An objective is to provide a terminal device, a communication method, and a communication system in which the time taken by connection operations/authentication operations does not increase proportionally with the pattern length, even if the transmitting side and the receiving side are not synchronized. A terminal device, a communication method, and a communication system according to the present invention create n pieces of signal information (n-bit patterns) by sequentially shifting each bit of a single piece of received signal information (n-bit pattern) one bit at a time. Through the above, signal information time-shifted by one bit each is obtained. Thus, even if the transmitting side and the receiving side are not synchronized, one of the n pieces of signal information is a signal synchronized with the transmitting side. Thereafter, the signal synchronized with the transmitting side can be detected by a brute-force calculation with the patterns (ID information) in the list.

An object is to provide a communication system, a base station, and a communication method that can avoid a state in which an RF wireless communication cannot be started due to the quality of optical wireless communication.

In an optical communication system according to the present invention, a base station device repeatedly transmits an authentication information frame addressed to a terminal device at a predetermined cycle by the optical wireless communication, the frame including authentication information for connection to the terminal device by the RF wireless communication. Even if the terminal fails to acquire the authentication information at a certain timing due to the quality of optical wireless communication, the communication system has a mechanism that acquires the same authentication information at regular time intervals, so that terminal authentication processing can be performed at the time when the terminal acquires the authentication information.

An object is to provide a communication system, a base station, and a communication method that can avoid a state in which an RF wireless communication cannot be started due to the quality of optical wireless communication.

In an optical communication system according to the present invention, a base station device repeatedly transmits an authentication information frame addressed to a terminal device at a predetermined cycle by the optical wireless communication, the frame including authentication information for connection to the terminal device by the RF wireless communication. Even if the terminal fails to acquire the authentication information at a certain timing due to the quality of optical wireless communication, the communication system has a mechanism that acquires the same authentication information at regular time intervals, so that terminal authentication processing can be performed at the time when the terminal acquires the authentication information.

Optical communication modules and associated methods and computer program products for performing network communication security are provided. An example optical module includes a substrate, a first optoelectronic component supported by the substrate configured for operation with optical signals having a first wavelength, and a second optoelectronic component supported by the substrate configured for operation with optical signals having a second wavelength. The module further includes an optical communication medium defining a first end in optical communication with the first optoelectronic component and the second optoelectronic component and a second end. The module also includes security circuitry operably connected with the first optoelectronic component and the second optoelectronic component. The security circuitry determines the presence of a noncompliant component coupled with the optical communication medium at the second end based upon operation of the second optoelectronic component.

A device may include a processor configured to select a quantum key distribution transmission; identify an optical fiber path via which the quantum key distribution transmission is to be performed; determine one or more values for at least one transmission parameter for the identified optical fiber path; and select a pulse script for the optical fiber path based on the determined one or more values for the at least one transmission parameter. The processor may be further configured to perform the quantum key distribution transmission via the identified optical fiber path using the selected pulse script.

A data communication network includes a network node and a processor. The network node includes an optical link and a reflectometry analyzer. The reflection analyzer provides a plurality of reflectometry results that each provide a characterization of physical and operational properties of the optical link at the time of the reflectometry result. The processor receives a first set of the reflectometry results, analyzes the first set of reflectometry results to define a fingerprint of the physical and operational properties of the optical link, receives a second set of the reflectometry results, compares the second set of reflectometry results with the fingerprint, and determines whether or not the optical link is secure based upon the comparison of the second set of reflectometry results with the fingerprint.

A data communication network includes a network node and a processor. The network node includes an optical link and a reflectometry analyzer. The reflection analyzer provides a plurality of reflectometry results that each provide a characterization of physical and operational properties of the optical link at the time of the reflectometry result. The processor receives a first set of the reflectometry results, analyzes the first set of reflectometry results to define a fingerprint of the physical and operational properties of the optical link, receives a second set of the reflectometry results, compares the second set of reflectometry results with the fingerprint, and determines whether or not the optical link is secure based upon the comparison of the second set of reflectometry results with the fingerprint.

A data communication network includes a plurality of network nodes and a processor. The network nodes each include an optical link and a reflectometry analyzer. The reflection analyzers provide reflectometry results that each provide a characterization of physical and operational properties of the associated optical link. The processor receives the reflectometry results from the reflectometry analyzers, and, for each optical link, analyzes the reflectometry results to determine a fingerprint of the physical and operational properties of the associated optical link. The processor further determines a status for each of the optical links based upon the associated fingerprints, and determines a first path between a first one of the network nodes and a second one of the network nodes based upon a first status of a first optical link in the first path and a second status of a second optical link in the path.

An information handling system includes a plurality of network nodes and a processor. Each network node includes an optical link and a reflectometry analyzer. The reflection analyzers provide a plurality of reflectometry results that each provide a characterization of physical properties of the optical link. The processor receives the reflectometry results, analyzes the reflectometry results to define a fingerprint of the physical properties of the optical link, and determines a status for each of the optical links based upon the associated fingerprints. The status for each of the optical links includes one of a plurality of graded statuses. Each graded status represents a qualitative measure of the physical properties of the associated optical link. A first graded status represents a better qualitative measure than a second graded status. The processor further receives a request to route a data flow from a first one of the network nodes to a second one of the network nodes. The data flow is associated with a service level agreement that defines that the data flow is to be routed on optical links that have the first graded status. The processor further determines a path between the first network node and the second network node where each of optical links in the path have the first graded status.

A hollow core fiber (HCF) link is characterized by structural properties selected to support and sustain light propagation in a fundamental mode and in at least one higher-order mode. Connected to a proximal end of the HCF link, there is a mode coupler configured to couple a data signal into the fundamental mode and to couple an obfuscating signal into the at least one higher-order mode for simultaneous propagation of the data signal and the obfuscating signal on the HCF link, where the obfuscating signal substantially overlaps the data signal in spectral content. At a distal end of the HCF link, there is a mode splitter configured to split a first optical signal detected in the fundamental mode from a second optical signal detected in the at least one higher-order mode.