Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Giulio Bottari

Stefano Ruffini

Fabio Cavaliere

Paola Iovanna

Diego Caviglia

Daniele Ceccarelli

Piero Castoldi

Filippo Cugini

Filippo Ponzini

Luca Giorgi

Nicola Sambo

Stefano Stracca

Francesco Testa

Manuel Nardelli

Antonio D'Errico

Riccardo Martinotti

Roberto Sabella

Francesco Paolucci

Enrico Dutti

Jacob Österling

Roberto Magri

Annikki Welin

Gianmarco Bruno

Marzio Puleri

Francesco Fondelli

Peter Öhlén

Björn Skubic

Antonio D'errico

Tommaso Catuogno

Francesco Giurlanda

Elisa Bellagamba

Alessio Giorgetti

Andrea Sgambelluri

Silvia Pucci

Jacob ÖSterling

An access network for communication with a wireless device (), the access network comprising a plurality of antennas each configured to provide a cell for radio frequency communication with the wireless device, and a plurality of sets of optical elements () configured for optical communication with the wireless device (). The access network comprises a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said apparatus is operative to connect to the wireless device with both the radio frequency communication and optical communication, and connect to the wireless device with the radio frequency communication at least in a downlink direction, and connect to the wireless device with the optical communication at least in an uplink direction.

Access network and wireless device

A communication signal multiplexing apparatus includes first and second optical receivers, with the second optical receiver configured to receive an optical analog radio signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical analog radio signal having a carrier frequency and the first optical receiver configured to receive an optical digital communication signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical digital communication signal having a frequency spectrum. Further, a first electrical filter apparatus is configured to receive the electrical digital communication signal, and comprises a low-pass filter having a cut-off frequency lower than the carrier frequency of the electrical analog radio signal, and applies the low-pass filter to the electrical digital communication signal. The apparatus also includes a signal combining apparatus configured to combine the low-pass filtered electrical digital communication signal with the electrical analog radio signal to form a combined electrical signal and an optical transmitter configured to generate an optical communication signal carrying a representation of the combined electrical communication signal.

Communication system multiplexing and demultiplexing apparatus and methods

A method () of controlling compensation of chromatic dispersion in an optical transport network. The method comprises determining () whether a residual dispersion, RD, of a first path () within the network is within a defined RD range and if the RD of the first path is outside the defined RD range the method comprises identifying () a first tuneable dispersion compensation module, TDCM, crossed by the first path (), configured to apply a respective value of dispersion compensation. The method also comprises determining () a different value of dispersion compensation to be applied by the first TDCM to bring the RD of the first path within the defined RD range; if () the first TDCM is crossed by at least one other path (), checking () that the respective RD of said at least one other path is within a respective defined RD range for said different value of dispersion compensation; and generating () a control signal comprising instructions configured to set the first TDCM to apply said different value of dispersion compensation.

Controlling compensation of chromatic dispersion in optical transport networks

A path computation engine, PCE, () for an optical communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links. The PCE comprises a processor and memory comprising instructions executable by the processor whereby the PCE is operative to: receive a request to configure a quantum key, Qkey, path from a first node to a second node in the optical communications network for a quantum key distribution, QKD, signal for a quantum key for a secure data transmission signal; calculate a feasible Qkey path from the first node to the second node that is logically different to a traffic path from the first node to the second node for the secure data transmission signal, wherein the Qkey path is feasible if an optical signal power originating from the secure data transmission signal within the Qkey path, caused by optical interference of the secure data transmission signal with the QKD signal, is below a predetermined threshold value; and generate a control signal comprising instructions arranged to configure said feasible Qkey path.

Path computation engine and method of configuring an optical path for quantum key distribution

An optical link for a communication network, the optical link having an optical fibre link, a downstream transmitter, a downstream receiver, an upstream transmitter and an upstream receiver. The upstream and downstream transmitters are configured to transmit a respective pilot tone on a respective optical carrier and are configured to tune a frequency of the pilot tone within a preselected frequency range. The upstream and downstream receivers are configured respectively to determine an upstream notch frequency, f, and a downstream notch frequency, f, of respective detected photocurrents from at least one respective pilot tone frequency at which the respective detected photocurrent is equal to or lower than a photocurrent threshold. The optical link also includes processing circuitry configured to receive the upstream and downstream notch frequencies and configured to estimate a propagation delay difference of the optical link depending on the upstream and downstream notch frequencies.

Method of estimating a propagation delay difference of an optical link and apparatus for same

Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method comprises receiving first data from a first device and receiving second data from a second device, wherein the first data has a longer latency constraint than the second data. The method also comprises sending the first data over a network link to a processing node for processing the first data.

Processing delay tolerant communications

A method of data replication between a first data center and a second data center, wherein the first data center has a data set to be replicated, the method comprising: determining () whether a first path from the first data center to the second data center is suitable for the data set to be replicated, by: transmitting () test data along the first path, taking () latency measurements for the test data along the first path; and determining a latency parameter of the first path using the latency measurements; and determining () if the latency parameter of the test data is less than a maximum latency threshold. If the latency parameter is less than the maximum latency threshold, the method performs () replication of the data set using the first path.

Robust data replication among data centers

A method of allocating transport resources to beams in a network area, wherein the beams comprise beam formed radio channels () between antenna points () and wireless devices () in the network area. The method comprises receiving candidate beam information relating to a plurality of candidate beams for use in future communications between antenna points and wireless devices (); and allocating transport resources to one or more antenna points in the network area based on the candidate beam information ().

Allocation of transport resources

A method for managing traffic of a plurality of packets in a plurality of packet flows transmitted using a time-slotted interface. The packet flows traverse a plurality of switches of a transport network according to an assigned path from a source node to a destination node. The method comprises determining an end-to-end latency of a plurality of packets traversing a current switch in packet flows and assigning priority values to the packets traversing the current switch, wherein a priority value of a packet depends on the determined end-to-end latency of said packets. The method further comprises allocating a time slot in an output interface of the current switch to the packet having the highest priority value among the packets competing for said time slot.

Method and switch for managing traffic in transport network

A method of scheduling transmission of a data flow in a data center network comprising a plurality of network nodes and links. The method comprising, at a network controller receiving () a transmission request for a data flow, obtaining () a tolerated time interval for the data flow, and scheduling () transmission of the data flow within the tolerated time interval and without contention with other transmissions.

Scheduling of data flow transmission in a data center

A method for switching data signals transmitted over a transport network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of input data signals of a first signal type wherein the plurality of data signals of the first signal type comprises data signals exchanged between a Radio Equipment and a Radio Equipment Controller and aggregating the plurality of input data signals into an aggregated first data signal. The method also comprises receiving a second data signal of a second signal type different to the first signal type, and multiplexing the first data signal with the second data signal to form a combined data signal. The method further comprises forwarding the combined data signal to the transport network. Multiplexing the first data signal with the second data signal comprises, for a frame of the combined data signal, allocating the first data signal to a portion of the frame reserved for the first data signal, and allocating the second data signal to a remaining portion of the frame.

Switching data signals of at least two types for transmission over a transport network providing both backhaul and fronthaul (Xhaul) connectivity

Configuring a node (, A-I, L-O) of a synchronization network, involves determining information about synchronization sources of a plurality of synchronization trails for passing synchronization information from the synchronization source (A, L, O, PRC) to the node to provide a synchronization reference. After determining automatically () synchronization transmission characteristics of trails (EP, FG, GH, HM, MN, OF, FI, IH) which use packet-based communication, the trails are compared automatically (), using their source information and their synchronization transmission characteristics, for selecting winch of these trails to use for providing the synchronization reference for the node (N). Compared to selections made based on source alone, using the synchronization transmission characteristics of the pocket based parts can enable a better choice of trail, and can enable comparison with synchronous type trails, and so enable hybrid synchronization network to be configured and maintained.

Configuration of synchronisation network

A data center network node () comprises one or more switch () configured to link an optical transceiver () to an optical connection comprising a multi-core optical fiber () having a plurality of cores (). For each core (), the one or more switch () is configurable between a first configuration in which an optical signal on a said core () of the multi-core optical fiber bypasses the optical transceiver and a second configuration in which the optical transceiver is optically linked to the said core () of the multi-core optical fiber ().

Data center network node

A data center network node comprising at least one server connection for connecting to a server, a connectionfor connecting the at least one serverto a first subnetwork. The first subnetwork is a conventional subnetwork which comprises at least one of a switch or a router. The node further comprises an optical receiver arrayfor connecting the node to an optical offload subnetwork, wherein the optical receiver arraycomprises a plurality of optical receivers. The array is configured such that each receiver is connectable to an optical path within a multi-path optical connection. The node further comprises an optical transmitter arrayfor connecting the node to an optical offload subnetwork. The optical transmitter array comprises a plurality of optical transmitters. The array is configured such that each receiver is connectable to an optical path within a multi-path optical connection. The node further comprises an electrical switching arrangementfor directing an incoming data stream from a receiver in the receiver arrayto at least one of the at least one server connection to serveror at least one transmitter in the transmitter array, and for directing an outgoing data stream from one of the at least one serverto at least one transmitter in the transmitter array. The electrical switching arrangementprovides for effective transport of data in a data center, e.g. transporting high bandwidth elephant flows on an optical offload network. The electrical switching arrangementenables the provision of point to multipoint connections for data streams by enabling a data stream to be passed to multiple transmitters or received at a node, sent to a server in the node, and transmitted to a subsequent node in the network. Once high bandwidth flow demands have been identified, a schedule of logical links between the nodes of the network is constructed so as to enable the high bandwidth flows to be transmitted on the offload network. The development of the schedule is implemented by an orchestratorand comprises constructing a booking list for high bandwidth flows, wherein a high bandwidth flow is a data stream which has a capacity requirement greater than a threshold.

Data center network

A method of providing state synchronization between a controller and a switch in a communications network, wherein the controller provides flow data for routing flows through the switch and transmits, in flow modification messages, the flow data to the switch for storage in flow tables, the state synchronization comprising ensuring that flow data in the flow tables of the switch are consistent with the flow data provided by the controller. The method comprises, by the controller (19), providing (21) an identifier in each flow modification message. The method further comprises, upon reestablishment of communications (22) between the controller and the switch after a loss of connectivity receiving (23) a resynchronization message from the switch, wherein the resynchronization message comprises an identifier indication capable of being used to identify an identifier of a most recently received message, determining (24) if all transmitted messages have been received by the switch by comparing the identifier indication with an identifier of a most recently transmitted flow modification message, identifying (25) flow modification messages transmitted after the most recently received message as 'un-received' messages and retransmitting (26) un-received messages.

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Leghorn, Italy

Giulio Bottari