Methods and systems for creating a digital interconnect fabric

• US 7,349,629 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Soderberg, John Jesse, Corby, Nelson
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Hanh
• Application Number:
  US10/305,214
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 398/29, 398/82, 398/83, 398/59, 398/69, 398/66, 398/70, 398/60, 398/71, 398/72, 398/164, 398/115, 398/166, 398/116, 398/165, 398/79, 398/100, 398/141, 398/135, 398/138, 398/139, 398/58, 385/24, 385/27, 385/31, 385/48, 385/45, 385/47, 385/14, 385/15, 385/88, 385/89, 385/92, 385/93
• US Class Current: 398/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2589 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/27 Arrangements for networking

Abstract

An optical network provides a digital interconnect fabric allowing nodes to seamlessly communicate with each other. Each node is connected to a bi-directional optical bus through passive optical interface devices. The optical interface devices route signals from each node onto the bus in both directions and also route signals traveling along the bus in either direction to each node. The optical interface devices and optical bus are passive and do not involve any regeneration of the electrical signals. The nodes are assigned wavelengths of transmission and have tunable receivers for selecting a wavelength of reception. The digital interconnect fabric facilitates Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other digital communication protocols.

Claims

1. An optical communication network, comprising:

a bi-directional optical bus for routing optical digital signals at a plurality of different wavelengths;

a plurality of nodes having terminal equipment for performing at least one of transmitting digital optical signals onto the bi-directional optical bus and receiving optical digital signals from the bi-directional optical bus;

a plurality of passive optical interface devices connected to the bi-directional optical bus;

each node connected to the bi-directional optical bus through no more than one passive optical interface device;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals from the terminal equipment at the nodes onto the bi-directional optical bus in both directions;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals traveling along the bi-directional optical bus in either direction toward the nodes;

each node being assigned a unique wavelength of transmission for transmitting optical digital signals;

each node receiving optical digital signals at least at one wavelength of reception, the wavelength of reception for a node being different than the wavelength of transmission for that node;

the bi-directional optical bus and the passive optical interface devices serving as a digital interconnect fabric for the plurality of nodes,

wherein each of the nodes receives optical control signals at a first wavelength and each node has a tunable receiver for selecting a second wavelength for receiving optical digital signals at the wavelength of reception.

2. An optical communication network, comprising:

a bi-directional optical bus for routing optical digital signals at a plurality of different wavelengths;

a plurality of nodes having terminal equipment for performing at least one of transmitting digital optical signals onto the bi-directional optical bus and receiving optical digital signals from the bi-directional optical bus;

a plurality of passive optical interface devices connected to the bi-directional optical bus;

each node connected to the bi-directional optical bus through no more than one passive optical interface device;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals from the terminal equipment at the nodes onto the bi-directional optical bus in both directions;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals traveling along the bi-directional optical bus in either direction toward the nodes;

each node being assigned a unique wavelength of transmission for transmitting optical digital signals;

each node receiving optical digital signals at least at one wavelength of reception, the wavelength of reception for a node being different than the wavelength of transmission for that node;

the bi-directional optical bus and the passive optical interface devices serving as a digital interconnect fabric for the plurality of nodes,

wherein a transmitting node transmitting optical digital signals to a desired node provides optical control signals to the desired node informing the desired node of the wavelength of transmission for the transmitting node.

3. A method of exchanging digital signals between a plurality of nodes within a network, comprising:

generating electrical digital signals at each node transmitting digital signals;

assigning to each node transmitting digital signals a wavelength of transmission for its digital signals;

converting the digital signals into optical digital signals at the wavelength of transmission assigned to each transmitting node;

passively routing the optical digital signals onto a bi-directional optical bus through no more than one passive optical interface device at each node;

routing the optical digital signals from each transmitting node in both directions along the bi-directional optical bus;

passively routing the optical digital signals to each node receiving optical digital signals through no more than one passive optical interface device at each node;

selecting a wavelength of reception at each receiving node, the wavelength of reception corresponding to optical digital signals from a desired transmitting node, wherein the wavelength of reception for a node is different than the wavelength of transmission for that node;

converting the optical digital signals received at the receiving nodes into the electrical digital signals; and

providing a digital interconnect fabric for the network of nodes,

wherein selecting the wavelength of reception comprises sending a control signal from the transmitting node to the receiving node to select the wavelength of reception.

4. An optical communication network, comprising:

a bi-directional optical bus for routing optical digital signals at a plurality of different wavelengths;

a plurality of nodes having terminal equipment for performing at least one of transmitting digital optical signals onto the bi-directional optical bus and receiving optical digital signals from the bi-directional optical bus;

a plurality of passive optical interface devices connected to the bi-directional optical bus;

the nodes connected to the bi-directional optical bus through the passive optical interface devices;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals from the terminal equipment at the nodes onto the bi-directional optical bus in both directions;

the passive optical interface devices routing optical digital signals traveling along the bi-directional optical bus in either direction toward the nodes;

each node being assigned a unique wavelength of transmission for transmitting optical digital signals;

each node receiving optical digital signals at least at one wavelength of reception, the wavelength of reception for a node being different than the wavelength of transmission for that node;

the bi-directional optical bus and the passive optical interface devices serving as a digital interconnect fabric for the plurality of nodes;

wherein each of the nodes receives optical control signals at a first wavelength and each node has a tunable receiver for selecting a second wavelength for receiving optical digital signals at the wavelength of reception.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein a transmitting node transmitting optical digital signals to a desired node provides optical control signals to the desired node informing the desired node of the wavelength of transmission for the transmitting node.

6. A method of exchanging digital signals between a plurality of nodes within a network, comprising:

generating electrical digital signals at each node transmitting digital signals;

assigning to each node transmitting digital signals a wavelength of transmission for its digital signals;

converting the digital signals into optical digital signals at the wavelength of transmission assigned to each transmitting node;

passively routing the optical digital signals onto a bi-directional optical bus;

routing the optical digital signals from each transmitting node in both directions along the bi-directional optical bus;

passively routing the optical digital signals to each node receiving optical digital signals;

selecting a wavelength of reception at each receiving node, the wavelength of reception corresponding to optical digital signals from a desired transmitting node, wherein the wavelength of reception for a node is different than the wavelength of transmission for that node and wherein selecting the wavelength of reception comprises sending a control signal from the transmitting node to the receiving node to select the wavelength of reception;

converting the optical digital signals received at the receiving nodes into the electrical digital signals; and

providing a digital interconnect fabric for the network of nodes.