Optical Safety Entity for Transparent Signal Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telecommunications networks require twofold conversion between optical and electrical domains for signal processing, making it impossible to transmit user-defined optical signals transparently between locations without physical modification, and lack effective protection and policy enforcement for optical data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing an optical safety and policy entity with variable optical attenuators to connect locations directly to the telecommunications network, protecting the optical transmission functionality and enforcing policies by attenuating user-defined signals, allowing for all-optical transmission and policy enforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional signal processing methods are used in telecommunications networks, then electrical signal processing and conversion can be performed, but optical signals cannot be transmitted transparently without conversion to electrical domain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional electrical signal processing system with an all-optical processing system. Optical modulators directly modulate optical signals without electrical conversion, and optical filters process signals in the optical domain. This substitution eliminates the need for optical-electrical-optical conversion equipment, enabling transparent optical signal transmission while reducing device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If user-defined optical signals are allowed to propagate freely in the network, then communication flexibility is improved, but network security and policy enforcement are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical filter as an intermediary component between the user-defined optical signal source and the network. This optical filter acts as a mediator that enforces network policies by blocking unauthorized wavelengths and allowing only approved signals to propagate. This maintains communication flexibility for authorized users while ensuring network security through automatic policy enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the network monitors optical signals and provides control information back to optical modulators or filters. This feedback loop enables dynamic policy enforcement, allowing the network to adjust and control user-defined optical signals in real-time based on network conditions and security requirements, thus maintaining both flexibility and reliability.
3Reliability
If optical attenuators are used to protect network functionality, then network security is improved, but signal transmission capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically controllable optical attenuators rather than fixed attenuation components. These attenuators can adjust their attenuation level in real-time based on network conditions, signal requirements, and security needs. This dynamic capability allows the system to provide optimal protection while maintaining maximum signal transmission efficiency when full attenuation is not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies optical attenuation selectively at specific locations in the network where protection is needed, rather than uniformly across the entire transmission path. By placing attenuators only at critical points such as network boundaries or vulnerable segments, the system provides targeted protection while minimizing impact on overall signal transmission efficiency in other parts of the network.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables direct, unmodified optical communication between locations with enhanced protection and policy enforcement, maintaining optical modulation schemes and supporting user-defined protocols without interfering with the network, thus providing secure and flexible optical data transmission services.
Implementation Method 1
the optical transmission functionality of the telecommunications network and/or the functionalities of the optical safety and policy entity or functionality are protected by means of the optical safety and policy entity or functionality attenuating the user-defined optical signal and/or the optical initialization signal received from the first location via the optical data transmission fiber
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for establishing and/or for providing an optical data transmission-based connection between a first location, via at least one optical data transmission fiber, to an optical data transmission functionality of a telecommunications network in order to enable to feed or input a user-defined optical signal and/or an optical initialization signal to the optical data transmission fiber and towards the optical data transmission functionality of the telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network and/or the optical data transmission functionality comprises a backbone network and/or an aggregation network, wherein the optical data transmission fiber is connected to an optical safety and policy entity or functionality that connects the first location and/or the first optical data transmission fiber to the telecommunications network, wherein the optical safety and policy entity or functionality realizes a protection -- of the optical transmission functionality of the telecommunications network, especially with regard to the backbone network and/or the aggregation network, and/or -- of functionalities of the optical safety and policy entity or functionality, wherein the method comprises the following steps: -- in a first step, the user-defined optical signal and/or the optical initialization signal is fed or input, at the first location, to the optical data transmission fiber, -- in a second step, the optical transmission functionality of the telecommunications network and/or the functionalities of the optical safety and policy entity or functionality are protected by means of, if applicable or necessary, attenuating the user-defined optical signal and/or the optical initialization signal.