Node for grid type single mode fiber optic local area network using tunable filters

• US 5,396,359 A
• Filed: 11/12/1992
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Abramovitz, Irwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US07/975,454
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 359/117, 359/128, 359/139, 359/118, 359/119, 359/124, 359/127, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/94.1, 370/94.3
• US Class Current: 398/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0227 Operation, administration, maintenance or provisioning [OAMP] of WDM networks, e.g. media access, routing or wavelength allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0241 Wavelength allocation for communications one-to-one, e.g. unicasting wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0284 WDM mesh architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0071 Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0009 using wavelength filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0013 using gating amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0022 using fibre gratings
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0035 using miscellaneous components, e.g. circulator, polarisation, acousto/thermo optical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/009 Topology aspects

Abstract

Apparatus for processing data packets within a grid-based mesh network having a plurality of particular nodes at the intersections of rows and columns of data transmission links which link the nodes together, which apparatus can determine if a particular incoming data packet has previously been re-transmitted through a particular node or has a wavelength of a data packet currently being processed through the node and, a plurality of tunable filters for blocking a data packet from being re-transmitted if the packet has such a wavelength or was previously re-transmitted through the nodes.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing data packets within a grid-based mesh network having a plurality of particular nodes at the intersections of rows and columns of data transmission links which link the nodes together, comprising:

(a) controller means for determining if a particular incoming data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said particular node;

(b) blocking means within each node for blocking re-transmission of said particular incoming data packet if said controller means determines that said data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said particular node, and if not, retransmitting said particular data packet to neighboring nodes, said blocking means further including at least several tunable notch filters.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tunable notch filters are coupled in tandem to the output junction of said particular node.

3. Apparatus for processing data packets within a grid-based mesh network having a plurality of particular nodes at the intersections of rows and columns of data transmission links which link the nodes together, comprising:

(a) means for identifying the wavelength of an incoming data packet incoming into a particular node and stopping further processing of said incoming data packet through said node if another data packet having said wavelength is currently being processed within said particular node;

(b) means for determining if a particular incoming data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said particular node;

(c) blocking means for blocking re-transmission of said particular data packet if said data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said node, and if not, re-transmitting said particular data packet to neighboring nodes; and

(d) wherein said blocking means includes tunable notch filter means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said tunable notch filter means comprises at least several tunable notch filters coupled in tandem to the output junction of said particular node.

5. Apparatus for processing data packets within a grid-based mesh network having a plurality of particular nodes positioned at intersections of rows and columns of data transmission links which link the nodes together, comprising:

(a) means for identifying the wavelength of an incoming data packet incoming into a particular node;

(b) means for determining if a particular incoming data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said particular node;

(c) blocking means for blocking further processing of said incoming data packet through said node if another data packet having said wavelength is currently being processed within said particular node and for blocking re-transmission of said particular data packet if said data packet has previously been re-transmitted through said node, and if not, re-transmitting said particular data packet to neighboring nodes; and

(d) wherein said blocking means includes tunable notch filter means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said tunable notch filter means comprises at least several tunable notch filters coupled in tandem to the output junction of said particular node.