Event detection and management for quantum communications

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processing system including at least one processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system when deployed in a communication network, cause the processing system to perform operations of a quantum node, the operations comprising:
• detecting, by the quantum node, an event associated with a quantum security application configured to provide security for at least one of:
• a quantum channel supported by the quantum node or an information transfer via the quantum channel supported by the quantum node, wherein the detecting the event associated with the quantum security application includes:
• starting a timer in response to detection of a photon condition on the quantum channel, wherein the photon condition includes a sending of an initial photon via the quantum channel or a receiving of an initial photon via the quantum channel;
• and
• detecting, based on a determination that the timer has expired, the event associated with the quantum security application;
• and
• sending, by the quantum node for delivery to a network controller of the communication network, an indication of the event associated with the quantum security application.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a processing system of a network controller from a quantum node, an indication of an event associated with a quantum security application configured to provide security for at least one of:
• a quantum channel supported by the quantum node or an information transfer via the quantum channel supported by the quantum node, wherein the event associated with the quantum security application is detected via the quantum node by:
• starting a timer in response to detection of a photon condition on the quantum channel, wherein the photon condition includes a sending of an initial photon via the quantum channel or a receiving of an initial photon via the quantum channel;
• and
• detecting, based on a determination that the timer has expired, the event associated with the quantum security application;
• and
• initiating, by the processing system of the network controller based on the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application, an event management operation for the quantum security application.