Method and device for starting up an optical transmission link

1. A method for starting up an optical transmission link,

(a) in which, after detecting a broken connection, a system is first switched into a startup mode in an original detection state, a query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) is then fed to the transmission link at two endpoints at given time intervals (T RP );

(b) wherein, after transmission of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) at a relevant endpoint of the two endpoints, in a “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode, the following actions are performed:

(i) repeating a loop n times and at least once, the loop beginning after, transmitting the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), first detecting whether a received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received within a given time span (T 2P ), wherein the given time span (T 2P ) is longer than a duration of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), then

(1) ending the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode and returning to the original detection state if the received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is not received;

(2) answering with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#1 ) if the received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received;

(ii) after transmitting a last additional transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#1 ), detecting whether another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) ending the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode and returning to the original detection state if no other received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received;

(2) activating transmission of data towards the other endpoint of the optical transmission link at the end of the startup mode after a given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed, if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received; and

(c) performing the following actions after receiving a first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) at a responding endpoint of the two endpoints, at which the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode is not active, with the responding endpoint in a “RECEIVE” handshake mode:

(i) after receiving the first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ), answering with a first transmit pulse (P 1T,#2 );

(ii) repeating a second loop n times and at least once, which begins with the first transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), after detecting the transmission of the transmit pulse (P iT,#1 ) then detecting by the responding endpoint whether another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) if no other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then ending the “RECEIVE” handshake mode and returning the system to the original detection state;

(2) if another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then answering the other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#2 );

(iii) activating transmission of data towards the relevant endpoint of the optical transmission link after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed in the n-th execution of the step (c) (ii), if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ) is received and answered with another transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#2 );

(d) and, wherein the received pulses (including the first received pulse for triggering the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode) during the “RECEIVE” and the “TRANSMITTED” handshake modes are counted, and for a detection of more than a given number of received pulses that is greater than n+1, changing the system to the original detection state or generating an error signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activation of the transmission of data in the direction toward the relevant endpoint of the transmission link is recognized as a received pulse.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection of more than the given number of received pulses, which is greater than n+2, causes the system to change to the original detection state or to generate the error signal.

4. A system for starting up an optical transmission link, the system comprising:

(a) first and second optical transmit-and-receive devices that are adapted to be connected to each other by means of an optical waveguide connection path;

(b) wherein, after the detection of a broken connection, the first and second optical transmit-and-receive devices are adapted to be switched into a startup mode and initially, in an original detection state, feed a query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) to the optical waveguide connection path at given time intervals (T RP );

(c) wherein each of the two transmit-and-receive devices is adapted to perform the following actions after transmission of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) in a “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode:

(i) the transmit-and-receive device repeating a loop n times and at least once, the loop beginning after, transmitting the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), first detecting whether a received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received within a given time span (T 2P ), wherein the given time span (T 2P ) is longer than a duration of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), then

(1) ending the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode and returning to the original detection state if pulse (P iR,#1 ) is not received;

(2) answering with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#1 ) if the received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received;

(ii) after transmission of a last additional transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#1 ) the transmit-and-receive device detects whether another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) returning to the original detection state if no other received pulse (P (n+1)R #1 ) is received;

(2) activating transmission of data towards the other transmit-and-receive device of the optical transmission link at the end of the startup mode after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received; and

(d) wherein if the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode is not active, each of the two transmit-and-receive devices carries out the following actions after receipt of a first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) in a “RECEIVE” handshake mode:

(i) after receiving the first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) then answering with a first transmit pulse (P 1T,#2 );

(ii) repeating a second loop n times and at least once, which begins with the first transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), after detecting the transmission of the transmit pulse (P iT,#1 ) then the responding endpoint detects whether another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) if no other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then ending the “RECEIVE” handshake mode and returning the system to the original detection state;

(2) if another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then answering the other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#2 );

(iii) activating transmission of data towards the relevant one of the transmit and receive devices of the optical link after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed in the n-th execution of the step (c) (ii), if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ) is received and answered with another transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#2 ); and

(e) wherein the transmit-and-receive device is constructed in such a way that the received pulses (including the first received pulse for triggering the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode) during the “RECEIVE” and the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode are counted, and for a detection of more than a given number of received pulses that is greater than n+1, changing the system to the original detection state or generating an error signal.

5. A system for starting up an optical transmission link, the system comprising:

(a) first and second optical transmit-and-receive devices that are adapted to be connected to each other by means of an optical waveguide connection path;

(b) wherein, after the detection of a broken connection, the first and second optical transmit-and-receive devices are adapted to be switched into a startup mode and initially, in an original detection state, feed a query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) to the optical waveguide connection path at given time intervals (T RP );

(c) wherein each of the two transmit-and-receive devices is adapted to perform the following actions after transmission of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) in a “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode:

(i) the transmit-and-receive device repeating a loop n times and at least once, the loop beginning after, transmitting the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), first detecting whether a received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received within a given time span (T 2P ), wherein the given time span (T 2P ) is longer than a duration of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), then

(1) ending the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode and returning to the original detection state if pulse (P iR,#1 ) is not received;

(2) answering with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#1 ) if the received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received;

(ii) after transmission of a last additional transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#1 ) the transmit-and-receive device detects whether another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) returning to the original detection state if no other received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received;

(2) activating transmission of data towards the other transmit-and-receive device of the optical transmission link at the end of the startup mode after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ) is received; and

(d) wherein if the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode is not active, each of the two transmit-and-receive devices carries out the following actions after receipt of a first received pulse (P 1R#2 ) in a “RECEIVE” handshake mode:

(i) after receiving the first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) then answering with a first transmit pulse (P 1T,#2 );

(ii) repeating a second loop n times and at least once, which begins with the first transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), after detecting the transmission of the transmit pulse (P iT,#1 ) then the responding endpoint detects whether another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) if no other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then ending the “RECEIVE” handshake mode and returning the system to the original detection state;

(2) if another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then answering the other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#2 );

(iii) activating transmission of data towards the relevant one of the transmit and receive devices of the optical link after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed in the n-th execution of the step (c) (ii), if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ) is received and answered with another transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#2 ); and

(e) the system further characterized in that the detection of more than the given number of received pulses, which is greater than n+2, causes the transmit-and-receive device to change to the original detection state or generate the error signal.

6. A computer program product stored on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, and operable when executed for controlling an optical transmission link to perform the following functions:

(a) after detecting a broken connection, first switching the system into a startup mode in an original detection state, a query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) is then fed to the transmission link at two endpoints at given time intervals (T RP ),

(b) wherein, after transmission of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ) at a relevant endpoint of the two endpoints, in a “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode, the following actions are performed:

(i) repeating a loop n times and at least once, the loop beginning after, transmitting the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), first detecting whether a received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received within a given time span (T 2P ), wherein the given time span (T 2P ) is longer than a duration of the query-transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), then

(1) returning to the original detection state if pulse (P 1R,#1 ) is not received;

(2) answering with another transmit pulse (P (i+1)T,#1 ) if the received pulse (P iR,#1 ) is received;

(ii) after transmitting a last additional transmit pulse (P (n+1)T,#1 ) detecting whether another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) returning to the original detection state if no other received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received;

(2) activating transmission of data towards the other endpoint of the optical transmission link at the end of the startup mode after a given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#1 ) is received; and

(c) performing the following actions after receiving a first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) at a responding endpoint of the two endpoints, at which the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode is not active, with the responding endpoint in a “RECEIVE” handshake mode:

(i) after receiving the first received pulse (P 1R,#2 ) then answering with a first transmit pulse (P 1T,#2 );

(ii) repeating a second loop n times and at least once, which begins with the first transmit pulse (P 1T,#1 ), after detecting the transmission of the transmit pulse (P iT,#1) then the responding endpoint detects whether another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received within the given time span (T 2P );

(1) if no other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then the “RECEIVE” handshake mode is ended and the system is returned to the original detection state;

(2) if another received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is received, then the other received pulse (P (i+1)R,#2 ) is answered with another transmit pulse P (i+1)T,#2 );

(iii) activating transmission of data towards the relevant endpoint of the transmission link after the given time span (T 1P ) has elapsed in the n-th execution of the step (c) (ii), if another received pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ) is received and answered with another transmit pulse (P (n+1)R,#2 ), and

(d) wherein the received pulses (including the first received pulse for triggering the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode) during the “RECEIVE” and the “TRANSMITTED” handshake mode are counted, and for a detection of more than a given number of received pulses that is greater than n+1, changing the system to the original detection state or generating an error signal.