Packet transmission system, packet transmission method, packet transmission program, and recording medium on which the recorded program is recorded

• US 7,403,518 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawate, Ryusuke, Tsuchida, Mitsuru, Horiuchi, Eiichi, Mukai, Hiroaki, Takemoto, Michiya, Asashiba, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US10/482,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,318 Days
• Field of Search: 370/464, 370/445, 370/447, 370/450, 370/454, 370/459, 370/461, 370/462, 370/471, 370/431, 370/442, 370/443, 370/444, 370/458, 370/389, 370/392, 370/373, 370/377, 370/360, 370/426, 370/428, 370/411, 370/398
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0064 Arbitration, scheduling or medium access control aspects

Abstract

An OLT 1 sequentially allocates transmission permission of a packet on an upstream transmission line to a plurality of ONUs 2 registered, and performs packet communication in a simplified method with control by using a first timer for detecting a packet signal and a second timer for controlling transmission permission time, in order to transmit an IP packet of variable length without mounting a function of complex processing for analyzing an upstream packet in the OLT 1.

Claims

1. A packet communication system, comprising:

a master station configured to transmit a downstream packet signal including identification information for identifying transmission permission without receiving a transmission request; and

a slave station configured to receive the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station and judge if transmission is permitted based on the identification information in the received downstream packet signal, wherein

the slave station is configured to transmit an upstream packet signal to the master station when the slave station judges that transmission is permitted,

the master station includes a first timer configured to measure a limit time when the master station can judge if the upstream packet signal has been transmitted from the slave station to which transmission is permitted,

the master station is configured to judge if the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station is received within the limit time measured by the first timer, stops the first timer when the master station has received the upstream packet signal, and updates the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the master station has not received the upstream packet signal,

the master station includes a second timer configured to measure limit time when the master station can continuously receive the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station to which transmission has been permitted, and

the master station judges if receipt of the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station has ended within the limit time measured by the second timer, stops the second timer when the receipt has ended, and updates the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the receipt has not ended.

2. The packet communication system of claim 1,

wherein the master station monitors upstream packet communication volume of each slave station and controls a value of the second timer based on the upstream packet communication volume.

3. The packet communication system of claim 1,

wherein the slave station informs the master station of volume of the upstream packet signal to be accumulated in the buffer when transmission permission is given to the slave station, and

wherein the master station controls a value of the second timer based on upstream packet accumulation volume informed by the slave station.

4. The packet communication system of claim 1,

wherein the slave station informs the master station of ending information indicating that no upstream packet signal is to be transmitted when no upstream packet signal is accumulated in the buffer when transmission permission is given to the slave station, and

wherein the master station receives the ending information informed by the slave station and gives transmission permission to a next slave station after the slave station without waiting until the second timer expires.

5. The packet communication system of claim 1,

wherein when transmission permission is given to the slave station and the slave station has ended transmission of the upstream packet signals accumulated in the buffer to the master station, the slave station informs the master station of ending information indicating that there is no upstream packet signal to be transmitted, and

wherein the master station receives the ending information informed by the slave station and gives transmission permission to a next slave station after the slave station without waiting until the second timer expires.

6. The packet communication system of claim 1,

wherein the master station specifies a packet volume which can be transmitted continuously by the slave station when the master station gives transmission permission to the slave station,

wherein the slave station ends processing of packet transmission based on the specified packet volume which can be transmitted continuously.

7. A packet communication system, comprising:

a master station configured to transmit a downstream packet signal including identification information for identifying transmission permission without receiving a transmission request; and

a slave station configured to receive the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station and judge if transmission is permitted based on the identification information in the received downstream packet signal, wherein

the slave station is configured to transmit an upstream packet signal to the master station when the slave station judges that transmission is permitted,

the master station transmits a downstream packet signal including overhead information indicating time when output of the upstream packet signal is unstable, and

the slave station adds an overhead which is a group of signals not reproduced by the master station on a head of the upstream packet signal corresponding to the overhead information in the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station.

8. A packet communication system, comprising:

a master station configured to transmit a downstream packet signal including identification information for identifying transmission permission without receiving a transmission request; and

a slave station configured to receive the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station and judge if transmission is permitted based on the identification information in the received downstream packet signal, wherein

the master station includes a buffer configured to accumulate the downstream packet signal separately according to signal transmission speeds, and

the master station reads out the downstream packet signal of various speeds accumulated in the buffer separately according to the signal transmission speeds, transmits the downstream packet signal of the various speeds read out, and permits a slave station which has been able to be synchronized with transmission speed of the downstream packet signal to transmit an upstream packet signal.

9. A packet communication method, comprising:

transmitting, from a master station, a downstream packet signal including identification information for identifying transmission permission without receiving a transmission request;

receiving at a slave station the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station;

judging, at the slave station, if transmission is permitted based on an identification number of the received downstream packet signal;

transmitting, from the slave station, an upstream packet signal to the master station when the slave station judges that transmission is permitted;

measuring, at a first timer at the master station, a limit time when the master station can judge if the upstream packet signal has been transmitted from the slave station to which transmission is permitted;

judging, by the master station, if the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station is received within the limit time measured by the first timer;

stopping the first timer when the master station has received the upstream packet signal;

updating the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the master station has not received the upstream packet signal;

measuring, at a second timer at the master station, a limit time when the master station can continuously receive the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station to which transmission has been permitted;

judging, at the master station, if receipt of the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station has ended within the limit time measured by the second timer;

stopping the second timer when the receipt has ended; and

updating the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the receipt has not ended.

10. A computer-readable recording medium for recording a packet communication program for making a computer execute processing comprising:

transmitting, from a master station downstream packet signal including identification information identifying transmission permission without receiving a transmission request;

receiving at a slave station the downstream packet signal transmitted from the master station;

judging, at the slave station, if transmission is permitted based on an identification number of the received downstream packet signal;

transmitting, from the slave station, an upstream packet signal to the master station when the slave station judges that transmission is permitted;

measuring, at a first timer at the master station, a limit time when the master station can judge if the upstream packet signal has been transmitted from the slave station to which transmission is permitted;

judging, by the master station, if the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station is received within the limit time measured by the first timer;

stopping the first timer when the master station has received the upstream packet signal;

updating the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the master station has not received the upstream packet signal;

measuring, at a second timer at the master station, a limit time when the master station can continuously receive the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station to which transmission has been permitted;

judging, at the master station, if receipt of the upstream packet signal transmitted from the slave station has ended within the limit time measured by the second timer;

stopping the second timer when the receipt has ended; and

updating the identification information for identifying transmission permission when the receipt has not ended.