OPTICAL LAYER MULTICASTING USING A SINGLE SUB-CARRIER HEADER AND A MULTICAST SWITCH WITH ACTIVE HEADER INSERTION VIA LIGHT CIRCULATION
First Claim
1. A system for multicasting a data payload through an optical network composed of a plurality of nodes interconnected by links wherein a given one of the nodes multicasts over two outgoing links, the data payload having a given format and protocol, the system comprising a route generator for generating and storing a local routing look-up table in each of the nodes, each local look-up table listing local addresses for determining alternative local routes through each of the nodes, an adder for adding a header to the data payload and embedded in the same wavelength as the data payload prior to inputting the data payload at an input one of the nodes to produce an optical signal, the optical signal further including a preamble and a light burst, the header having a format and protocol and conveying multicast information indicative of local routes through the given one of the nodes for the data payload and the header, the format and protocol of the data payload being independent of the format and protocol of the header, a detector for detecting the multicast information at the given one of the nodes to determine two switch control signals with reference to the multicast information as the data payload and the header propagate through the optical network, an optical splitter for splitting the optical signal into two split optical signals, a selector for selecting two local routes through the given one of the nodes in correspondence to the two switch control signals, an optical switch having input ports and output ports wherein one of the split optical signals couples to a first input port and the second of the split optical signals couples to a second input port, and wherein one of the outgoing links couples to a first output port and the second of the outgoing links couples to a second output port, and a switch controller, coupled to the optical switch and responsive to the two switch control signals, for switching the optical switch in response to the multicast information to optically couple the first input port with the first output port and the second input port with the second output port, wherein the header is composed of one or more header signals each being conveyed by a distinct sub-carrier frequency and arranged so that the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency corresponds to an active header signal, the plurality of sub-carrier frequencies occupying a frequency band above the data payload, the detector further including a measurement device for concurrently measuring the header signals to produce a header selection signal, a second selector, coupled to the measurement device, for determining the active header signal as conveyed by the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency under control of the header selection signal, and a processor, coupled to the second selector, for processing the active header signal to produce the switch control signals for routing the optical signal, the system further comprising means for determining a new active header signal conveying the multicast information, an optical circulator for circulating the light burst to produce a time-extended light burst under control of the preamble, a light modulator for modulating the time-extended light burst with the new active header signal conveyed by a next highest sub-carrier frequency exceeding the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency to produce an outgoing optical header, and an inserter for inserting the outgoing optical header into the optical signal to augment the optical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical signaling header technique applicable to optical networks wherein packet routing information is embedded in the same channel or wavelength as the data payload so that both the header and data payload propagate through network elements with the same path and the associated delays. The technique effects survivability and security of the optical networks by encompassing conventional electronic security with an optical security layer by generating replicated versions of the input data payload at the input node, and the transmission of each of the replicated versions over a corresponding one of the plurality of links. Moreover, each of the links is composed of multiple wavelengths to propagate optical signals or optical packets, and each of the replicated versions of the data payload may be propagated over a selected one of the wavelengths in each corresponding one of the plurality of links.
44 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for multicasting a data payload through an optical network composed of a plurality of nodes interconnected by links wherein a given one of the nodes multicasts over two outgoing links, the data payload having a given format and protocol, the system comprising
a route generator for generating and storing a local routing look-up table in each of the nodes, each local look-up table listing local addresses for determining alternative local routes through each of the nodes, an adder for adding a header to the data payload and embedded in the same wavelength as the data payload prior to inputting the data payload at an input one of the nodes to produce an optical signal, the optical signal further including a preamble and a light burst, the header having a format and protocol and conveying multicast information indicative of local routes through the given one of the nodes for the data payload and the header, the format and protocol of the data payload being independent of the format and protocol of the header, a detector for detecting the multicast information at the given one of the nodes to determine two switch control signals with reference to the multicast information as the data payload and the header propagate through the optical network, an optical splitter for splitting the optical signal into two split optical signals, a selector for selecting two local routes through the given one of the nodes in correspondence to the two switch control signals, an optical switch having input ports and output ports wherein one of the split optical signals couples to a first input port and the second of the split optical signals couples to a second input port, and wherein one of the outgoing links couples to a first output port and the second of the outgoing links couples to a second output port, and a switch controller, coupled to the optical switch and responsive to the two switch control signals, for switching the optical switch in response to the multicast information to optically couple the first input port with the first output port and the second input port with the second output port, wherein the header is composed of one or more header signals each being conveyed by a distinct sub-carrier frequency and arranged so that the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency corresponds to an active header signal, the plurality of sub-carrier frequencies occupying a frequency band above the data payload, the detector further including a measurement device for concurrently measuring the header signals to produce a header selection signal, a second selector, coupled to the measurement device, for determining the active header signal as conveyed by the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency under control of the header selection signal, and a processor, coupled to the second selector, for processing the active header signal to produce the switch control signals for routing the optical signal, the system further comprising means for determining a new active header signal conveying the multicast information, an optical circulator for circulating the light burst to produce a time-extended light burst under control of the preamble, a light modulator for modulating the time-extended light burst with the new active header signal conveyed by a next highest sub-carrier frequency exceeding the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency to produce an outgoing optical header, and an inserter for inserting the outgoing optical header into the optical signal to augment the optical signal.
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21. A system for multicasting a data payload through an optical network composed of a plurality of nodes interconnected by links wherein a given one of the nodes multicasts over a plurality of outgoing links, the data payload having a given format and protocol, the system comprising
a route generator for generating and storing a local routing look-up table in each of the nodes, each local look-up table listing local addresses for determining alternative local routes through each of the nodes, an adder for adding a header to the data payload and embedded in the same wavelength as the data payload prior to inputting the data payload at an input one of the nodes to produce an optical signal, the optical signal further including a preamble and a light burst, the header having a format and protocol and conveying multicast information indicative of local routes through the given node for the data payload and the header, the format and protocol of the data payload being independent of the format and protocol of the header, a detector for detecting the multicast information at the given one of the nodes to determine switch control signals with reference to the multicast information as the data payload and the header propagate through the optical network, an optical splitter for splitting the optical signal into a plurality of split optical signals, a selector for selecting a plurality of local routes through the given one of the nodes in correspondence to the switch control signals, an optical switch having input ports and output ports wherein each of the split optical signals couples to separate input ports, and wherein each of the outgoing links couples to corresponding output ports, and a switch controller, coupled to the optical switch and responsive to the switch control signals, for switching the optical switch in response to the multicast information to optically couple the separate input ports with the corresponding output ports, wherein the header is composed of one or more header signals each being conveyed by a distinct sub-carrier frequency and arranged so that the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency corresponds to an active header signal, the plurality of sub-carrier frequencies occupying a frequency band above the data payload, the detector further including a measurement device for concurrently measuring the header signals to produce a header selection signal, a second selector, coupled to the measurement device, for determining the active header signal as conveyed by the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency under control of the header selection signal, and a processor, coupled to the second selector, for processing the active header signal to produce the switch control signals for routing the optical signal, the system further comprising means for determining a new active header signal conveying the multicast information, an optical circulator for circulating the light burst to produce a time-extended light burst under control of the preamble, a light modulator for modulating the time-extended light burst with the new active header signal conveyed by a next highest sub-carrier frequency exceeding the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency to produce an outgoing optical header, and an inserter for inserting the outgoing optical header into the optical signal to augment the optical signal.
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22. A system for multicasting a data payload through an optical network composed of a plurality of nodes interconnected by links wherein a given one of the nodes multicasts over a plurality of outgoing links, the data payload having a given format and protocol, the system comprising
a route generator for generating and storing a local routing look-up table in each of the nodes, each local look-up table listing local addresses for determining alternative local routes through each of the nodes, an adder for adding a header to the data payload and embedded in the same wavelength as the data payload prior to inputting the data payload at an input one of the nodes to produce an optical signal, the optical signal further including a preamble and a light burst, the header having a format and protocol and conveying multicast information indicative of local routes through the given node for the data payload and the header, the format and protocol of the data payload being independent of the format and protocol of the header, a detector for detecting the multicast information at the nodes to determine switch control signals with reference to the multicast information as the data payload and the header propagate through the optical network, an optical splitter for splitting the optical signal into a number of split optical signals corresponding to number of outgoing links, an optical switch having input ports and output ports wherein each of the split optical signals couples to a corresponding one of the input ports, an optical combiner coupled to predetermined ones of the output ports, a plurality of multiplexers for coupling the optical combiner with the outgoing links, and a switch controller, coupled to the optical switch and responsive to the switch control signals, for switching the optical switch in response to the multicast information to optically couple the corresponding input ports with corresponding output ports, wherein the header is composed of one or more header signals each being conveyed by a distinct sub-carrier frequency and arranged so that the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency corresponds to an active header signal, the plurality of sub-carrier frequencies occupying a frequency band above the data payload, the detector further comprising a measurement device for concurrently measuring the header signals to produce a header selection signal, a second selector, coupled to the measurement device, for determining the active header signal as conveyed by the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency under control of the header selection signal, and a processor, coupled to the second selector, for processing the active header signal to produce the switch control signals for routing the optical signal, the system further comprising means for determining a new active header signal conveying the multicast information, an optical circulator for circulating the light burst to produce a time-extended light burst under control of the preamble, a light modulator for modulating the time-extended light burst with the new active header signal conveyed by a next highest sub-carrier frequency exceeding the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency to produce an outgoing optical header, and an inserter for inserting the outgoing optical header into the optical signal to augment the optical signal.
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23. A system for multicasting a data payload through an optical network composed of a plurality of nodes interconnected by links wherein a given one of the nodes multicasts over two outgoing links, the data payload having a given format and protocol, the system comprising
a route generator for generating and storing a local routing look-up table in each of the nodes, each local look-up table listing local addresses for determining alternative local routes through each of the nodes, an adder for adding a header to the data payload and embedded in the same wavelength as the data payload prior to inputting the data payload at an input one of the nodes to produce an optical signal, the optical signal further including a preamble and a light burst, the header having a format and protocol and conveying multicast information indicative of local routes through the given node for the data payload and the header, the format and protocol of the data payload being independent of the format and protocol of the header, a detector for detecting the multicast information at the nodes to determine two switch control signals with reference to the multicast information as the data payload and the header propagate through the optical network, a one-by-two optical splitter for splitting the incoming optical signal into two split optical signals, a four-by-four optical switch having four input ports and four output ports wherein the two split optical signals couple to the first and second input ports, a first two-by-one optical combiner coupled to the first and second output ports, a second two-by-one optical combiner coupled to the third and fourth output ports, a first multiplexer coupled to the first optical combiner and the second optical combiner wherein the output of the first multiplexer is coupled to one of the two outgoing links, a second multiplexer coupled to the first optical combiner and the second optical combiner wherein the output of the second multiplexer is coupled to the other of the two outgoing links, and a switch controller, coupled to the optical switch and responsive to the switch control signals, for switching the optical switch in response to the multicast information to couple the first input port with the first output port and the second input port with the third output port, wherein the header is composed of one or more header signals each being conveyed by a distinct sub-carrier frequency and arranged so that the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency corresponds to an active header signal, the plurality of sub-carrier frequencies occupying a frequency band above the data payload, the detector further including a measurement device for concurrently measuring the header signals to produce a header selection signal, a second selector, coupled to the measurement device, for determining the active header signal as conveyed by the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency under control of the header selection signal, and a processor, coupled to the second selector, for processing the active header signal to produce the switch control signals for routing the optical signal, the system further comprising means for determining a new active header signal conveying the multicast information, an optical circulator for circulating the light burst to produce a time-extended light burst under control of the preamble, a light modulator for modulating the time-extended light burst with the new active header signal conveyed by a next highest sub-carrier frequency exceeding the highest detectable sub-carrier frequency to produce an outgoing optical header, and an inserter for inserting the outgoing optical header into the optical signal to augment the optical signal.
Specification