Node for a fast packet-switching network in optical-electrical technology
First Claim
1. A node for a fast packet-switching network in optical-electrical technology, wherein switching takes place on the basis of routing information contained in a header of each of a succession of packets, comprising:
- an optical switching matrix having a plurality of stages, each comprising a plurality of switching elements, for switching optical information packets transmitted as optical signals;
an electrical switching matrix for searching a routing through the node from information contained in the headers of the information packets and converted into electrical form;
the configuration taken by the electrical switching matrix;
a first group of processing devices associated with the inputs of the electrical switching matrix for the electrical processings of information packet headers necessary to each for a connection path between an input and an output of the electrical switching matrix and for updating the headers in the optical information packets;
a second group of electrical processing devices associated with outputs of the electrical switching matrix for recognizing that a connection has been set up between an input and an output of the electrical switching matrix and forwarding a packet acknowledging such setup to the processing devices of the first group; and
a centralized node controller for the electrical processing of signalling packets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A node for a fast packet-switching network in optical-electrical technology comprises an optical switching matrix and electrical control equipment which processes the signalling and the information packet headers. More particularly, the control equipment updates the label and, depending on such a label, searches for the routing through the node. A centralized node controller processes the signalling, while a distributed processing system processes the packet headers and routes the packets through the network. For all communications in progress, the distributed processing system periodically forwards routing requests to an electrical self-routing switching matrix associated with the optical matrix. When a connection path has been found between an input and an output of the electrical matrix, the same path is reproduced in the optical matrix and the packets are transferred to the node output through the optical matrix.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A node for a fast packet-switching network in optical-electrical technology, wherein switching takes place on the basis of routing information contained in a header of each of a succession of packets, comprising:
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an optical switching matrix having a plurality of stages, each comprising a plurality of switching elements, for switching optical information packets transmitted as optical signals; an electrical switching matrix for searching a routing through the node from information contained in the headers of the information packets and converted into electrical form;
the configuration taken by the electrical switching matrix;a first group of processing devices associated with the inputs of the electrical switching matrix for the electrical processings of information packet headers necessary to each for a connection path between an input and an output of the electrical switching matrix and for updating the headers in the optical information packets; a second group of electrical processing devices associated with outputs of the electrical switching matrix for recognizing that a connection has been set up between an input and an output of the electrical switching matrix and forwarding a packet acknowledging such setup to the processing devices of the first group; and a centralized node controller for the electrical processing of signalling packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification