# US 2014/0193150 A1 · Communication system, station-side communication device, user-side communication device, communication method, and control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193150 A1 - Document ID: US20140193150A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/698,509 - Filed: 2012-01-27 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-25 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Hiroaki Mukai; Fumihiko Tano; Masaki Tanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193150A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/44: Star or tree networks - H04B 10/272: Star-type networks {or tree-type networks} - H04J 14/0221: {Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant} - H04J 14/0247: {Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs} - H04J 14/0252: {Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU} - H04J 14/0267: {Optical signaling or routing} - H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof - Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An OLT includes an OLT control unit that generates a control signal for controlling a power saving operation of an ONU by specifying a different idle period with respect to a first power saving operation in which an optical receiver is operated while an optical transmitter of the ONU is controlled to a power saving state and a second power saving operation for controlling the optical transmitter and the optical receiver to the power saving state, and a station-side transmitter that transmits the control signal generated by the OLT control unit to the ONU. The ONU includes an ONU control unit that receives the control signal via the optical receiver to selectively perform the first power saving operation and the second power saving operation based on the idle period specified by the control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system comprising a station-side communication device (hereinafter, OLT) and a user-side communication device (hereinafter, ONU), in which the ONU communicates with the OLT via a user-side transmitter and a user-side receiver connected to a communication line, wherein the OLT includes an OLT control unit that generates a control signal for controlling a power saving operation of the ONU by specifying a different idle period with respect to a first power saving operation in which an optical receiver is operated while an optical transmitter of the ONU is controlled to a power saving state and a second power saving operation in which the user-side transmitter and the user-side receiver are controlled to a power saving state, and a station-side transmitter that transmits the control signal generated by the OLT control unit to the ONU, and the ONU includes an ONU control unit that receives the control signal via the user-side receiver to selectively perform the first power saving operation and the second power saving operation based on the idle period specified by the control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the OLT control unit specifies a plurality of the different idle periods and transmits the idle periods to the ONU as the control signal, at a time of acquiring capability information of the ONU and performing communication setting in the communication line, and in the communication setting, the ONU control unit stores therein the different idle periods, and when the first power saving operation or the second power saving operation is to be performed after performing the communication setting, the ONU control unit selects an idle period corresponding to the power saving operation to be performed from the idle periods, and variably controls the idle period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communication system according to claim 2, wherein the idle period in the first power saving operation is longer than that in the second power saving operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The communication system according to claim 2, wherein each idle period is determined based on a delay time generated in a corresponding power saving operation and power consumption reduced by the idle period. ### Claim 5 A station-side communication device connected to a user-side communication device via a communication line, the station-side communication device comprising: a control unit that generates a control signal for controlling an operation of the user-side communication device in a power saving mode in which at least one of a transmitter and a receiver of the user-side communication device is intermittently halted, so that the user-side communication device can change over a plurality of idle periods with respect to the power saving mode; and a transmitter that transmits the control signal generated by the control unit to the user-side communication device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The station-side communication device according to claim 5, further comprising a storage unit that stores, as the idle periods, therein a first power saving period with respect to a first power saving mode in which the receiver of the user-side communication device is operated while the transmitter of the user-side communication device is controlled to a power saving state, and a second power saving period with respect to a second power saving mode in which the transmitter of the user-side communication device and the receiver of the user-side communication device are controlled to a power saving state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The station-side communication device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit inserts, into the control signal, a first power saving period as the idle period with respect to the transmitter of the user-side communication device and a second power saving period as the idle period with respect to the receiver of the user-side communication device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The station-side communication device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit inserts, into the control signal, a transient operating time in a period during which the user-side communication device transiently operates the transmitter or the receiver of the user-side communication device after the idle period in the power saving mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The station-side communication device according to claim 5, wherein when the control unit acquires capability information of the user-side communication device and performs communication setting in a communication protocol on the communication line, the control unit transmits the control signal to the user-side communication device by specifying the idle period therein, and when the control unit allows the user-side communication device to perform the power saving mode after communication based on the communication setting is started, the control unit transmits a permission signal to the user-side communication device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The station-side communication device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit generates a first control signal for intermittently stopping power supply to the transmitter of the user-side communication device during the first power saving period and a second control signal for intermittently stopping power supply to the transmitter and the receiver of the user-side communication device during the second power saving period. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The station-side communication device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit specifies, as a threshold, a downlink delay time at which power consumption by the first power saving mode in which power supply to the transmitter of the user-side communication device is intermittently stopped and power consumption by the second power saving mode in which power supply to the transmitter and the receiver of the user-side communication device is intermittently stopped in the second power saving period become equal to each other, and when an acceptable downlink delay time is less than the threshold, the control unit determines the first power saving mode as the power saving mode of the user-side communication device, to generate the first control signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The station-side communication device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit generates a third control signal having time information of the first power saving period and a fourth control signal having time information of the second power saving period. ### Claim 13 A user-side communication device that communicates with a station-side communication device based on a control signal transmitted from the station-side communication device, the user-side communication device comprising: a receiver that receives a control signal related to a power saving operation from the station-side communication device, and can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a receiving function; a transmitter that transmits a transmission signal to the station-side communication device and can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a transmitting function; and a control unit that selects a power saving period to be used from a plurality of power saving periods based on the control signal received by the receiver, and controls at least one of the receiver and the transmitter to the power saving state based on the selected power saving period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The user-side communication device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit controls the receiver and the transmitter by using at least two power saving modes, of a first power saving mode in which only the transmitter, of the receiver and the transmitter, is shifted to the power saving state, a second power saving mode in which the receiver and the transmitter are shifted to the power saving state, and a third power saving mode in which only the receiver, of the receiver and the transmitter, is shifted to the power saving state, and each of the power saving periods is set corresponding to each power saving mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The user-side communication device according to claim 14, wherein the receiver receives a first control signal having time information of a first power saving period, which is a power saving period in the first power saving mode, and a second control signal having time information of a second power saving period, which is a power saving period in the second power saving mode, and the control unit intermittently stops power supply to the transmitter in the first power saving period based on the first control signal received by the receiver, and intermittently stops power supply to the transmitter and the receiver in the second power saving period based on the second control signal received by the receiver. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The user-side communication device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit controls the receiver and the transmitter by using at least two power saving modes, of a first power saving mode in which only the transmitter, of the receiver and the transmitter, is shifted to the power saving state, a second power saving mode in which the receiver and the transmitter are shifted to the power saving state, and a third power saving mode in which only the receiver, of the receiver and the transmitter, is shifted to the power saving state, the first power saving period of the power saving periods is a power saving period with respect to the transmitter, and the second power saving period of the power saving periods is a power saving period with respect to the receiver. ### Claim 17 A communication method used in a communication system including a station-side communication device (hereinafter, OLT) and a user-side communication device (hereinafter, ONU), in which the OLT controls a first power saving operation of the ONU and a second power saving operation different from the first power saving operation, the communication method comprising: a step at which the OLT transmits a first power saving period related to the first power saving operation of the ONU and a second power saving period related to the second power saving operation to the ONU; a step at which the ONU receives a control signal transmitted from the OLT; a step at which the ONU determines whether to perform a power saving operation; and a step at which the ONU performs the first power saving operation in the first power saving period, and the second power saving operation in the second power saving period, depending on the determination result. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The communication method according to claim 17, wherein in the first power saving operation, a transmitter, of the transmitter and a receiver of the ONU, operates in a power saving state, and in the second power saving operation, the transmitter and the receiver operate in the power saving state, and the first power saving period is longer than the second power saving period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The communication method according to claim 17, further comprising a step at which the OLT transmits a first operation period related to the first power saving operation of the ONU and a second operation period related to the second power saving operation to the ONU. ### Claim 20 A control device of a station-side communication device connected to a user-side communication device (hereinafter, ONU) including a receiver that can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a receiving function, and a transmitter that can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a transmitting function, via a line to control an operation of the ONU, wherein the control device generates a control signal for controlling the operation of the ONU in a power saving mode in which at least one of the transmitter and the receiver of the ONU is intermittently halted, so that the ONU can change over a plurality of idle periods with respect to the power saving mode. ### Claim 21 A control device provided in a user-side communication device including a receiver that receives a control signal related to a power saving operation from a station-side communication device and can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a receiving function, and a transmitter that transmits a transmission signal to the station-side communication device and can shift to a power saving state where power consumption is reduced by halting a part or all of a transmitting function, wherein the control device selects a power saving period to be used from a plurality of power saving periods based on the control signal received by the receiver, and controls at least one of the receiver and the transmitter to the power saving state based on the selected power saving period. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the ONU control unit selectively performs a first power saving mode in which the user-side transmitter is intermittently halted, designating the idle period in the first power saving operation as an intermittent idle period, and a second power saving mode in which the user-side transmitter and the user-side receiver are intermittently halted, designating the idle period in the second power saving operation as the intermittent idle period, the ONU includes a consumption-power-information storage unit for storing therein correspondence of a ratio between the intermittent idle period and a transient operating time to power consumption for each power saving mode, as consumption power information, when a period during which the user-side transmitter is transiently operated or a period during which the user-side transmitter and the user-side receiver are transiently operated after the intermittent idle period is designated as the transient operating time, and a power-saving-mode selection unit that obtains power consumption for each power saving mode based on the set intermittent idle period, the transient operating time, and the power consumption information, and selects a power saving mode based on power consumption for each of the obtained power saving modes, and the communication system performs the power saving mode selected by the power-saving-mode selection unit and notifies the OLT of the selected power saving mode. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the ONU control unit selectively performs a first power saving mode in which the user-side transmitter is intermittently halted, designating the idle period in the first power saving operation as an intermittent idle period, and a second power saving mode in which the user-side transmitter and the user-side receiver are intermittently halted, designating the idle period in the second power saving operation as the intermittent idle period, the OLT includes a consumption-power-information storage unit for storing therein, for each ONU, correspondence of a ratio between the intermittent idle period and a transient operating time to power consumption for each power saving mode as consumption power information, when a period during which the user-side transmitter is transiently operated or a period during which the user-side transmitter and the user-side receiver are transiently operated after the intermittent idle period is designated as the transient operating time, and a power-saving-mode selection unit that obtains power consumption for each power saving mode based on the set intermittent idle period, the transient operating time, and the power consumption information, and selects a power saving mode based on power consumption for each of the obtained power saving modes, and the OLT notifies the selected power saving mode to the ONU, and the ONU performs the power saving mode notified from the OLT. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The communication system according to claim 23, wherein the power consumption information is transmitted from the ONU to the OLT. ### Claim 25 (depends on 8) The station-side communication device according to claim 8, further comprising: a power-consumption-information storage unit that stores therein, for each ONU, correspondence of a ratio between a power saving period and the transient operating time to power consumption for each power saving mode as consumption power information; and a power-saving-mode selection unit that obtains power consumption for each power saving mode based on the set power saving period, the set transient operating time, and the power consumption information, and selects a power saving mode based on power consumption for each of the obtained power saving modes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 13) The user-side communication device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit selectively performs a first power saving mode in which only the transmitter, of the receiver and the transmitter, is shifted to the power saving state and a second power saving mode in which the receiver and the transmitter are shifted to the power saving state, the receiver receives a first control signal having time information of a first power saving period, which is a power saving period in the first power saving mode, and a second control signal having time information of a second power saving period, which is a power saving period in the second power saving mode, the control unit intermittently stops power supply to the transmitter based on the first control signal, designating the first power saving period as an idle period, and intermittently stops power supply to the transmitter and the receiver based on the second control signal, designating the second power saving period as the power saving period, and the control unit includes a consumption-power-information storage unit for storing therein, for each ONU, correspondence of a ratio between the intermittent idle period and a transient operating time to power consumption for each power saving mode as consumption power information, when a period during which the transmitter is transiently operated or a period during which the transmitter and the receiver are transiently operated after the power saving period is specified as the transient operating time, and a power-saving-mode selection unit that obtains power consumption for each power saving mode based on the set power saving period, the transient operating time, and the power consumption information, and selects a power saving mode based on power consumption for each of the obtained power saving modes. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The communication method according to claim 19, further comprising: a step at which the ONU or the OLT stores therein, for each ONU, correspondence of a ratio between the first or second power saving period and the first or second operating time to power consumption for each power saving mode, as consumption power information; a step at which the ONU or the OLT obtains power consumption for each power saving mode based on the set first or second power saving period, the set first or second operating time, and the power consumption information, and selects a power saving mode based on power consumption for each of the obtained power saving modes; and a step at which the ONU performs the selected power saving mode.