Download method and transmission device using the same

Abstract

A disclosed download method for downloading software to a transmission device constituting a network includes the steps of: searching for an unused channel between the transmission device and an adjacent transmission device and setting up a cross-connect for the unused channel so as to set up a communication channel for transferring software; transmitting the software stored in a software storage unit to the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel; and receiving software transferred from the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel and storing the software in the software storage unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a structure of an OSI network for maintenance in a synchronous optical network;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a transmission device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of a network using a transmission device according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sequence of setting up a communication channel in a sender of a software file;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sequence of setting up a communication channel in a recipient of a software file;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a sequence of file transmission operations in a sender of a software file;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a sequence of file transmission operations in a recipient of a software file;

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram between devices according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing cross-connect information held in a management data storage unit;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a structure of a packet for control between devices according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a structure of a packet for control between devices according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a structure of a packet for control between devices according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing cross-connect information in a management data storage unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing cross-connect information in a management data storage unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing cross-connect information in a management data storage unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing attached information included in software to be transferred according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing transfer availability information held in a software storage unit according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a process for determining availability of transfer according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A download method for downloading software to a transmission device constituting a network, the download method comprising the steps of: searching for an unused channel between the transmission device and an adjacent transmission device and setting up a cross-connect for the unused channel so as to set up a communication channel for transferring software;transmitting the software stored in a software storage unit to the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel; andreceiving software transferred from the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel and storing the software in the software storage unit.

2. The download method according to claim 1, wherein the software downloaded from the adjacent transmission device and stored in the software storage unit is transferred to other adjacent transmission device, andthe software is downloaded to all transmission devices constituting the network.

3. A transmission device for downloading software via a network, the transmission device comprising: a software storage unit storing software;a communication channel setting unit searching for an unused channel between the transmission device and an adjacent transmission device and setting up a cross-connect for the unused channel so as to set up a communication channel for transferring software;a software transmission unit transmitting the software stored in the software storage unit to the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel; anda software reception unit receiving software transferred from the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel and storing the software in the software storage unit.

4. The transmission device according to claim 3, wherein the software transmission unit transfers the software downloaded from the adjacent transmission device and stored in the software storage unit to other adjacent transmission device.

5. The transmission device according to claim 3, including: a cross-connect release unit releasing the cross-connect after the software stored in the software storage unit is transmitted to the adjacent transmission device via the communication channel.

6. The transmission device according to claim 3, wherein the communication channel setting unit sets up a cross-connect for a protection channel of bidirectional line switch ring so as to set up the communication channel.

7. The transmission device according to claim 3, wherein the communication channel setting unit sets up a cross-connect using a plurality of unused channels as a concatenation or a virtual concatenation so as to set up the communication channel.

8. The transmission device according to claim 3, wherein when failure is generated in the communication channel, the communication channel setting unit sets up a cross-connect for other unused channel between the transmission device and the adjacent transmission device so as to set up a communication channel.

9. The transmission device according to claim 4, including: a transfer rejection unit rejecting transfer of the software from the adjacent transmission device when information on a version of software to be transferred is provided along with a request for setting up the communication channel from the adjacent transmission device and the version information is the same as version information of the software stored in the software storage unit.

10. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the software is provided with identification information of a transmission device constituting the network, andthe transmission device includes:a software application unit applying the software stored in the software storage unit to the device when identification information of the software stored in the software storage unit corresponds to the identification information of the device.

11. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the adjacent transmission device stores information on a version of the software along with the software, andthe transmission device includes:a transfer request unit inquiring of the adjacent transmission device as to the version information of the software stored in the adjacent transmission device upon start-up and requesting the adjacent transmission device to transfer the software when the version information of the software stored in the adjacent transmission device is new relative to version information of the software stored in the device.

12. The transmission device according to claim 11, wherein the adjacent transmission device further stores transfer availability information, andthe transfer request unit inquires of the adjacent transmission device as to the transfer availability information in addition to the version information of the software stored in the adjacent transmission device upon start-up and, only when transfer is enabled in the transfer availability information, requests the adjacent transmission device to transfer the software.