Patents by Inventor Kaoru Arai

Kaoru Arai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220026857
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a time synchronization mechanism that is not affected by link asymmetry between time synchronization devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Kaoru Arai, Hiroki Sakuma, Masahiro NAKAGAWA, Shunichi Tsuboi
  • Publication number: 20220021448
    Abstract: [Problem] To determine a time difference between clocks which, for example, are placed far apart from each other with high accuracy at low cost. [Solution] In a time comparison system 20, an intermediate station 21 disperses a single optical signal 21c in the spatial region using the optical complex amplitude modulation to simultaneously transmit the optical signal 21c to a plurality of comparative stations 22 and 23 apart from each other. The intermediate station 21 transmits the optical signal 21c while changing the transmission angle using phase modulation, performs intensity scanning for the reflected light c1 of the optical signal 21c, and detects the peak intensity to determine the directions of the comparative stations 22 and 23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroki SAKUMA, Kaoru ARAI, Ryuta Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20220022151
    Abstract: [Problem] A time synchronization mechanism with which an impact of link asymmetry between time synchronization devices is reduced is provided. [Solution] A SW 3 used in the time transmission system in which a master node 1 and a slave node 2 performs transmission and reception of a PTP packet via the SW 3 and the time of the master node 1 is synchronized based on time information of the transmission and reception includes a delay calculator 32 that measures an intra-device delay between input and output of the PTP packet to and from the SW 3, and a delay information writing unit 33 that appends the intra-device delay measured by the delay calculator 32 to a packet subsequent to the PTP packet, and outputs the appended packet to an output destination of the PTP packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Kaoru Arai, Hiroki Sakuma, Masahiro NAKAGAWA, Shunichi Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 11196499
    Abstract: [Problem] It is possible to improve the quality of time information by suppressing a jump in time which arises when switching a transfer path in a BC apparatus to which transfer paths of time information of at least 2 systems are connected to an input side. [Solution] A time synchronization apparatus 20 is mounted on a BC apparatus 12c in which two systems of at least a 0-system route (0-system) and a 1-system route (1-system) are connected to an input side, and includes a time correction value holding unit 26 configured to hold a 0-system correction value in which a time error resulting from delay of UTC due to performance inherent to the BC apparatus is the same value as a time error accumulated on the 0-system side and a 1-system correction value in which the time error is the same value as a time error accumulated on the 1-system side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Arai, Hiroki Sakuma, Takaaki Hisashima, Ryuta Sugiyama, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 11196535
    Abstract: A local device of a time synchronization system includes a path switching unit that connects respective remote devices using individual optical fibers and switches the respective optical fibers sequentially in a cyclic order, a counter unit, a phase difference memory unit, and a table unit. The counter unit counts a pulse signal P1d demodulated by a PPS demodulation unit to obtain a count value. The phase difference memory unit stores the count value as path information in association with a phase difference detected by a phase detection unit, and outputs the phase difference associated with this path information indicated by the count value to the variable delay unit. When the count value is input, the table unit outputs a path switching signal for switching to the next optical fiber in the cyclic order to the path switching unit and the path switching unit performs switching to the next optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakuma, Kaoru Arai, Takaaki Hisashima, Ryuta Sugiyama, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 11196533
    Abstract: [Problem] To synchronize timings of transmitting and receiving a pulse signal (1 PPS signal) at a constant interval between communication apparatuses even in a case where an optical fiber connecting the communication apparatuses fluctuates in an optical characteristic and an optical fiber length. [Solution] The time synchronization system 20 transmits and receives a pulse signal at a constant interval between a local apparatus L (apparatus L) and a remote apparatus R (apparatus R) connected through the two-core bidirectional optical fibers F1 and F2 to synchronize time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakuma, Kaoru Arai, Ryuta Sugiyama, Takaaki Hisashima, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20210314134
    Abstract: [Problem] To reduce a total equipment cost. [Solution] A local device (20A) of a time synchronization system (10A) includes a path switching unit (33) that connects respective remote devices (40A1 to 40An) using individual optical fibers (60a to 60n) and switches the respective optical fibers (60a to 60n) sequentially in a cyclic order, a counter unit (31), a phase difference memory unit (30), and a table unit (32). The counter unit (31) counts a pulse signal P1d demodulated by a PPS demodulation unit (23) to obtain a count value (T1). The phase difference memory unit (30) stores the count value (T1) as path information in association with a phase difference (?1) detected by a phase detection unit (22), and outputs, when the count value (T1) is input, the phase difference (?1) associated with this path information indicated by the count value (T1) to the variable delay unit (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakuma, Kaoru Arai, Takaaki Hisashima, Ryuta Sugiyama, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20210302499
    Abstract: [Problem] To monitor a frequency difference between an input clock and a synchronous clock synchronized with the input clock. [Solution] A clock frequency monitoring apparatus that monitors the frequency of an input clock 18a includes a phase comparator 12 that compares a phase of a synchronous clock 18e phase-synchronized with the input clock 18a or a first frequency-divided clock 18f obtained by frequency-dividing the synchronous clock 18e with the phase of the input clock 18a, a filter 13 that low-pass filters an output signal of the phase comparator 12, an oscillator 14 that generates the synchronous clock 18e having a frequency corresponding to a control value from the filter 13, and a determiner 19 that determines that the frequency of the input clock 18a is abnormal when the variation amplitude of the output signal of the filter 13 is equal to or more than a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Takaaki HISASHIMA, Hiroki SAKUMA, Kaoru ARAI, Ryuta SUGIYAMA, Shunichi TSUBOI, Osamu KUROKAWA, Kazuyuki MATSUMURA
  • Publication number: 20210072707
    Abstract: A management apparatus in a time synchronization system includes a time variation information receiving unit configured to acquire time variation information and position information of a time synchronization apparatus, a position information classifying unit configured to classify time synchronization apparatuses into predetermined categories based on the acquired position information, a time variation analysis configured to determine majority based on whether patterns of time variation of the time synchronization apparatuses belonging to an identical category are identical to each other, and to analyze the time variation based on the determined results, and a filtering and delivery unit configured to output an instruction to block the time information received from the positioning satellite, to the time synchronization apparatus having abnormal time variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Takaaki Hisashima, Hiroki Sakuma, Kaoru Arai, Ryuta Sugiyama, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20210058223
    Abstract: [Problem] To synchronize timings of transmitting and receiving a pulse signal (1 PPS signal) at a constant interval between communication apparatuses even in a case where an optical fiber connecting the communication apparatuses fluctuates in an optical characteristic and an optical fiber length. [Solution] The time synchronization system 20 transmits and receives a pulse signal at a constant interval between a local apparatus L (apparatus L) and a remote apparatus R (apparatus R) connected through the two-core bidirectional optical fibers F1 and F2 to synchronize time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroki SAKUMA, Kaoru ARAI, Ryuta SUGIYAMA, Takaaki HISASHIMA, Shunichi TSUBOI, Osamu KUROKAWA, Kazuyuki MATSUMURA
  • Publication number: 20210021362
    Abstract: [Problem] It is possible to improve the quality of time information by suppressing a jump in time which arises when switching a transfer path in a BC apparatus to which transfer paths of time information of at least 2 systems are connected to an input side. [Solution] A time synchronization apparatus 20 is mounted on a BC apparatus 12c in which two systems of at least a 0-system route (0-system) and a 1-system route (1-system) are connected to an input side, and includes a time correction value holding unit 26 configured to hold a 0-system correction value in which a time error resulting from delay of UTC due to performance inherent to the BC apparatus is the same value as a time error accumulated on the 0-system side and a 1-system correction value in which the time error is the same value as a time error accumulated on the 1-system side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Kaoru Arai, Hiroki Sakuma, Takaaki Hisashima, Ryuta Sugiyama, Shunichi Tsuboi, Osamu Kurokawa, Kazuyuki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20200403901
    Abstract: [Problem] To select an optimal transmission path having a minimum total MTIE value of total MTIE values between a plurality of master apparatuses configured to transmit time information serving as a reference and a specific relay apparatus configured to receive the time information via a plurality of relay apparatuses to achieve time synchronization. [Solution] A time path selection apparatus 30 selects a transmission path employed for time synchronization, on the basis of a MTIE value evaluated in each of relay apparatuses 13 to 16, between master apparatuses 11 and 12 configured to transmit time information serving as a reference and a relay apparatus 15 or 16 at an edge configured to receive the time information via a relay apparatus 13 or 14 to achieve the time synchronization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Ryuta SUGIYAMA, Kaoru ARAI, Hiroki SAKUMA, Takaaki HISASHIMA, Shunichi TSUBOI, Osamu KUROKAWA, Kazuyuki MATSUMURA
  • Patent number: 10250348
    Abstract: In the optical transport system a transport frame generator divides a transport frame accommodating plural client signals into plural transmission signals. Subcarrier transmission units convert the signals into optical signals using different optical carriers and transmit the converted optical signals. Subcarrier reception units receive the transmitted optical signals and convert the optical signals into reception signals. A transport frame termination unit combines the reception signals to restore the transport frame. A time-demultiplexing processor time-demultiplexes the restored transport frame to be separated into the client signals. A time slot control unit determines a new time slot allocation when time-multiplexing the client signals in the transport frame and stops supply of electric power to a subcarrier transmission unit and a subcarrier reception unit that transmit and receive an optical signal to which the client signals are not allocated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yamada, Kengo Shintaku, Takuya Ohara, Kei Kitamura, Takashi Kotanigawa, Takafumi Hamano, Kaoru Arai, Masahiro Yokota, Hideki Maeda
  • Patent number: 10230457
    Abstract: A framer in a transmission device allocates plural optical channel time slots to a plurality of logical prioritized paths. It allocates received client signals to the allocated time slots, and transmits the client signals by a plurality of optical subcarriers that use a plurality of optical wavelengths corresponding to the plurality of time slots. The framer includes: a time slot allocation unit that, in a case where an optical wavelength corresponding to a time slot allocated to a logical path having a high transmission priority is not used, allocates at least one of the plurality of time slots to the logical path having the high transmission priority while the time slot corresponding to the unused optical wavelength is avoided, to change the time slot allocated to the logical path having the high transmission priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei Kitamura, Takafumi Hamano, Takashi Kotanigawa, Kaoru Arai, Masahiro Yokota, Hideki Maeda, Yoshiaki Yamada, Takuya Ohara, Kengo Shintaku
  • Patent number: 10181921
    Abstract: A framer in a transmission device that allocates time slots of an optical channel to a logical path, divides client signals received via the logical path to the time slots allocated to the logical path, and transmits the client signals by a plurality of optical subcarriers using optical wavelengths correlated with the time slots includes: a time slot allocating unit configured to perform a process of reducing a transmission band of the logical path when some of the optical wavelengths are unavailable and changing the time slots allocated to the logical path depending on the reduced transmission band to avoid using the time slots corresponding to the unavailable optical wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Yokota, Takafumi Hamano, Takashi Kotanigawa, Kaoru Arai, Kei Kitamura, Hideki Maeda, Yoshiaki Yamada, Takuya Ohara, Kengo Shintaku
  • Patent number: 10063321
    Abstract: There is provided a tray which is connected to a plurality of transmitters that multicarrier-transmit a plurality of parallel signals by optical subcarriers. The framer selects time slots to be allocated to a path to be accommodated such that the number of optical subcarriers corresponding to the time slots satisfies a predetermined condition on the basis of empty time slots which are specified by path accommodation information indicating a correspondence between paths allocated to a client signal and time slots in a signal frame and the optical subcarriers corresponding to the empty time slots indicated by time slot information indicating a correspondence between the time slots and the optical subcarriers, and sets the selected time slot in the path accommodation information. The framer sets a client signal to the time slots on the basis of the path accommodation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Kitamura, Takashi Kotanigawa, Takafumi Hamano, Kaoru Arai, Masahiro Yokota, Hideki Maeda, Yoshiaki Yamada, Takuya Ohara, Kengo Shintaku
  • Publication number: 20170366288
    Abstract: A framer in a transmission device that allocates time slots of an optical channel to a logical path, divides client signals received via the logical path to the time slots allocated to the logical path, and transmits the client signals by a plurality of optical suhcarriers using optical wavelengths correlated with the time slots includes: a time slot allocating unit configured to perform a process of reducing a transmission band of the logical path when some of the optical wavelengths are unavailable and changing the time slots allocated to the logical path depending on the reduced transmission band to avoid using the time slots corresponding to the unavailable optical wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro YOKOTA, Takafumi HAMANO, Takashi KOTANIGAWA, Kaoru ARAI, Kei KITAMURA, Hideki MAEDA, Yoshiaki YAMADA, Takuya OHARA, Kengo SHINTAKU
  • Publication number: 20170324472
    Abstract: A framer in a transmission device allocates plural optical channel time slots to a plurality of logical prioritized paths. It allocates received client signals to the allocated time slots, and transmits the client signals by a plurality of optical subcarriers that use a plurality of optical wavelengths corresponding to the plurality of time slots. The framer includes: a time slot allocation unit that, in a case where an optical wavelength corresponding to a time slot allocated to a logical path having a high transmission priority is not used, allocates at least one of the plurality of time slots to the logical path having the high transmission priority while the time slot corresponding to the unused optical wavelength is avoided, to change the time slot allocated to the logical path having the high transmission priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei KITAMURA, Takafumi HAMANO, Takashi KOTANIGAWA, Kaoru ARAI, Masahiro YOKOTA, Hideki MAEDA, Yoshiaki YAMADA, Takuya OHARA, Kengo SHINTAKU
  • Publication number: 20170324496
    Abstract: In the optical transport system a transport frame generator divides a transport frame accommodating plural client signals into plural transmission signals. Subcarrier transmission units convert the signals into optical signals using different optical carriers and transmit the converted optical signals. Subcarrier reception units receive the transmitted optical signals and convert the optical signals into reception signals. A transport frame termination unit combines the reception signals to restore the transport frame. A time-demultiplexing processor time-demultiplexes the restored transport frame to be separated into the client signals. A time slot control unit determines a new time slot allocation when time-multiplexing the client signals in the transport frame and stops supply of electric power to a subcarrier transmission unit and a subcarrier reception unit that transmit and receive an optical signal to which the client signals are not allocated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki YAMADA, Kengo SHINTAKU, Takuya OHARA, Kei KITAMURA, Takashi KOTANIGAWA, Takafumi HAMANO, Kaoru ARAI, Masahiro YOKOTA, Hideki MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20170257169
    Abstract: There is provided a tray which is connected to a plurality of transmitters that multicarrier-transmit a plurality of parallel signals by optical subcarriers. The framer selects time slots to be allocated to a path to be accommodated such that the number of optical subcarriers corresponding to the time slots satisfies a predetermined condition on the basis of empty time slots which are specified by path accommodation information indicating a correspondence between paths allocated to a client signal and time slots in a signal frame and the optical subcarriers corresponding to the empty time slots indicated by time slot information indicating a correspondence between the time slots and the optical subcarriers, and sets the selected time slot in the path accommodation information. The framer sets a client signal to the time slots on the basis of the path accommodation information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei KITAMURA, Takashi KOTANIGAWA, Takafumi HAMANO, Kaoru ARAI, Masahiro YOKOTA, Hideki MAEDA, Yoshiaki YAMADA, Takuya OHARA, Kengo SHINTAKU