Bandwidth variable communication method, bandwidth variable communication apparatus, transmission bandwidth determination apparatus, transmission bandwidth determination method, node apparatus, communication path setting system, communication path setting

A bandwidth variable communication apparatus that is placed on a route of a link connecting between client apparatuses of a start point and an end point and that includes a function for transmitting, receiving and route-exchanging for an optical signal, the bandwidth variable communication apparatus comprising:

• a transmission unit configured to generate and transmit an optical path of a desired bit rate B (bit/s);
• a receiving unit configured to receive an optical path of a desired bit rate B (bit/s);
• a control unit configured to receive a control signal from an external management apparatus to control the transmission unit, the receiving unit and the route exchange unit;
• and
• a route exchange unit including a route exchange function configured to switch an output port of one or more optical paths entering from an input port based on the control signal from the control unit and a bandwidth change function configured to change a frequency bandwidth by which an optical path can pass through a section from the output port to the output port,
• the control unit including:
• a control transmit receive function configured to transmit and receive, with the external management apparatus, modulation format control information of the transmission unit and the receiving unit and control information of the route exchange function and the bandwidth change function of the route exchange unit, and a control function configured to control the transmission unit, the receiving unit and the route exchange unit based on the control information, wherein
• the transmission unit generates and transmits an optical signal by changing the modulation format based on the control signal from the control unit,
• the receiving unit performs reception corresponding to a modulation format of an optical path transmitted from another optical communication apparatus, and
• the route exchange unit sets a frequency bandwidth in a section through which the optical path passes in accordance with the bandwidth of the path.

A transmission bandwidth determination apparatus including a function configured to transmit a control instruction to an optical transmission apparatus, a node apparatus and an optical receiving apparatus and to set a designated route, in an optical communication network formed by connecting, via transmission routes, the optical transmission apparatus having a function for changing a modulation scheme for transmitting an optical signal, the node apparatus having a function for changing a pass bandwidth of an optical signal, and an optical receiving apparatus that can receive signals of various modulation schemes, the transmission bandwidth determination apparatus comprising:

• a transmission information database configured to store corresponding relationship between transmission specification of a communication path for route setting, a pass bandwidth to be assigned to the node apparatus on the communication path and a modulation scheme to be set to the optical transmission apparatus;
• a pass bandwidth and modulation scheme determination unit configured to determine a pass bandwidth to be assigned and a modulation scheme according to the transmission specification of an optical communication path to be set by referring to the transmission information database;
• and
• a control unit configured to receive information of the pass bandwidth and the modulation scheme set by the pass bandwidth and modulation scheme determination unit, and to perform setting of the optical communication path according to the information.

A transmission bandwidth determination method in a transmission bandwidth determination apparatus including a function configured to transmit a control instruction to an optical transmission apparatus, a node apparatus and an optical receiving apparatus and to set a designated route, in an optical communication network formed by connecting, via transmission routes, the optical transmission apparatus having a function for changing a modulation scheme for transmitting an optical signal, the node apparatus having a function for changing a pass bandwidth of an optical signal, and an optical receiving apparatus that can receive signals of various modulation schemes, the transmission bandwidth determination apparatus comprising:

• a pass bandwidth and modulation scheme determination step in which a pass bandwidth and modulation scheme determination unit determines a pass bandwidth to be assigned and a modulation scheme by referring to a transmission information database configured to store corresponding relationship between transmission specification of a communication path for route setting, a pass bandwidth to be assigned to the node apparatus on the communication path and a modulation scheme to be set to the optical transmission apparatus;
• a control step in which a control unit receives information of the pass bandwidth and the modulation scheme set by the pass bandwidth and modulation scheme determination step, and performs setting of the optical communication path according to the information.

A node apparatus in a communication network, comprising:

• a bandwidth variable transmission unit configured to transmit an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band;
• a bandwidth variable receiving unit configured to receive an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band;
• a bandwidth variable route exchange unit configured to perform route exchange for an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band between arbitrary input-output routes;
• and
• a control function unit configured to set a signal of an arbitrary frequency band in arbitrary input-output routes by exchanging a control signal with the bandwidth variable transmission unit, the bandwidth variable receiving unit and the bandwidth variable route exchange unit, wherein
• the control signal designates the frequency band of the optical signal on which route exchange is performed by using a start point value and an end point value of an optical frequency or by using a center frequency and a bandwidth.

A communication path setting system in a communication network that connects, via optical transmission routes,

• a node apparatus that can output an input optical signal to an arbitrary output unit by parallel transmission and that includes a function for changing the number of lanes in the parallel transmission,
• an optical transmitter that can perform parallel transmission of an optical signal and that can change the number of lanes, and
• an optical receiver that can receive an optical signal received in parallel transmission with an arbitrary number of lanes,
• the communication path setting system comprising:
• a control function unit configured to transmit a control instruction to the node apparatus;
• a database configured to store correspondence information between transmission specification required when setting a communication path and the number of transmission lanes;
• a transmission lane number determination function unit configured to determine the number of lanes corresponding to a required transmission specification;
• and
• a control apparatus including a unit configured to transmit a communication path setting instruction to the node apparatus with the lane number determined by the transmission lane number determination function unit, and to set a communication path,
• the optical transmitter comprising:
• a unit configured to change the number of lanes for transmission in the case when the communication network sets a standby communication path for an active communication path and switches from the active communication path to the standby communication path being triggered by a trigger signal or performs route change of a communication path, and
• the optical receiver comprising:
• a unit configured to change the number of lanes for reception in the case when the communication network sets a standby communication path for an active communication path and switches from the active communication path to the standby communication path being triggered by a trigger signal or performs route change of a communication path.

A communication path setting method in a node apparatus in a communication network, wherein a control function unit of the node apparatus:

• sets a signal of an arbitrary frequency band in arbitrary input-output routes by performing control of exchanging a control signal among
• a bandwidth variable transmission unit configured to transmit an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band,
• a bandwidth variable receiving unit configured to receive an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band, and
• a bandwidth variable route exchange unit configured to perform route exchange for an optical signal of an arbitrary frequency band between arbitrary input-output routes, wherein
• the control signal designates the frequency band of the optical signal on which route exchange is performed by using a start point value and an end point value of an optical frequency or by using a center frequency and a bandwidth.