Data relay apparatus and function control method therefor

摘要

A data relay apparatus R (e.g., one included in an ONU) that performs data transfer from one port to another port reduces power consumption by performing control to limit a receive function of a receiving unit 1 at the one port under at least one of conditions that a control instruction is received from a communication partner (e.g., an OLT) connected to the one port (port 2), and that information about control is notified to the communication partner; and allows the receive function to recover when a predetermined recovery condition is satisfied (e.g., a lapse of a predetermined period of time or arrival of a predetermined time). In this case, since recognition that the receive function is limited can be shared with the communication partner, the communication partner can prevent itself from performing data transmission to the data relay apparatus R when the receive function is limited.

主权项

1. A data relay apparatus that performs data transfer from one port to another port, the data relay apparatus comprising:
a transmitting unit and a receiving unit provided for each port; a relay processing unit provided between the receiving unit at the one port and the transmitting unit at another port, and performing a data transfer relay process; and a function control unit that performs function control to limit a receive function of the receiving unit at the one port to reduce power consumption and thereafter allow the receive function to recover when a predetermined recovery condition is satisfied, the function control unit performing the function control based on an instruction when the instruction to perform the function control is received from a communication partner connected to the one port, whereas the function control unit notifies information about the function control to the communication partner when the data relay apparatus performs the function control itself independent of the instruction wherein in addition to the function control targeted for the receiving unit, the function control unit performs function control to limit a transmit function of the transmitting unit at a same port as the receiving unit to reduce power consumption, and to allow the transmit function to recover when the recovery condition is satisfied, wherein the function control unit measures a frequency of receiving data from the communication partner and performs the function control to limit a function when the measured frequency is less than or equal to a predetermined value.