the management information insertion step,
A data communication method for a media converter, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array at a position separated from the alignment information by a predetermined number of blocks. The data communication method of the media converter according to claim 7,
In the management information insertion step,
A data communication method for a media converter, wherein IFG bits are deleted from the block array as much as the management information is inserted. A network system comprising at least two media converters connected to each other via a network cable for transmitting an optical signal and transmitting / receiving data through the network cable,
Each of the media converters
A distribution unit that distributes data to a plurality of PCS lanes in blocks of a predetermined number of bits;
An alignment information insertion unit that receives the blocks distributed by the distribution unit for each of the PCS lanes, and inserts alignment information for aligning the block arrangement with respect to a block arrangement in which a plurality of the blocks are arranged;
The network system which has a management information insertion part which inserts the management information for notifying a communication state with respect to the said block arrangement for every said PCS lane. The network system according to claim 9, wherein
The management information insertion unit
The network system, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array in synchronization with a timing at which the alignment information is inserted by the alignment information insertion unit. The network system according to claim 10, wherein
The management information insertion unit
The network system, wherein the management information is inserted into the block array at a position away from the alignment information by a predetermined number of blocks. The network system according to claim 11, wherein
The management information insertion unit
An IFG bit is deleted from the block array by inserting the management information.

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