Network Fail-over Device without Splicing Equipped Bypass / Tap Function

Abstract

A connectionless network fault avoidance device technology equipped with a Bypass / Tap function is disclosed. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, a network fault avoidance device is provided, which is implemented with two modules, wherein each module comprises a first to third connector that receives a signal from the outside or transmits the received signal to the outside, an optical coupler that receives a signal and branches it into a plurality of paths to output it, an optical switch that selects a path and receives a signal input to itself and transmits it to the first connector, first and second optical fibers that connect each component, and a connecting part that connects the two modules to each other by means of an optical fiber combined with the third connector.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] This embodiment relates to a technology that enables the commercialization of a network fault avoidance device (FOD) equipped with a bypass / tap function by simplifying its structure through a non-splicing method and unit modularization. Background Technology

[0002] The content described in this section merely provides background information regarding the present embodiment and does not constitute prior art.

[0003] Generally, optical transceivers such as SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) and optical cables have been used for optical communication between optical communication devices. Each optical transceiver connects to each optical communication device via an optical cable, and optical signals are transmitted from one device to another along the optical cable.

[0004] At this time, if a device failure such as a power failure occurs, the entire communication system may fail. As a device to cope with such potential failures, a Fail Over Device (FOD) is deployed within the system. The Fail Over Device is a device that maintains service even if the aforementioned failure occurs by bypassing the communication path in the event of a device failure.

[0005] The current trend in communication is becoming increasingly ultra-high-speed, and an era of Terabit-per-second communication is approaching. However, since the speed of electrical signals cannot be increased indefinitely, parallel processing is inevitable, and optical transceivers also use parallel methods such as QSFP and OSFP.

[0006] Commonly used fault avoidance devices are implemented using bypass switches. However, relying solely on bypass switches entails significant operational risks because it is impossible to monitor the line status during bypass operations. To address this issue, adding a tap function to the fault avoidance device increases complexity, making its implementation in multi-line devices such as the QSFP-SR4 practically difficult. The problem to be solved

[0007] One objective of the present invention is to provide a network fault avoidance device that enables functional implementation even in a limited space by implementing a non-connection method technology and separating the device into a unit module and a connection part. means of solving the problem

[0008] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, a network fault avoidance device is provided, wherein the network fault avoidance device is implemented with two modules, each module comprising: first to third connectors that receive a signal from the outside or transmit a received signal to the outside; an optical coupler (Tap) that receives a signal input and branches it into a plurality of paths for output; an optical switch that selects a path, receives a signal input to itself, and transmits it to the first connector; first and second optical fibers that connect each component; and a connection part that connects the two modules to each other by means of an adapter and an optical jumper cord combined with the third connector.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the first and second connectors are connected to an SFP, QSFP, or OSFP to receive a signal or transmit the received signal to the SFP, QSFP, or OSFP.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the third connector is connected to the optical coupler and the optical switch, and is characterized by receiving a signal from the optical coupler or transmitting the received signal to the optical switch.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the optical coupler is characterized by receiving a signal from a first connector.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the optical coupler is characterized by branching an input signal and outputting it to the second connector or the third connector.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the optical switch is characterized by selecting a path for a signal transmitted from the second connector and the third connector and transmitting it to the first connector.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the optical fiber for connecting the optical components is characterized by being implemented in a non-contact manner. Effects of the invention

[0015] As described above, according to one aspect of the present embodiment, by implementing a non-connection method technology and separating the device into unit modules and interconnection parts, the structure is simplified, making manufacturing, maintenance, and repair easier, increasing space utilization, reducing failures, and improving aesthetics. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0016] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of an optical communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a network failure avoidance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3 to 5 are diagrams illustrating the signal flow when a network fault avoidance device according to an embodiment of the present invention operates in each mode. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0017] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the description of each drawing.

[0018] Terms such as first, second, A, B, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.

[0019] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0020] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0022] Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0023] In addition, each component, process, procedure, or method included in each embodiment of the present invention may be shared within a scope that is not technically contradictory to one another.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of an optical communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, an optical communication system (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an SFP (110, 120) and a network fault avoidance device (130).

[0026] An optical communication system (100) transmits and receives optical signals using optical signals. The optical communication system (100) connects an optical communication device (not shown) that intends to transmit an optical signal and another optical communication device (not shown) that intends to receive it, and transmits the optical signal.

[0027] The SFP (110, 120) is connected to an optical communication device (not shown) that intends to transmit and receive optical signals, and transmits and receives optical signals. The SFP (110, 120) can be implemented as a single channel, for example, to process optical signals at a speed of 25 Gbps (SFP28), and depending on the case, it can be implemented as a QSFP (Quad SFP: QSFP28) corresponding to 4 channels to process optical signals (in parallel) at a total speed of 100 Gbps, or as an OSFP (Octal SFP: OSFP28) corresponding to 8 SFPs to process optical signals (in parallel) at a total speed of 200 Gbps. In particular, the SFP (110, 120) in this document includes a component that processes a relatively large amount of optical signals by being implemented with multiple channels, such as a QSFP or an OSFP. SFP (110, 120) includes a method of processing one or more unrelated signals in parallel and a method of processing them into a single signal in a multiplexed form (WDM).

[0028] The network fault avoidance device (130) normally transmits an optical signal from one SFP (110 or 120) to another SFP (120 or 110), but handles failures that may occur in the communication system, such as power failures of the device. The network fault avoidance device (130) increases availability by enabling uninterrupted service by bypassing the communication path when a failure occurs.

[0029] At this time, the network fault avoidance device (130) can have a simplified structure by including the configurations to be described later, and can ensure convenience in manufacturing and management. Conventional network fault avoidance devices with a single-channel Bypass / Tap function could be configured even if implemented using an optical splicing method; however, there is a problem where the structure becomes too complex if an optical splicing method is used even when an MPO multi-channel optical transceiver is used. To solve this problem, in the present invention, each component and the MPO optical connector are connected by directly polishing the optical fiber without optical splicing. In addition, the present invention has a structure that includes two unit modules within a single device. Accordingly, the complexity of the multi-channel method is prevented from being concentrated in one place, allowing for physically distributed placement, and the structure is simplified to provide easy manufacturing, convenient maintenance, and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Furthermore, by including the configurations to be described later, the convenience in manufacturing and management is significantly improved while performing data transmission and bypass operations identically.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a network fault avoidance device using a QSFP-type SFP according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 to 5 are diagrams illustrating the signal flow when the network fault avoidance device according to an embodiment of the present invention operates in each mode.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 2, a network fault avoidance device (130) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes two modules (205a, 205b), and each module (205) includes a connector (210, 214, 218), an optical coupler (220), an optical switch (230), a connection part (240), and a control part (not shown).

[0032] In the present invention, instead of placing all components on a single board as in conventional devices, two identical modules are included and operated by connecting them using connectors. Since a relatively small number of components are placed within a single module, structural problems caused by the complexity of placing all components in one place, as in conventional devices, and problems related to the increased complexity of the optical fibers connecting them can be prevented.

[0033] The connector (210) is connected to an external network to receive signals or transmit internal signals to the external network. The connector (214) is connected to each SFP (110, 120) to receive signals from the SFP (110, 120) or transmit the received signals to the SFP (110, 120). The connector (210, 214) is exemplified as an MPO type, but can be implemented in various forms (LC, MPO, etc.) as needed. According to the Ethernet standard (IEEE) to which the optical communication system (100) applies (e.g., 40 Gigabit Ethernet standard, etc.), the connector (210, 214) is defined to use four transmitting fiber ports and four receiving fiber ports (including four unused fiber ports). Accordingly, the connector (210, 214) can transmit the necessary signal to only one of the optical coupler (220) or the optical switch (230) using four transmitting optical fiber ports, and can receive the necessary signal from the other one using four receiving optical fiber ports.

[0034] The connector (218) is connected to the optical coupler (220) and the optical switch (230) to receive a signal from the optical coupler (220) or to transmit the received signal to the optical switch (230). Likewise, the connector (218) can also be implemented in various forms.

[0035] The optical coupler (220) receives a signal and branches it into multiple paths to output it. The optical coupler (220) receives one input signal from the connector (210) and branches the received signal into two and outputs it to the connector (214) or the connector (218). The optical coupler (220) branches the received signal at an appropriate ratio depending on the application case and outputs it to the connector (214) or the connector (218) as needed.

[0036] The optical switch (230) selects a path according to the control of a control unit (not shown) and transmits the selected signal input to itself to the connector (210). The optical switch (230) is configured to select an optical path according to the control of a control unit (not shown) and selectively selects one of a plurality of paths to transmit a signal. The optical switch (230) can select a path between the connector (214) and the connector (218), and transmits a signal transmitted from the connector (214) to the connector (210) or transmits a signal transmitted from the connector (218) to the connector (210).

[0037] The connection part (240) is coupled with the connector (218) within each module (205) and optically connects each module (205) to each other by an optical jumper cord (248). The connection part (240) includes an adapter (244) and an optical jumper cord (248) for connecting the connector (218) and the optical jumper cord (248). Due to the presence of the connection part (240), the network fault avoidance device (130) can freely arrange and connect the locations of each module unit, thus maximizing space utilization. Furthermore, even if a failure occurs, it is possible to detect the fault at the component level, providing significant benefits in productivity and maintenance.

[0038] Optical fibers (250, 260) connect each component. At this time, the optical fibers (250, 260) are implemented in different types depending on the components being connected. Between the entire path or a part of the path where an optical signal is transmitted from each connector (210, 214, 218) to another component (220 or 230), or between the connecting parts (240), the optical fiber (250) is implemented with a relatively large number of unit optical fibers inside, and in other paths, the optical fiber (260) is implemented with a relatively small number of unit optical fibers inside. For example, the optical fiber (250) can be implemented as a 3mm Loose Tube, etc. because it contains a relatively large number of unit optical fibers, and the optical fiber (260) can be implemented as a 0.9mm Loose Tube, etc. because it contains a relatively small number of unit optical fibers inside.

[0039] Meanwhile, the optical coupler (220), optical switch (230), and connectors (210, 214, 218) are connected by directly grinding the optical fibers, rather than by using the splicing method as described above. The network fault avoidance device (130) collects the optical fibers coming from the optical coupler (220) and the optical switch (230) and directs them to appropriate connectors (210, 214, 218), and uses a method of directly attaching each optical fiber to the appropriate connectors (210, 214, 218) by grinding them. In the present invention, the aforementioned effects can be secured by not using the splicing method.

[0040] A control unit (not shown) controls the operation of the optical switch (230) and the operation of the network fault avoidance device (105). As described below, the control unit (not shown) controls the optical switch (230) to transmit an optical signal transmitted from the connector (214) to the connector (210), or to transmit an optical signal transmitted from the connection unit (240) to the connector (210).

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the control unit (not shown) operates the network fault avoidance device (130) to transmit an optical signal received from one connector (210, 214) to another connector (210, 214).

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3, a signal applied to the connector (210) is applied to the optical coupler (220), and the signal is transmitted from the optical coupler (220) to the connector (214).

[0043] Referring to FIG. 4, a signal applied from the connector (214) is applied to the optical switch (230), and a control unit (not shown) adjusts the optical path of the optical switch (230) so that the optical signal is transmitted to the connector (210).

[0044] Meanwhile, if the network failure avoidance device (130) needs to bypass the communication path due to reasons such as a power failure of the device, the control unit (not shown) controls the network failure avoidance device (130) to bypass the optical signal as shown in FIG. 5.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 5, if a bypass is required, a signal applied to one of the connectors (210a or 210b) is applied to an optical coupler (220) and output from the optical coupler (220) to one of the connectors (218a or 218b). An optical signal is transmitted from one of the connectors to another connector (240b or 240a) via a connection part (240a or 240b), and then input to another connector (210b or 210a) via an optical switch (230). That is, if a bypass is required, the signal is input again from one of the connectors (210a or 210b) to another connector (210b or 210a) via the connector (240) and the optical switch (230).

[0046] As the network fault avoidance device (130) of the present invention is implemented as described above, it can have the following advantages. When QSFP is combined with the connector (210a, 210b), four times the number of components must be implemented within the network fault avoidance device (130) compared to when it is composed of SFP. Consequently, conventional network fault avoidance devices composed of a single module have a significantly complex structure because all components must be implemented within a limited single space and each must be connected by optical fibers, which makes manufacturing and management very difficult. Furthermore, the optical components within the conventional network fault avoidance device are connected to each other via a splicing method, which inevitably results in an even more complex structure. On the other hand, in the present invention, manufacturing is simplified because it is implemented by being divided into modules (205), connected without connecting optical components, and connected to each other via a connector (218). Additionally, since each module can be separated, managed, and combined, it is possible to easily handle or perform management and failures.

[0047] The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present embodiment, and a person skilled in the art to which the present embodiment belongs would be able to make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. Accordingly, the present embodiments are intended to explain, not limit, the technical concept of the present embodiment, and the scope of the technical concept of the present embodiment is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present embodiment shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present embodiment. Explanation of the symbols

[0048] 100: Optical communication system 110, 120: SFP 130: Network Fault Avoidance Device 205: Module 210, 214, 218: Connectors 220: Optical coupler 230: Optical switch 240: Joint 250, 260: Optical fiber

Claims

Claim 1 A network fault avoidance device is implemented with two modules, each module comprising: a first connector connected to an external network to receive a signal or transmit a signal from within the device to the external network; a second connector connected to each SFP to receive a signal from the SFP or transmit the received signal to the SFP; a third connector connected to components within the device to receive a signal from one component or transmit the received signal to another component; an optical coupler that receives a single input signal from the first connector, branches the received signal into two, and outputs it to the second connector or the third connector; an optical switch that selects a path and transmits a signal transmitted to itself from the second connector or the third connector to the first connector; and first and second optical fibers connecting each component. A network fault avoidance device characterized by including a connection portion that connects two modules to each other by means of an adapter and an optical jumper cord in combination with the third connector, wherein the SFP connected to the second connector can be implemented as a single channel, as well as as 4 channels or 8 channels, and the connection between optical components is implemented in a non-contact manner, wherein the third connector is connected to the optical coupler and the optical switch, and by receiving a signal from the optical coupler or transmitting the received signal to the optical switch, a signal applied to the first connector in one module is applied to the optical coupler in one module and output to the third connector in one module, the signal is transmitted to the third connector in another module through the connection portion, and input to the first connector in another module through the optical switch in another module, and bypass is performed. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete

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