# US 11,444,979 B2 · Event detection and management for quantum communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,979 B2 - Document ID: US11444979B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/704,034 - Filed: 2019-12-05 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-05 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Moshiur Rahman; William Trost - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444979B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/20: {for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227)} - H04L 9/0852: {Quantum cryptography (transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. light, infrared H04B10/00; wavelength-division multiplex systems H04J14/02; WDM arrangements H04J14/03)} - H04L 63/062: {for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819)} - H04L 63/1416: {Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection} - H04W 12/043: using a trusted network node as an anchor - H04W 12/121: Wireless intrusion detection systems [WIDS]; Wireless intrusion prevention systems [WIPS] - H04W 12/61: Time-dependent - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract The present disclosure describes event detection and management for quantum communications in a communication network. The event detection and management for quantum communications in a communication network may be provided based on event-based interaction between quantum nodes of the communication network and a network controller of the communication network, such as where the quantum nodes detect events associated with quantum communications and report the events associated with quantum communications to the network controller and where the network controller receives the events associated with quantum communications from the quantum nodes and initiates event management operations based on the events associated with quantum communications. The event detection and management for quantum communications in a communication network may be provided for various aspects of quantum communications, such as for quantum channels configured to support quantum information transfers, quantum information transfers via quantum channels, quantum applications, and so forth. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: detecting, by a processing system of a quantum node in a communication network, 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 processing system for delivery to a network controller of the communication network, an indication of the event associated with the quantum security application. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is sent toward a master quantum node configured to provide the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application to the network controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is sent toward the network controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quantum security application comprises a quantum key distribution application or a quantum teleportation application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the processing system, a message associated with an event management operation initiated by the network controller based on the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting, by the processing system, a second event associated with the quantum node; and sending, by the processing system for delivery to the network controller, an indication of the second event associated with the quantum node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the second event associated with the quantum node includes at least one of: an event associated with the quantum channel, an event associated with the information transfer via the quantum channel, or an event associated with a quantum application configured to support quantum communications at the quantum node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quantum node is associated with a network slice of a communication network, wherein the network controller is based on software defined networking. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quantum node is associated with an edge cloud configured to support edge computing, wherein the network controller is associated with a core cloud associated with the edge cloud. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is received from the quantum node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is received from a master quantum node with which the quantum node is associated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the event management operation for the quantum security application includes providing an additional resource for the quantum node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving, by the processing system, a second event associated with the quantum node; and initiating, by the processing system based on the second event associated with the quantum node, a second event management operation for the quantum node. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second event associated with the quantum node includes at least one of: an event associated with the quantum channel, an event associated with the information transfer via the quantum channel, or an event associated with a quantum application configured to support quantum communications at the quantum node. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the network controller is based on software defined networking, wherein the quantum node is associated with a network slice of a communication network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the network controller is associated with a core cloud, wherein the quantum node is associated with an edge cloud. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is sent toward a master quantum node configured to provide the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application to the network controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indication of the event associated with the quantum security application is sent toward the network controller.