Embodiments of this application disclose a communication method and an apparatus, and relate to the communications field, to resolve a problem of how to simultaneously perform transmission by using a plurality of light sources and increase transmission efficiency in a multi-light source scenario in an optical camera communications system. A specific solution is: generating N physical frames, where each of the physical frames includes a preamble, a mode indication, and valid data, the mode indication is used to indicate a sending mode of N light sources, the sending mode is a diversity mode or a multiplexing mode, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; and sending the N physical frames by using the N light sources, where one light source sends one physical frame. The embodiments of this application are used in an optical camera communication process.

A network switch system includes a switch box and an optical communication device. The optical communication device includes a housing, a first light emitter disposed in the housing, a TOSA component set selectively disposed in the housing or within the switch box, and a ROSA disposed in the switch box. The first light emitter is optically coupled to the ROSA.

A network switch system includes a switch box and an optical communication device. The optical communication device includes a housing, a first light emitter disposed in the housing, a TOSA component set selectively disposed in the housing or within the switch box, and a ROSA disposed in the switch box. The first light emitter is optically coupled to the ROSA.

An optical communication system includes a plurality of optical combining/splitting units provided on a trunk fiber in series, a plurality of slave devices connected to the plurality of optical combining/splitting units, respectively, a master device connected to the trunk fiber and configured to perform optical communication with each slave device, and a monitoring apparatus. Each optical combining/splitting unit includes an optical sensor configured to detect an optical signal passing through an optical fiber and a transmitter. The transmitter determines whether or not there is an abnormality in optical communication on the basis of a detection state of the optical signal and transmits an abnormality notification including identification information of the optical combining/splitting unit to the monitoring apparatus in a case where there is an abnormality in optical communication. The monitoring apparatus holds connection relationship information indicating a connection relationship between the plurality of optical combining/splitting units along the trunk fiber. In a case where the monitoring apparatus receives the abnormality notification from at least one of the plurality of optical combining/splitting units, the monitoring apparatus specifies a failure position on the trunk fiber on the basis of identification information of each optical combining/splitting unit that has transmitted the abnormality notification and the connection relationship information.

An optical communication system includes a plurality of optical combining/splitting units provided on a trunk fiber in series, a plurality of slave devices connected to the plurality of optical combining/splitting units, respectively, a master device connected to the trunk fiber and configured to perform optical communication with each slave device, and a monitoring apparatus. Each optical combining/splitting unit includes an optical sensor configured to detect an optical signal passing through an optical fiber and a transmitter. The transmitter determines whether or not there is an abnormality in optical communication on the basis of a detection state of the optical signal and transmits an abnormality notification including identification information of the optical combining/splitting unit to the monitoring apparatus in a case where there is an abnormality in optical communication. The monitoring apparatus holds connection relationship information indicating a connection relationship between the plurality of optical combining/splitting units along the trunk fiber. In a case where the monitoring apparatus receives the abnormality notification from at least one of the plurality of optical combining/splitting units, the monitoring apparatus specifies a failure position on the trunk fiber on the basis of identification information of each optical combining/splitting unit that has transmitted the abnormality notification and the connection relationship information.

At least one source of light mounted in a terrestrial vehicle optically couples to one or more light-bearing conduits. Various sizes of conduit can be utilized and the conduits can be grouped or physically separated. One, some, or all of these light-bearing conduits may carry any or all of visible light, data-bearing light, and power conveying light for use by any of a variety of illumination components, data-capable components, and light-to-electricity conversion components, respectively. A given component may itself constitute both an illumination component and a data-capable component, or both an illumination component and a light-to-electricity conversion component, or both a data-capable component and a light-to-electricity conversion component, or a component that constitutes each of an illumination component, a data-capable component, and a light-to-electricity conversion component as desired.

At least one source of light mounted in a terrestrial vehicle optically couples to one or more light-bearing conduits. Various sizes of conduit can be utilized and the conduits can be grouped or physically separated. One, some, or all of these light-bearing conduits may carry any or all of visible light, data-bearing light, and power conveying light for use by any of a variety of illumination components, data-capable components, and light-to-electricity conversion components, respectively. A given component may itself constitute both an illumination component and a data-capable component, or both an illumination component and a light-to-electricity conversion component, or both a data-capable component and a light-to-electricity conversion component, or a component that constitutes each of an illumination component, a data-capable component, and a light-to-electricity conversion component as desired.

A splitting apparatus provides M groups of ports and includes M splitting elements. Each splitting element includes at least one feeder end and N branch ends, where M=N+1. Each branch end of each splitting element is coupled to one branch end of another splitting element in the M splitting elements, where different branch ends of each splitting element are coupled to one branch end of different splitting elements. A feeder end of each splitting element is coupled to one group of ports in the M groups of ports of the splitting apparatus, and feeder ends of different splitting elements are coupled to different groups of ports. The splitting apparatus may implement an optical bus structure with peer-to-peer topologies.

A splitting apparatus provides M groups of ports and includes M splitting elements. Each splitting element includes at least one feeder end and N branch ends, where M=N+1. Each branch end of each splitting element is coupled to one branch end of another splitting element in the M splitting elements, where different branch ends of each splitting element are coupled to one branch end of different splitting elements. A feeder end of each splitting element is coupled to one group of ports in the M groups of ports of the splitting apparatus, and feeder ends of different splitting elements are coupled to different groups of ports. The splitting apparatus may implement an optical bus structure with peer-to-peer topologies.

A moving body-mounted communication system includes an internal connector, a third transmission line and a first information transmitting and receiving device. The internal connector is mounted in a moving body and connected to an external connector which is connected to a second transmission line. The third transmission line is arranged in the moving body and connected to the internal connector. The first information transmitting and receiving device is connected to the third transmission line. Information is transferred between a first transmission line used in an information and communication network outside the moving body and the second transmission line, and is transferred between the second transmission line and the third transmission line, without performing conversion of the information form of the information between light and electricity.