Optical Communication Failure Analysis Using Local Probability Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In optical communication systems with large traffic data, failure analysis performed by upper-layer apparatuses leads to excessive processing and memory loads, data quality deterioration, and inaccurate failure location identification, often resulting in unnecessary device replacements and increased restoration costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing failure probability estimation apparatuses at terminal stations to monitor transponder states and estimate failure probabilities, reducing the load on upper-layer apparatuses by distributing failure analysis tasks to these local units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If failure analysis is performed by upper-layer apparatuses, then comprehensive failure detection is achieved, but processing load and memory load become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The failure analysis function is segmented between lower-layer apparatuses (which perform local failure probability estimation) and upper-layer apparatuses (which perform final failure location identification). This division reduces the processing load on upper-layer apparatuses while maintaining comprehensive failure detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A failure probability estimation result is introduced as an intermediary data structure between lower-layer monitoring and upper-layer analysis. This intermediary format reduces memory load and processing requirements compared to transmitting raw monitoring data.
2Productivity
If data compression or selection is performed to reduce transfer data, then transmission load is reduced, but data quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring data is transformed into failure probability estimation results, changing the parameter representation from raw monitoring data to processed probability values. This transformation reduces data volume while preserving the essential information needed for failure location identification.
3Reliability
If multiple alarms are issued from failure location and surrounding locations, then failure detection coverage is improved, but failure location specification becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from multiple lower-layer apparatuses, each providing failure probability estimation results for their respective monitored locations. The upper-layer apparatus aggregates this feedback to identify the most likely failure location, reducing the time required compared to analyzing multiple alarms without probabilistic information.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple alarm signals are transformed into probabilistic failure location information. Instead of treating all alarms equally, the system uses failure probability estimates to weight and prioritize potential failure locations, enabling faster and more accurate identification.
4Ease of repair
If all suspected parts and devices are replaced when failure location cannot be identified, then restoration is achieved, but restoration cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical trial-and-error replacement process is replaced with a systematic analysis process using failure probability estimation. This substitution enables precise failure location identification, avoiding unnecessary replacements and reducing restoration costs.
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to estimate a location where a communication failure occurs while reducing a load on an apparatus included in an upper layer in an optical communication system. Terminal stations communicate via an optical transmission line constituting an optical network and include one or more transponders. Failure cause estimation apparatuses monitors states of the transponders provided in each of the terminal stations and estimates a failure probability for each location where an occurrence of a failure is suspected. A failure analysis apparatus estimates a location where there is a risk of failure occurrence and a failure probability at the location where there is the risk of failure occurrence based on failure cause estimation results of the failure cause estimation apparatuses provided in the terminal stations.