Data center with free-space optical communications

• US 20110150491A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC A Limited Liability Corporation of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Manglone-Smith, William Henry, Hamilton, James R., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Josefsberg, Arne, Rashid, Richard F., Davidson, Howard Lee, Mundie, Craig J., Welland, Robert V., Manos, Michael, Smith, Burton, Lustig, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information

Abstract

A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links.

Claims

1-159. -159. (canceled)

160. A data center comprising:

a plurality of data center units (DCUs) disposed in a region, wherein each DCU is configured to run a part or all of a data processing application;

an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links to at least a first of the plurality of data center units;

a modulator co-disposed with the first of the plurality of data center units in the region, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate a raw light beam and transmit a modulated light beam over the one or more free space optical communication links; and

at least one light beam source disposed external to the first of the plurality of data center units and configured to provide the raw light beam to the modulator.

161. The data center of claim 160, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate one or more of an amplitude, a pulse format, a phase, a frequency and/or polarization of the raw light beam.

162. The data center of claim 160, further comprising, a demodulator configured to remove modulation frOm a modulated light beam.

163. The data center of claim 160, wherein at least one light beam source comprise an off-board laser-device.

164. The data center of claim 163, wherein a light beam generated by the off-board laser device is piped to the modulator via an optical fiber and/or a free-space link.

165. The data center of claim 160, wherein the at least one light beam source comprises a laser device disposed outside the region.

168. The data center of claim 160, further comprising, an optical beam splitter configured to split a light beam generated by the at least one light beam source into multiple light beams.

169. The data center of claim 160, wherein a light beam generated by the at least one light beam source is piped to the modulator via free space and/or an optical fiber.

172. The data center of claim 160, further comprising, a network controller configured to connect or disconnect the plurality of data center units from the internal network.

174. The data center of claim 160, wherein each nodal point in the internal network comprises one or more optical elements that are configurable to establish the one or more free space optical communication links.

175. The data center of claim 174, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, an optical router, an electro-optical beam steering element, an acoustic-optical beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

176. The data center of claim 160, further comprising, an access interface coupling the data center to an external network.

179. The data center of claim 160, wherein at least one of the data center units comprises a wired, a wireless and/or optical power. receiver.

181. The data center of claim 160, wherein at least one of the DCU is a mobile DCU configured to move from a first position to a second position in the data center.

182. The data center of claim 160, wherein the internal network comprises links between one or more central hubs, sub-hubs, and/or DCUs.

183. The data center of claim 182, wherein the one or more central hubs and/or sub-hubs comprise a hologram.

166-167. -167. (canceled)

170-171. -171. (canceled)

173. (canceled)

177-178. -178. (canceled)

180. (canceled)

184. A data center unit (DCU) comprising:

one or more data processing units that are configured to run a part or all of a data processing application; and

a modulator coupled to the one or more data processing units,

wherein the DCU is configured to be connected to other devices via a network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the modulator is configured to modulate a raw light beam received from a source external to the DCU, and to transmit a modulated light beam over the one or more free space optical communication links.

185. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the modulator is configured to receive the raw light beam over an optical fiber or over free space.

186. The data center unit of claim 184, further comprising, an optical interface unit (OIU) configured to connect or disconnect the data processing unit to or from the network under free space optical signal control.

189. The data center unit of claim 186, wherein the OIU comprises at least one of an optical signal pass-through device, an optical beam generator, an optical beam modulator, an optical beam director, a steerable optical element, a beam-forming circuitry, an optical signal receiver/detector, an electrical-to-optical signal convertor, an optical-to-electrical signal converter, electrical and/or optical switchgear.

190. The data center unit of claim 186, further comprising, control circuitry configured to supervise operations of the optical interface unit and/or additional data processing unit components.

192. The data center unit of claim 184, further comprising, a wired, a wireless and/or optical power receiver.

193. The data center unit of claim 184, further comprising, a power storage unit.

194. The data center unit of claim 184, further comprising, mobility elements configured to move the data center unit from a first position to a second position in a data center.

195. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the one or more data processing units are arranged as one or more individual data processing units and/or in one or more groups as data center bottles, wherein the data processing units include one or more data processing circuits, and wherein the data processing circuits include one or more electronic modules, boxes, servers, cards, boards, and/or racks or free standing assemblies thereof.

196. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the network is a dynamically reconfigurable network.

197. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein each nodal point in the network comprises one or more optical elements that are configurable to establish the one or more free space optical communication links.

198. The data center unit of claim 197, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, an optical router, an electro-optical beam steering element, an acoustic-optical beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

199. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link that is preset for data center operations.

200. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a dynamic link establishable during data center operations.

201. The data center unit of claim 184, further comprising, an interface to a network controller that is configured to establish a dynamic link during data center operations using a search or scanning process.

202. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link between the data center unit and its proximate neighbors in a data center.

203. The data center unit of claim 184, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link between the data center unit and its proximate neighbors in a data center according to a specified hierarchy.

187-188. -188. (canceled)

191. (canceled)

204-697. -697. (canceled)

698. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of data center units (DCUs) disposed in a region, wherein each DCU is configured to run a part or all of a data processing application;

providing an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links to at least a first of the plurality of data center units;

providing a modulator associated with the first of the plurality of data center units in the region, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate a raw light beam and transmit a modulated light beam over the one or more free space optical communication links; and

providing at least one light beam source disposed external to the first of the plurality of data center units and configured to provide the raw light beam to the modulator.

699. The method of claim 698, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate one or more of an amplitude, a pulse format, a phase, a frequency and/or polarization of the raw light beam.

700. The method of claim 698, further comprising, providing a demodulator configured to remove modulation from a modulated light beam.

706. The method of claim 698, further comprising, providing an optical beam splitter configured to split a light beam generated by the at least one light beam source into multiple light beams.

709. The method of claim 698, wherein the at least one light beam source comprises a plurality of different wavelength sources.

710. The method of claim 698, further comprising, providing a network controller configured to connect or disconnect the plurality of data center units from the internal network.

714. The method of claim 698, further comprising, providing an access interface coupling the data center to an external network.

719. The method of claim 698, wherein at least one of the DCU is a mobile DCU configured to move from a first position to a second position in the data center.

720. The method of claim 698, wherein the internal network comprises links between one or more central hubs, sub-hubs, and/or DCUs.

721. The method of claim 720, wherein the one or more central hubs and/or sub-hubs comprise a hologram.

701-705. -705. (canceled)

707-708. -708. (canceled)

711-713. -713. (canceled)

715-718. -718. (canceled)

722. A method for executing a data processing application, comprising:

in a data center unit (DCU),

providing one or more data processing units that are configured to run a part or all of a data processing application;

providing a modulator coupled to the one or more data processing units;

configuring the DCU to be connected to other devices via a network of one or more free space optical communication links; and

configuring the modulator to modulate a raw light beam received from a source external to the DCU, and to transmit a modulated light beam over the one or more free space optical communication links.

723. The method of claim 722, wherein the modulator is configured to receive the raw light beam over an optical fiber or over free space.

724. The method of claim 722, further comprising, providing an optical interface unit (OIU) configured to connect or disconnect the data processing unit to or from the network under free space optical signal control.

728. The method of claim 722, further comprising, providing control circuitry configured to supervise operations of the optical interface unit and/or additional data processing unit components.

732. The method of claim 722, further comprising, providing mobility elements configured to move the data center unit from a first position to a second position in a data center.

734. The method of claim 722, wherein the network is a dynamically reconfigurable network.

735. The method of claim 722, wherein each nodal point in the network comprises one or more optical elements that are configurable to establish the one or more free space optical communication links.

737. The method of claim 722, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link that is preset for data center operations.

738. The method of claim 722, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a dynamic link establishable during data center operations.

739. The method of claim 722, further comprising, providing an interface to a network controller that is configured to establish a dynamic link during data center operations using a search or scanning process.

740. The method of claim 722, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link between the data center unit and its proximate neighbors in a data center.

725-727. -727. (canceled)

729-731. -731. (canceled)

733. (canceled)

736. (canceled)

741-1138. -1138. (canceled)