Data center with free-space optical communications

• US 20110164880A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Mangione-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., Kare, Jordin T., Josefsberg, Arne, Rashid, Richard F., Davidson, Howard Lee, Mundie, Craig J., Welland, Robert V., Manos, Michael, Smith, Burton, Lustig, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US12/655,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164880A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/127
• 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

1-442. -442. (canceled)

443. A data center unit (DCU) comprising:

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

an optical interface unit (OIU) coupled to the one or more DPUs, wherein the OIU is configured to couple the DCU to a network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more independently steerable light transmitting elements, independently steerable light redirecting elements, and/or independently steerable light receiving elements for communications over the free space optical communication links.

444-454. -454. (canceled)

455. 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, and wherein at least a first of the plurality of data center units has an optical interface unit (OIU), wherein the OIU is configured to couple the DCU to an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more independently steerable transmitting elements, independently steerable redirecting elements, and/or independently steerable receiving elements for communications over the free space optical communication links.

456. The data center of claim 455, wherein the plurality of data center units comprise one or more of data center bottles and/or data processing units, wherein the data center bottles include a plurality of data processing units, 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.

457. The data center of claim 455, wherein the optical interface unit 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.

459. The data center of claim 455, wherein a nodal point in the internal network is external to the plurality of data center units.

460. The data center of claim 455, wherein a nodal point in the internal network corresponds to an external network access interface.

461. The data center of claim 455, 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.

462. The data center of claim 455, 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, and/or an acoustic-optical beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

463. The data center of claim 455, further comprising, a network controller configured to connect or disconnect the plurality of data center units from the internal network.

464. The data center of claim 463, wherein the network controller is configured to control the OIU with free space optical control signals.

465. The data center of claim 463, wherein the network controller is configured to establish a dynamic link during data center operations using a search or scanning process.

466. The data center of claim 465, wherein the network controller is configured to establish the dynamic link during data center operations in response to a data center process value and/or an external process value or command.

467. The data center of claim 455, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links across the data center comprise a nodal point-to-nodal point link and/or a nodal point-to-multinodal point link.

469. The data center of claim 455, wherein the one or more free space optical communication links comprise a link between the first of the plurality of data center units and its neighbors according to a specified hierarchy.

470. The data center of claim 455, further comprising, a router configured to route data between the data center units over the one or more free space optical communication links.

471. The data center of claim 470, wherein the router comprises at least one of a passive router, an active router, a mirror assembly, a holographic reflector, an optical switch and/or a receiver/transmitter with electronic switching.

472. The data center of claim 455, further comprising, an access interface coupling the data center to the external network.

473. The data center of claim 472, wherein the access interface comprises one or more optical elements configured to link an external network to the internal network of the one or more free space optical communication links.

474. The data center of claim 473, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of an optical signal receiver/detector, a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, an optical-optical switch, an opto-electronic switch, an electronic switch, an optical beam generator, an optical signal modulator, an optical frequency convertor, an electric-to optical convertor, an optical-to-electric convertor, an electro-optical beam steering element, an acoustic-optical beam steering element, a diffractive beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

477. The data center of claim 455, 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.

478. The data center of claim 455, wherein the optical communication links are arranged in a bus, a star, a ring and/or a hybrid topology.

479. The data center of claim 455, wherein the internal network comprises links between one or more central hubs, sub-hubs, and/or DCUs, and wherein the one or more central hubs and/or sub-hubs comprise a hologram.

481. The data center of claim 455, wherein the plurality of DCUs are electrically disjoint.

482. The data center of claim 455, further comprising, a cooling arrangement coupled to one or more of the plurality of DCUs disposed in the region, wherein the cooling arrangement is based on a spray, blown air/gas, and/or a LN2 coolant.

483. The data center of claim 455, further comprising, a modulator configured to modulate a raw light beam and transmit a modulated light beam over one or more free space optical communication links.

485. The data center of claim 455, wherein the internal network of one or more free space optical links comprises an optical arrangement configured to redirect light from a first nodal point to a second nodal point in the internal network.

486. The data center of claim 485, wherein the optical arrangement comprises a mirror disposed at any one of a data center region wall, ceiling, floor, and/or boundary.

488. The data center of claim 485, wherein the optical arrangement comprises an arrangement of discrete mirrors and/or reflectors configured to redirect light from a first nodal point to a second nodal point in the internal network.

489. The data center of claim 488, wherein the discrete mirrors and/or reflectors are optically steerable.

490. The data center of claim 455, wherein the plurality of data center units comprises one or more of data center bottles and/or data processing units, wherein the data center bottles include a plurality of data processing units, 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.

458. (canceled)

468. (canceled)

475-476. -476. (canceled)

480. (canceled)

484. (canceled)

487. (canceled)

491. 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

an optical interface unit (OIU) coupled to the one or more data processing units, wherein the OIU is configured to connect the DCU unit to a network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more acousto-optically and/or electro-optically steerable elements for transmitting, redirecting, and/or receiving communications over the free space optical communication links.

492-503. -503. (canceled)

504. 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, and wherein at least a first of the plurality of data center units has an optical interface unit (OIU), wherein the OIU is configured to connect the DCU unit to an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more acousto-optically and/or electrooptically steerable elements for transmitting, redirecting, and/or receiving communications over the free space optical communication links.

505-538. -538. (canceled)

539-980. -980. (canceled)

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

in a data center unit (DCU),

providing one or more data processing units (DPUs) that are configured to run a part or all of the data processing application; and

providing an optical interface unit (OIU) coupled to the one or more DPUs, wherein the OIU is configured to couple the DCU to a network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more independently steerable light transmitting elements, independently steerable light redirecting elements, and/or independently steerable light receiving elements for communications over the free space optical communication links.

982-992. -992. (canceled)

993. A method, comprising:

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

providing at least a first of the plurality of data center units with an optical interface unit (OIU), wherein the OIU is configured to couple the DCU to an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more independently steerable transmitting elements, independently steerable redirecting elements, and/or independently steerable receiving elements for communications over the free space optical communication links.

994-1028. -1028. (canceled)

1029. A method for executing a data processing application, comprising:

in a data center unit (DCU),

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

providing an optical interface unit (OIU) coupled to the one or more data processing units, wherein the OIU is configured to connect the DCU to a network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more acousto-optically and/or electro-optically steerable elements for transmitting, redirecting, and/or receiving communications over the free space optical communication links.

1030-1041. -1041. (canceled)

1042. A method, comprising:

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

providing at least a first of the plurality of data center units with an optical interface unit (OIU), wherein the OIU is configured to connect the DCU unit to an internal network of one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the OIU includes one or more acousto-optically and/or electrooptically steerable elements for transmitting, redirecting, and/or receiving communications over the free space optical communication links.

1043-1138. -1138. (canceled)