Routing and switching in a hybrid network
First Claim
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1. A method for provisioning bandwidth in a hybrid network, comprising:
- assigning a set of switching wavelengths to traffic in the network; and
optically switching the traffic between nodes using the set of switching wavelengths.
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Abstract
A protocol-independent framework that facilitates routing and switching in a network that has hybrid nodes is described. Using the framework, optical paths are established between and among nodes statically and dynamically. When the paths are established dynamically, the paths maybe explicitly established or shared. Traffic is transported using switching wavelengths, routing wavelengths, and/or control wavelengths. Traffic transported on switching wavelengths is switched in the optical domain. Traffic transported on routing wavelengths is routed according to the OSI reference model.
31 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for provisioning bandwidth in a hybrid network, comprising:
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assigning a set of switching wavelengths to traffic in the network; and
optically switching the traffic between nodes using the set of switching wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for sharing bandwidth in a hybrid network, comprising:
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labeling traffic to be switched in the network with a set of switching wavelengths;
labeling traffic to be routed in the network with a set of routing wavelengths; and
optically switching the traffic labeled with switching wavelengths; and
routing the traffic labeled with routing wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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15. An apparatus to communicate in a hybrid network, comprising:
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switching logic to optically switch traffic carried on a set of switching wavelengths;
routing logic coupled to the switching logic to route traffic carried on a set of routing wavelengths; and
control logic coupled between the switching logic and the routing means for receiving information carried on a set of control wavelengths to determine whether traffic is directed to the switching logic or the routing logic.
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20. A hybrid communication network, comprising:
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a first hybrid node to label switched traffic with a set of switching wavelengths, to send the switched traffic to at least one secondary hybrid node via the set of switching wavelengths, to label routed traffic with a set of routing wavelengths, to send the routed traffic to at least one secondary hybrid node via the set of routing wavelengths;
at least one secondary hybrid node coupled to the first hybrid node to receive the switched traffic on the set of switching wavelengths and routed traffic on the set of routing wavelengths, to route the routed traffic using an Internet Protocol (IP), asynchronous transport mode (ATM), or frame relay, and to optically circuit switch the switched traffic and the routed traffic to another secondary node. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification