IP Library Granted Patent US 12,550,037
Granted Patent B2
US 12,550,037 · App. 18/029,722 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Optical path design apparatus, optical path design method and program

Inventors: Takafumi Tanaka (Musashino, JP); Takuya Ohara (Musashino, JP); Fumikazu Inuzuka (Musashino, JP); Takuya Oda (Musashino, JP); Masayuki Shimoda (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NTT, Inc.
H04W40/04H04B10/114H04W72/0446
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,550,037
App. No.
18/029,722
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical path design device includes: a search unit configured to search for one or more route possibilities from a start point to an end point in an optical network including one or more transmission paths as links and a plurality of node devices as nodes on the basis of topology information of the optical network, information on the start point, and information on the end point; a time derivation unit configured to derive available time which is time at which a frequency band including one or more frequency slots becomes available for communication for each of the transmission paths or the node devices included in the route; and a design unit configured to select the route from the one or more route possibilities that have been searched for on the basis of the available time derived for each of the transmission paths or the node devices and select a frequency band of an optical signal to be transmitted through an optical path in the selected route.

Claims (45)

1 . An optical path design device comprising:

a searcher, including one or more processors, configured to search for one or more route possibilities from a start point to an end point in an optical network including one or more transmission paths as links and a plurality of node devices as nodes on a basis of topology information of the optical network, information on the start point, and information on the end point;

a time derivator, including one or more processors, configured to derive available time which is time at which a frequency band including one or more frequency slots becomes available for communication for each of the transmission paths or the node devices included in the route; and

a designer, including one or more processors, configured to select the route from the one or more route possibilities that have been searched for on a basis of the available time derived for each of the transmission paths or the node devices and select the frequency band of an optical signal to be transmitted through an optical path in the selected route.

2 . The optical path design device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the time derivator is configured to derive the available time of one or more first transceivers connected to the start point and the available time of one or more second transceivers connected to the end point, and

the designer is configured to select the route, the frequency band, the first transceiver, and the second transceiver on a basis of the available time of the first transceiver, the available time of the second transceiver, and the available time for each of the transmission paths.

3 . The optical path design device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the time derivator is configured to derive later one of the available time of a first node device connected to a first end of each of the transmission paths and the available time of a second node device connected to a second end of each of the transmission paths as the available time of each of the transmission paths.

4 . The optical path design device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the designer is configured to select the route and the frequency band such that a time period from current time to the available time becomes shortest for the route.

5 . The optical path design device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the designer is configured to select the route and the frequency band on a basis of the available time before designated time.

6 . The optical path design device according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a case where the route and the frequency band selected for first communication on a basis of first available time are available for second communication after second available time, the designer is configured to cause the route and the frequency band selected on a basis of the first available time to be used for the second communication after the second available time.

7 . An optical path design method executed by an optical path design device, the optical path design method comprising:

searching for one or more route possibilities from a start point to an end point in an optical network including one or more transmission paths as links and a plurality of node devices as nodes on a basis of topology information of the optical network, information on the start point, and information on the end point;

deriving available time which is time at which a frequency band including one or more frequency slots becomes available for communication for each of the transmission paths or the node devices included in the route; and

selecting the route from the one or more route possibilities that have been searched for on a basis of the available time derived for each of the transmission paths or the node devices and selecting the frequency band of an optical signal to be transmitted through an optical path in the selected route.

8 . The optical path design method of claim 7 , further comprising:

deriving the available time of one or more first transceivers connected to the start point and the available time of one or more second transceivers connected to the end point; and

selecting the route, the frequency band, the first transceiver, and the second transceiver on a basis of the available time of the first transceiver, the available time of the second transceiver, and the available time for each of the transmission paths.

9 . The optical path design method of claim 7 , further comprising:

deriving later one of the available time of a first node device connected to a first end of each of the transmission paths and the available time of a second node device connected to a second end of each of the transmission paths as the available time of each of the transmission paths.

10 . The optical path design method of claim 7 , further comprising:

selecting the route and the frequency band such that a time period from current time to the available time becomes shortest for the route.

11 . The optical path design method of claim 7 , further comprising:

selecting the route and the frequency band on a basis of the available time before designated time.

12 . The optical path design method of claim 7 , further comprising:

wherein in a case where the route and the frequency band selected for first communication on a basis of first available time are available for second communication after second available time, causing the route and the frequency band selected on a basis of the first available time to be used for the second communication after the second available time.

13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform operations comprising:

searching for one or more route possibilities from a start point to an end point in an optical network including one or more transmission paths as links and a plurality of node devices as nodes on a basis of topology information of the optical network, information on the start point, and information on the end point;

deriving available time which is time at which a frequency band including one or more frequency slots becomes available for communication for each of the transmission paths or the node devices included in the route; and

selecting the route from the one or more route possibilities that have been searched for on a basis of the available time derived for each of the transmission paths or the node devices and selecting the frequency band of an optical signal to be transmitted through an optical path in the selected route.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

deriving the available time of one or more first transceivers connected to the start point and the available time of one or more second transceivers connected to the end point; and

selecting the route, the frequency band, the first transceiver, and the second transceiver on a basis of the available time of the first transceiver, the available time of the second transceiver, and the available time for each of the transmission paths.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

deriving later one of the available time of a first node device connected to a first end of each of the transmission paths and the available time of a second node device connected to a second end of each of the transmission paths as the available time of each of the transmission paths.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting the route and the frequency band such that a time period from current time to the available time becomes shortest for the route.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting the route and the frequency band on a basis of the available time before designated time.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

wherein in a case where the route and the frequency band selected for first communication on a basis of first available time are available for second communication after second available time, causing the route and the frequency band selected on a basis of the first available time to be used for the second communication after the second available time.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072468/0951 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2023
From: TANAKA, TAKAFUMI; OHARA, TAKUYA; INUZUKA, FUMIKAZU; ODA, TAKUYA; SHIMODA, MASAYUKI
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063216/0643 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230232307A1 · Jul 20, 2023
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