Patents by Inventor Masahiko Mizutani

Masahiko Mizutani 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).

  • Patent number: 8391715
    Abstract: When a neighbor ONU receives a signal with light intensity high enough to secure communication between an OLT and a remote ONU, the light intensity may be excessively high to damage a receiver of the neighbor ONU. In order to avoid such a problem, each ONU is notified of a downstream signal transmission plan (downstream light intensity map) prior to transmission of a downstream signal. Each ONU receives the downstream light intensity map (light intensity transmission schedule of downstream signal) in advance. Thus, the neighbor ONU can block or attenuate an optical signal addressed to the remote ONU, and the remote ONU can determine normal operation even when the remote ONU cannot receive a signal addressed to the neighbor ONU. Thus, the remote ONU can be prevented from issuing a wrong error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Niibe, Masahiko Mizutani, Shinya Fujioka
  • Patent number: 8374504
    Abstract: A transmitting apparatus includes a plurality of code spreaders different in spreading code, a reception processing unit that selectively distributes transmission data to the plurality of code spreaders, a plurality of optical transmitters each of which that transmit a code-spread signal to an optical fiber as a CDMA optical signal of a carrier wavelength different from that of the other optical transmitters, and a signal multiplexing unit that selectively supplies outputs of the plurality of code spreaders to the plurality of optical transmitters. A receiving apparatus includes an optical receiver that receives a wavelength-division-multiplexed CDMA optical signal from the optical fiber, and a plurality of despreaders connected to the optical receiver and different in spreading code, wherein each of the despreaders reproduces a CDMA signal corresponding to its spreading code from an output signal of the optical receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Yoshihiro Ashi, Shinya Sasaki, Tohru Kazawa
  • Publication number: 20130028112
    Abstract: For a user signal (signal requesting for provision of services) input to a signal transport network, header information for transmission in the signal transport network is given at a portal edge of the signal transport network on the user side. The information given at this time includes a time stamp indicating the time of receiving the user signal by the edge. In a server on the service provider side, the time stamp is referred to, and services are provided for each user. Specifically, a response process schedule for each user is produced from the time stamp, and waiting time is reduced and a priority process is performed in accordance with the time of issuing the request by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD
    Inventors: Masahiko MIZUTANI, Takayuki KANNO
  • Publication number: 20120331043
    Abstract: When data is disclosed to a plurality of users by using a transfer network and a transfer apparatus, data disclosure time control which cannot be adversely affected by the users is performed to reduce the difference in data disclosure time among the users. A transfer network system includes a distribution server serving as a data-distribution-source transfer apparatus, and a network terminal connected to distribution-destination user equipment. The distribution server and the network terminal each have a time keeping function and a time synchronization function for matching the time of the time keeping function with a master clock. The distribution server sends in advance disclosure data and disclosure time to the network terminal. When the time of the time keeping function of the network terminal matches the disclosure time, the network terminal sends the disclosure data to the user equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Shinya FUJIOKA, Yoshihiro Ashi, Masahiko Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8331400
    Abstract: A PON system capable of utilizing the bandwidth of an optical transmission channel in the PON section. In a PON system including an OLT and a plurality of ONUs, the OLT has: a downstream frame processing unit that removes at least part of the header information in a layer 2 header from a downstream frame received from a wide area network, and converts the remaining frame portion into a frame having a header specific to the PON section; and a downstream frame processing unit that extracts a downstream frame portion to be transferred to a user terminal, from a received frame from a PON, and adds the layer 2 header information deleted in the OLT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Takeshi Shibata, Tohru Kazawa, Yoshihiro Ashi, Masanobu Kobayashi, Hideki Endo
  • Patent number: 8331784
    Abstract: It is necessary to completely remove the overlapping of signals between plural PONs in order to make the PONs coexist. Accordingly, it is required to share or intensively manage bandwidth use conditions over an optical fiber that serves as a common band between plural systems. Therefore, transmission clocks should be synchronized with high accuracy between the plural systems. A reference clock is provided from an external device or a representative OLT to the entire systems to perform clock synchronization between the plural systems, so that the overall systems are synchronized by synchronizing each OLT with the reference clock. A hierarchical management method is selected that manages ONUs under the control of each OLT by managing band use information arranged for each OLT with respect to an external device or a representative OLT for sharing of bandwidth use conditions between plural systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Toshiki Sugawara, Hiroki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8305907
    Abstract: To prevent, in using a multicast DA in an OAM frame, an increase in the network bandwidth usage and in the load of node processing and a degradation of the network reliability caused by a frame being transmitted to all routes in a broadcast domain. A MAC address and other basic frame information and the MEGID are associated with each other, and the MEGID information is added to the OAM frame, and these information are transmitted from an edge node serving as an end point of an ME. In a relay node of the ME, a route control table used for OAM frame control is provided, and a filter is generated by snooping of the OAM frame. Furthermore, when the relay node does not support the OAM function, the MEGID is denoted by a VLAN tag and the route control is made using the snooping function of each VLAN tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Atsushi Iwamura, Yoshihiro Ashi, Kenichi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8290369
    Abstract: An optical access system capable of avoiding cutoffs or interruption in the periodically transmitted signals that occur during the ranging time is provided. A first method to avoid signal cutoffs is to stop periodic transmit signals at the transmitter during the ranging period, and transmit all the periodic transmit signals together when the ranging ends, and buffer the signals at the receiver to prepare for ranging. A second method is to fix definite periods ahead of time for performing ranging, then cluster the multiple periodic transmit signals together in sets at the transmitter and send them, and then disassemble those sets back into signals at the receiver. The transmitting and receiving is then controlled so that the transmit periods do not overlap with the ranging periods. In this way an optical access system is provided that can send and receive signals requiring periodic transmissions without interruption even during ranging operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sakamoto, Yoshihiro Ashi, Tohru Kazawa, Ryosuke Nishino, Masayuki Takase, Masahiko Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8283681
    Abstract: A lighting device including a metal substrate to prevent temperature rise of LED chip is offered. The lighting device includes the metal substrate, an anode or cathode electrode of the LED chip disposed on the metal substrate, brazing materials connecting the LED chip and the metal substrate, and a groove formed in the anode or cathode electrode. Forming the groove can prevent an occurrence of a crack in the brazing materials. Also, a lighting device includes the metal substrate, an anode and cathode electrode of the LED chip disposed on the metal substrate and brazing materials connecting the LED chip and the metal substrate. Further, a slit is formed in the metal substrate between the anode and cathode electrode. Forming the slit in the metal substrate can prevent an occurrence of a crack in the brazing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignees: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., SANYO Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriaki Sakamoto, Naoki Tanahashi, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Takaya Kusabe, Masahiko Mizutani, Hideki Mizuhara, Yoshinari Sakuma
  • Publication number: 20120219006
    Abstract: An interconnection between fully synchronous networks and next-generation frame communications networks is disclosed. A means of bidirectional frame format conversion between a synchronous multiplexing system and a logical multiplexing system is provided, along with a method of transmitting data between different networks on a path as if it were being transmitted in the same network. Further, when converting network control information in an STM network into data suitable for a packet network, even across the boundary of a synchronous multiplexing system and a logical multiplexing system, a unified communication management means is provided over the whole path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko MIZUTANI, Yoshihiro Ashi, Masayuki Takase, Atsushi Iwamura, Akihiko Tanaka, Hideki Endo, Tohru Kazawa
  • Patent number: 8254780
    Abstract: In a passive optical network system, a parent station includes a reception circuit that receives an optical signal from each of child stations using a threshold used to identify if the optical signal is 0 or 1; a bandwidth setting unit that determines a time at which each child station sends an optical signal; a storage unit that stores thresholds and intensities of optical signals received from the child stations; and a control unit that sets a threshold, stored corresponding to a sending time, in the reception circuit to control a reception of an optical signal. The control unit has a function that compares an intensity of a signal received from each child station at an optical signal reception time with information stored in the storage unit to detect and determine a fault in the child station or in the optical fiber connected to the child station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Yusuke Yajima, Yoshihiro Ashi
  • Patent number: 8249458
    Abstract: An optical communication system has a master station and a plurality of slave stations connected thereto via an optical fiber network, which is provided with an optical splitter and a relay unit which relays signals transmitted/received between the master station and the plurality of slave stations. The master station includes a first controller for performing ranging between the master station and the relay unit, and the relay unit includes a second controller for performing ranging between the relay unit and the plurality of slave stations. The master station determines, on the basis of the results of ranging performed by the first and second controllers as well as reports from the slave stations, timings for the slave stations to transmit signals to the master station, and receives signals multiplexed through the optical fiber network from the slave stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Yusuke Yajima
  • Patent number: 8224135
    Abstract: In a PON system, an OLT periodically transmits a channel resource information block specifying a carrier wavelength and a spreading code on a first downstream channel to which a spread-spectrum spreader having a first spreading code is applied; one of ONUs receives the channel resource information block with a spread-spectrum despreader having the first spreading code and transmits a connection request to the OLT, using the carrier wavelength and the spreading code specified by the channel resource information block; the OLT having received the connection request transmits a new channel resource information block specifying a carrier wavelength and a spreading code to be used on an upstream data channel to the requester ONU through the first channel; and the requester ONU transmits data, using the carrier wavelength and the spreading code specified by the new channel resource information block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Toshiki Sugawara, Tohru Kazawa, Yoshihiro Ashi
  • Patent number: 8189571
    Abstract: An interconnection between fully synchronous networks and next-generation frame communications networks is disclosed. A means of bidirectional frame format conversion between a synchronous multiplexing system and a logical multiplexing system is provided, along with a method of transmitting data between different networks on a path as if it were being transmitted in the same network. Further, when converting network control information in an STM network into data suitable for a packet network, even across the boundary of a synchronous multiplexing system and a logical multiplexing system, a unified communication management means is provided over the whole path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizutani, Yoshihiro Ashi, Masayuki Takase, Atsushi Iwamura, Akihiko Tanaka, Hideki Endo, Tohru Kazawa
  • Patent number: 8169895
    Abstract: The invention realizes defect indication on a multipoint logical path and switching of the logical path using a transfer protocol of configuring a logical path in a ring network. A working path and a backup path are set up where each transmits a frame from a transmitting end node to multicast receiving end nodes, forwards the frame to the transmitting end node and terminates it at the transmitting end node after going around the ring. Any node detecting a defect transmits a forward defect indication frame to a multipoint logical path in which the defect occurs. The transmitting end node receiving the forward defect indication frame halts the use of the notified multipoint logical path, and transmits a frame in another path where the forward defect indication frame is not received. When received from both multipoint logical paths, the transmitting end node copies the frame and forwards them to both paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Takase, Kenichi Sakamoto, Masahiko Mizutani, Hideki Endo, Yoshihiro Ashi, Takayuki Kanno, Nobuyuki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120087662
    Abstract: The OLT manages information of optical intensity and communication bit rate receivable by each ONU, and transmits a signal at suitable optical intensity and a bit rate. The OLT decides a signal transmission plan for each ONU according to a status of accumulated information waiting to be transmitted in the OLT's own device buffer, and inserts the signal transmission plan in a header or payload of a downlink frame, thereby notifying the ONUs of the information prior to transmitting accumulated information (primary signal). The ONU recognizes the signal transmission plan of the OLT according to the time information in a downlink intensity map, receives only a signal having the optical intensity and bit rate suitable for the ONU's own device, and blocks other signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Suzuki, Masao Niibe, Shinya Fujioka, Masahiko Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8145055
    Abstract: In a PON, at the time of ranging, an OLT (a master station) measures an optical level of a signal from at least an ONU (a slave station) capable of communicating at plural transmission speeds. The OLT determines the transmission speed applied to the ONU according to the measured level. Incidentally, the ONU may measure an optical level of a ranging request signal and determine the transmission speed. At a normal operation, when the OLT sends information of plural different transmission speeds to the ONU, a timing when a next frame reaches and transmission speed information are notified to the ONU. Based on the timing, the ONU receives only data of the transmission speed that can be handled. Besides, the OLT switches the transmission speed to receive data based on a grant designation transmitted from the plural ONUs to the OLT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Niibe, Masahiko Mizutani, Tohru Kazawa
  • Publication number: 20120070147
    Abstract: Communication arrangements wherein each of ONUs of a first or second PON transmits data toward a connected first or second OLT after a wait time period designated by the connected first or second OLT; the first communication device of the first packet communication network sends a first frame for measuring communication time period, to the second communication device of the second packet communication network through the first PON, and sends a second frame for measuring communication time period, to the second communication device through the second PON; and the second communication device calculates a difference of communication time period between the received first and second frames, and instructs the first or second OLT of the first or second PON, for correcting a wait time period which is set to the one or plural ONUs connected to the first or second OLT, based on the difference between communication time periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Masahiko MIZUTANI, Yusuke Yajima, Takayuki Kanno, Takeshi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8139950
    Abstract: A passive optical network system (PON) has a plurality of OLTs and ONUs with different transmission rates. OLTs with different transmission rates share information of priority frames and destinations, and determine timing for frame transmission to ONUs so that the signal from each of the OLTs does not collide when multiplied in a splitter. OLTs transmit the data to the ONU as a burst signal to prevent the signals with different rates from colliding. ONU acquires the information of the following burst frames. ONU receives only the signal addressed to the own ONU or with the transmission rate of own ONU, therefore errors in ONUs can be avoided. OLT receives only the signal with the transmission rate of own OLT from ONUs based on the transmission timing from the ONUs shared by the line terminators, errors in OLTs can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Niibe, Tohru Kazawa, Yusuke Yajima, Takeshi Kiyose, Masahiko Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20120063774
    Abstract: When an ONU accommodating range is enlarged, and ONUs shorter and ONUs longer in a communication path to an OLT are accommodated in a PON at the same time, there is a need to change a light intensity at the time of transmitting a downstream signal in order that both of the ONUs receive a downstream signal from the OLT. When a near-end ONU receives a signal having a light intensity necessary to communicate between the OLT and a far-end ONU, there arises such a problem that the light intensity is as high as an ONU receiver fails. In order to eliminate the ONU failure of the above problem, prior to transmission of the downstream signal, a downstream signal transmission schedule (downstream light intensity map) is notified to all of the ONUs. An optical transceiver of the OLT has a function of adjusting an output light intensity, and adjusts the light intensity to values receivable by the individual ONUs when the signal arrives at the respective ONUs according to route distances to the respective ONUs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Masao NIIBE, Masahiko MIZUTANI