All-optical network architecture
First Claim
1. A network comprisinga first all-optical broadcasting local area network having down access ports and at least one up access port,a first optical terminal coupled to a first one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component,a second optical terminal coupled to a second one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component,a third optical terminal coupled to a third one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component,said optical terminals include optical transmitters and optical receivers for transmitting and receiving, respectively, optical signals,means coupled to the optical terminals to tune a transmitter at one of the optical terminals and a receiver at another of the optical terminals to a selected wavelength, andlocal bypass means coupled to the up access port to block all but at least one wavelength component of an optical signal from being transmitted from the first all-optical broadcasting local area network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed the architecture for an all optic network which employs a three level hierarchy using wavelength vision multiplexing. At the lowest level of the hierarchy are Level-0 all optical networks. The Level-0 networks are "local" broadcast networks each of which supports a plurality of access ports and each access port can hear all the local traffic transmitted by all other access ports in the same Level-0 network. Each Level-0 network shares wavelengths internally, but there is extensive reuse of wavelengths among different Level-0 networks. The next higher level, which is the intermediate level, Level-1, is essentially a wavelength router coupled with one or more of the Level-0 networks to provide a wavelength path to one or more directly connect Level-0 networks or, in combination with a Level-2 network, a light path to one or more Level-0 network outside itself. The Level-2 are second level wavelength routing networks which provide light paths, as opposed to wavelength paths, between Level-1 networks. The Level-2 networks may be as simple as fiber trunks alone or they may employ frequency changing devices in addition to wavelength routers and/or spatial switches.
182 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A network comprising
a first all-optical broadcasting local area network having down access ports and at least one up access port, a first optical terminal coupled to a first one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component, a second optical terminal coupled to a second one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component, a third optical terminal coupled to a third one of the down access ports for sending/receiving optical signals having at least one wavelength component, said optical terminals include optical transmitters and optical receivers for transmitting and receiving, respectively, optical signals, means coupled to the optical terminals to tune a transmitter at one of the optical terminals and a receiver at another of the optical terminals to a selected wavelength, and local bypass means coupled to the up access port to block all but at least one wavelength component of an optical signal from being transmitted from the first all-optical broadcasting local area network.
Specification