Optical communication system, optical communication apparatus, and optical communicaiton method thereof

Abstract

An optical communication system includes a first optical communication apparatus configured to insert a wavelength control signal in a main signal to produce a modified main signal; convert the modified main signal into a first optical signal; and transmit the first optical signal, and a second optical communication apparatus configured to receive the first optical signal; extract the wavelength control signal from the received first optical signal; determine a wavelength of a second optical signal based on the extracted wavelength control signal; and transmit the second optical signal to the first optical communication apparatus.

1 . An optical communication system, comprising: 
 a first optical communication apparatus configured to insert a wavelength control signal in a main signal to produce a modified main signal; convert the modified main signal into a first optical signal; and transmit the first optical signal; and    a second optical communication apparatus configured to receive the first optical signal; extract the wavelength control signal from the received first optical signal; determine a wavelength of a second optical signal based on the extracted wavelength control signal; and transmit the second optical signal to said first optical communication apparatus.    
     
     
         2 . The optical communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first optical communication apparatus comprises: 
 a wavelength control signal generating unit that generates the wavelength control signal;    a wavelength control signal inserting unit that insets the wavelength control signal in the main signal;    an optical transmitting unit that converts the modified main signal into the first optical signal and transmits the first optical signal; and    a first optical receiving unit that receives the second optical signal.    
     
     
         3 . The optical communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second optical communication apparatus comprises: 
 a second optical receiving unit that receives the first optical signal;    a wavelength control signal detecting unit that extracts the wavelength control signal from the received first optical signal;    a wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit that transmits the second optical signal, changing the wavelength of the second optical signal; and    a wavelength controlling unit that controls said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit based on the extracted wavelength control signal and thereby determines the wavelength of the second optical signal.    
     
     
         4 . The optical communication system according to  claim 2 , wherein said first optical communication apparatus comprises a plurality of first communication units, each including: 
 a said wavelength control signal generating unit;    a said wavelength control signal inserting unit;    a said optical transmitting unit; and    a said first optical receiving unit.    
     
     
         5 . The optical communication system according to  claim 4 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the transmitted first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the received second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of first communication units.    
     
     
         6 . The optical communication system according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a first wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of first communication units,    wherein said first wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of first communication units into a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the second optical signals to each one of said plurality of first communication units.    
     
     
         7 . The optical communication system according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein said second optical communication apparatus comprises a plurality of second communication units, each including:    a said second optical receiving unit;    a said wavelength control signal detecting unit;    a said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit; and    a said wavelength controlling unit.    
     
     
         8 . The optical communication system according to  claim 7 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the receiving first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the transmitted second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of second communication units.    
     
     
         9 . The optical communication system according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a second wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of the second communication units,    wherein said second wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of second communication units into a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the first optical signals to each one of said plurality of second communication units.    
     
     
         10 . An optical communication system, comprising: 
 a first optical communication apparatus configured to convert a main signal into a first optical signal; and transmit the first optical signal; and    a second optical communication apparatus configured to receive the first optical signal; detect a wavelength of the received first optical signal; determine a wavelength of a second optical signal based on the detected wavelength; and transmit the second optical signal to said first optical communication apparatus.    
     
     
         11 . The optical communication system according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein said first optical communication apparatus comprises:    an optical transmitting unit that converts the main signal into the first optical signal and transmits the first optical signal; and    a first optical receiving unit that receives the second optical signal.    
     
     
         12 . The optical communication system according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein said second optical communication apparatus comprises:    a second optical receiving unit that receives the first optical signal;    an optical wavelength detecting unit that detects the wavelength of the received first optical signal;    a wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit that transmits the second optical signal, changing the wavelength of the second optical signal; and    a wavelength controlling unit that controls said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit based on the detected wavelength and thereby determines the wavelength of the second optical signal.    
     
     
         13 . The optical communication system according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein said first optical communication apparatus comprises a plurality of first communication units, each including:    a said optical transmitting unit; and    a said first optical receiving unit.    
     
     
         14 . The optical communication system according to  claim 13 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the transmitted first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the received second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of first communication units.    
     
     
         15 . The optical communication system according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a first wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of first communication units,    wherein said first wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of first communication units into a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the second optical signals to each one of said plurality of first communication units.    
     
     
         16 . The optical communication system according to  claim 12 , 
 wherein said second optical communication apparatus comprises a plurality of second communication units, each including:    a said second optical receiving unit;    a said optical wavelength detecting unit;    a said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit; and    a said wavelength controlling unit.    
     
     
         17 . The optical communication system according to  claim 16 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the receiving first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the transmitted second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of second communication units.    
     
     
         18 . The optical communication system according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a second wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of the second communication units,    wherein said second wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of second communication units into a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the first optical signals to each one of said plurality of second communication units.    
     
     
         19 . The optical communication system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said first optical communication apparatus is configured to detect whether the second optical signal transmitted from said second optical communication apparatus is received and control generation of the wavelength control signal based on the detection result.    
     
     
         20 . The optical communication system according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein said first optical receiving unit detects whether the second optical signal is received or not, and transmits the detection result to said wavelength control signal generating unit,    wherein said wavelength control signal generating unit controls said generation of the wavelength control signal based on said detection result to enable said first optical receiving unit to receives the second optical signal.    
     
     
         21 . An optical communication apparatus, comprising: 
 an optical receiving unit configured to receive a first optical signal;    a wavelength control signal detecting unit configured to extract a wavelength control signal from the received first optical signal;    a wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit configured to transmit a second optical signal, changing a wavelength of the second optical signal; and    a wavelength controlling unit configured to control said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit based on the extracted wavelength control signal and thereby determine the wavelength of the second optical signal.    
     
     
         22 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 21 , comprising a plurality of communication units, 
 wherein said plurality of communication units, each including:    a said optical receiving unit;    a said wavelength control signal detecting unit;    a said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit; and    a said wavelength controlling unit.    
     
     
         23 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 22 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the receiving first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the transmitted second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of communication units.    
     
     
         24 . An optical communication apparatus, comprising: 
 an optical receiving unit configured to receive a first optical signal;    an optical wavelength detecting unit configured to detect a wavelength of the received first optical signal;    a wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit configured to transmit a second optical signal, changing a wavelength of the second optical signal; and    a wavelength controlling unit configured to control said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit based on the detected wavelength and thereby determine the wavelength of the second optical signal.    
     
     
         25 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 24 , comprising a plurality of second communication units, each including: 
 a said optical receiving unit;    a said optical wavelength detecting unit;    a said wavelength-tunable optical transmitting unit; and    a said wavelength controlling unit.    
     
     
         26 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 25 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the receiving first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the transmitted second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of communication units.    
     
     
         27 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of the communication units,    wherein said wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of communication units into a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the first optical signals to each one of said plurality of communication units.    
     
     
         28 . An optical communication apparatus, comprising: 
 a wavelength control signal generating unit configured to generate a wavelength control signal;    a wavelength control signal inserting unit configured to inset the wavelength control signal in a main signal to generate a modified main signal;    an optical transmitting unit configured to convert the modified main signal into a first optical signal and transmit the first optical signal; and    an optical receiving unit configured to receives a second optical signal transmitted from another optical communication apparatus that receives the first optical signal,    wherein a wavelength of the second optical signal is determined based on the wavelength control signal contained in the transmitted first optical signal.    
     
     
         29 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , comprising a plurality of communication units, each including: 
 a said wavelength control signal generating unit;    a said wavelength control signal inserting unit;    a said optical transmitting unit; and    a said optical receiving unit.    
     
     
         30 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 29 , 
 wherein wavelengths of the transmitted first optical signals are different from each other, and wavelengths of the received second optical signals are different from each other among said plurality of communication units.    
     
     
         31 . The optical communication apparatus according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a wavelength division multiplexing unit that is connected to each one of said plurality of communication units,    wherein said wavelength division multiplexing unit multiplexes a plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths to be received from said plurality of communication units into a first wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; demultiplexes a second wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of the second optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and transmits each one of the demultiplexed plurality of the second optical signals to each one of said plurality of communication units.    
     
     
         32 . The optical communication apparatus according to claim  28 , 
 wherein said optical receiving unit detects whether the second optical signal transmitted from another optical communication apparatus is received or not, and transmits the detection result to said wavelength control signal generating unit,    wherein said wavelength control signal generating unit controls generation of the wavelength control signal based on said detection result to enable said first optical receiving unit to receives the second optical signal.    
     
     
         33 . An optical communication method, comprising: 
 inserting a wavelength control signal in a main signal;    converting the main signal in which the wavelength control signal is inserted into a first optical signal;    transmitting the first optical signal;    receiving the first optical signal;    extracting the wavelength control signal from the received first optical signal;    determining a wavelength of a second optical signal based on the extracted wavelength control signal; and    transmitting the second optical signal.    
     
     
         34 . The optical communication method according to  claim 33 , 
 wherein the transmitting step comprises:    separately transmitting a plurality of first optical signals converted so as to have mutually different wavelengths;    multiplexing the plurality of the first optical signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; and    transmitting the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal,    wherein the receiving step comprises:    receiving the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;    demultiplexing the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into the plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and    separately receiving the plurality of the first optical signals.    
     
     
         35 . The optical communication method according to  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 detecting whether the second optical signal is received or not; and    controlling the generation of the wavelength control signal based on the detection result.    
     
     
         36 . An optical communication method, comprising 
 converting a main signal into a first optical signal;    transmitting the first optical signal;    receiving the first optical signal;    detecting a wavelength of the received first optical signal;    determining a wavelength of a second optical signal based on the wavelength of the detected wavelength control signal; and    transmitting the second optical signal.    
     
     
         37 . The optical communication method according to  claim 36 , 
 wherein the transmitting step comprises:    separately transmitting a plurality of the first optical signals converted so as to have mutually different wavelengths;    multiplexing the plurality of the first optical signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; and    transmitting the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal,    wherein the receiving step comprises:    receiving the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;    demultiplexing the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into the plurality of the first optical signals having mutually different wavelengths; and    separately receiving the plurality of the first optical signals.