Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an optical communication system includes a primary transceiver, a component, and secondary transceivers. The primary transceiver is operable to supply first optical subcarriers to an optical communication path, the first optical subcarriers being amplitude modulated at a first frequency to carry first control information and amplitude modulated at a second frequency to carry second control information. The component is operable to be coupled to the optical communication path and includes circuitry operable to detect the first control information. The secondary transceivers are coupled to a terminal end of the optical communication path. At least one of the secondary transceivers is operable to detect the second control information and block the first control information.

A function of detecting an unused path through which actual data is not transmitted in a long-distance redundant network is realized at low cost. In an optical transmission system 20, each of the optical transceivers 21a and 21b that are connected to each other by an optical fiber cable 22 and disposed separately includes a protocol IC unit 35. The protocol IC unit 35 transmits an idle signal A1 with empty data using an optical signal P1 to an unused path of the optical fiber cable 22. At the time of this transmission, the protocol IC unit 35 outputs, to the transmission unit 33, a control signal C1 for performing, at a fixed modulation period, ON/OFF modulation on the optical signal P1 on which the idle signal A1 is superimposed. Also, the protocol IC unit 35 transmits an OAM signal O1 at an OAM period that is a period different from a modulation period, and performs control to turn ON the control signal C1 at the time of this transmission. The protocol IC unit 35 performs control to set the QAM period T2 as a period longer than or equal to a plurality of modulation periods T1. The transmission unit 33 is configured to perform ON/OFF modulation on the optical signal P1 using the control signal C1, and transmits the modulated optical signal P1.

Communication devices, communication systems and communication methods that implement transmission lane information are disclosed. In one example, circuitry is configured to receive transmission lane information from each of a plurality of reception lanes and to generate physical lane correspondence information based on the received transmission lane information, wherein the transmission lane information identifies a plurality of transmission lanes of a device that transmitted the transmission lane information. The physical lane correspondence information indicates a correspondence relationship between the plurality of transmission lanes and the plurality of reception lanes.

An example system includes a hub transceiver and a plurality of edge transceivers. The hub transceiver is operable to transmit, over a first communications channel, a first message to each of the edge transceivers concurrently, including an indication of available network resources on an optical communications network. Each of the edge transceiver is operable to transmit, transmit, over a second communications channel, a respective second message to the hub transceiver including an indication of a respective subset of the available network resources selected by the edge transceiver for use in communicating over the optical communications network. Further, the edge transceiver is operable to receive, from the hub transceiver, a third message acknowledging receipt of a selection and a fourth message confirming an assignment of the selected subset of the available network resources to the edge transceiver.

This application discloses an optical network system, a management device, an optical transmission apparatus, and a communications device, and belongs to the field of optical network technologies. A first communications device in the optical network system is configured to send physical information of the first communications device to a second communications device, where the physical information includes first module information of a first optical transmission apparatus. The second communications device is configured to determine a working status of the optical network system based on the first module information, second module information of a second optical transmission apparatus, and link information of an optical fiber link.

A communication device includes: an optical-communication circuit that is capable of performing optical communication with a different communication device and transmits a first electric signal to the different communication device at a startup time of the communication device; an electro-communication circuit that is capable of performing electro communication with the different communication device and receives a second electric signal transmitted from the different communication device in response to the first electric signal; and a control circuit that transmits error information indicating an error in the optical communication to a device after the second electric signal is received by the electro-communication circuit.

An optical transceiver, for receiving an optical signal on which a monitor signal is superimposed, includes: an extractor configured to extract the monitor signal from the optical signal received; and a reception processor configured to reproduce a monitor data from the monitor signal extracted by the extractor.

A function of detecting an unused path through which actual data is not transmitted in a long-distance redundant network is realized at low cost. In an optical transmission system 20, each of the optical transceivers 21a and 21b that are connected to each other by an optical fiber cable 22 and disposed separately includes a protocol IC unit 35. The protocol IC unit 35 transmits an idle signal A1 with empty data using an optical signal P1 to an unused path of the optical fiber cable 22. At the time of this transmission, the protocol IC unit 35 outputs, to the transmission unit 33, a control signal C1 for performing, at a fixed modulation period, ON/OFF modulation on the optical signal P1 on which the idle signal A1 is superimposed. Also, the protocol IC unit 35 transmits an OAM signal O1 at an OAM period that is a period different from a modulation period, and performs control to turn ON the control signal C1 at the time of this transmission. The protocol IC unit 35 performs control to set the QAM period T2 as a period longer than or equal to a plurality of modulation periods T1. The transmission unit 33 is configured to perform ON/OFF modulation on the optical signal P1 using the control signal C1, and transmits the modulated optical signal P1.

A transmission device configured to transmit main signal light to another transmission device through a transmission line, the transmission device includes a transceiver configured to output supervisory signal light including information on supervisory control on the transmission device and the other transmission device, an attenuator configured to attenuate the supervisory signal light, a combiner configured to combine the supervisory signal light to the main signal light, and a control circuit configured to control an attenuation amount of the attenuator so that power of the supervisory signal light received by the other transmission device approaches a given target value.

Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an optical communication system includes a primary transceiver, a component, and secondary transceivers. The primary transceiver is operable to supply first optical subcarriers to an optical communication path, the first optical subcarriers being amplitude modulated at a first frequency to carry first control information and amplitude modulated at a second frequency to carry second control information. The component is operable to be coupled to the optical communication path and includes circuitry operable to detect the first control information. The secondary transceivers are coupled to a terminal end of the optical communication path. At least one of the secondary transceivers is operable to detect the second control information and block the first control information.