Optical-core network with selective signal queueing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A network comprising:
- a plurality of optical core nodes, each having an optical switch fabric including a plurality of inward ports receiving optical signals from other core nodes; and
a plurality of outward ports transmitting optical signals to other core nodes; and
a plurality of edge nodes each subtending to at least one of said core nodes;
wherein at least one channel connects a selected outward port of a first core node to a selected inward port of a second core node and said at least one channel is provided with a signal buffer and a buffer controller;
said buffer and buffer controller associated with said selected outward port;
wherein at least one of said core nodes further includes;
a plurality of bufferless inlet ports receiving optical signals from subtending edge nodes; and
a plurality of bufferless outlet ports transmitting optical signals to subtending edge nodes;
and wherein said buffer controller has a time-locking circuit operable to exchange time-locking signals with controllers of external nodes.
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Abstract
A core network shared by a large number of edge nodes comprises core nodes interconnected by core channels. Selected core channels are provided with buffers to enable temporal alignment of signals arriving at any core node from several other core nodes. A buffer may be provided at either end of a core channel. Otherwise, all other ports of the core node may be bufferless. Providing such buffers enables the construction of high-capacity wide-coverage network comprising a large number of core nodes shared by numerous edge nodes. Methods of temporal coordination among the network nodes are disclosed.
19 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A network comprising:
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a plurality of optical core nodes, each having an optical switch fabric including a plurality of inward ports receiving optical signals from other core nodes; and
a plurality of outward ports transmitting optical signals to other core nodes; anda plurality of edge nodes each subtending to at least one of said core nodes; wherein at least one channel connects a selected outward port of a first core node to a selected inward port of a second core node and said at least one channel is provided with a signal buffer and a buffer controller;
said buffer and buffer controller associated with said selected outward port;wherein at least one of said core nodes further includes; a plurality of bufferless inlet ports receiving optical signals from subtending edge nodes; and a plurality of bufferless outlet ports transmitting optical signals to subtending edge nodes; and wherein said buffer controller has a time-locking circuit operable to exchange time-locking signals with controllers of external nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A network comprising:
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a plurality of optical core nodes, each having an optical switch fabric including a plurality of inward ports receiving optical signals from other core nodes; and
a plurality of outward ports transmitting optical signals to other core nodes; anda plurality of edge nodes each subtending to at least one of said core nodes; wherein at least one channel connects a selected outward port of a first core node to a selected inward port of a second core node and said at least one channel is provided with a signal buffer and a buffer controller; wherein at least one of said core nodes further includes; a plurality of bufferless inlet ports receiving optical signals from subtending edge nodes; and a plurality of bufferless outlet ports transmitting optical signals to subtending edge nodes; wherein said buffer comprises an optical-to-electrical converter, an electronic memory, and an electrical-to-optical converter; and wherein each of said core nodes has a core controller including a master time counter and a master timing circuit operable to transmit and receive timing signals. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A network comprising:
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a plurality of edge nodes; and a plurality of optical core nodes, at least one of said core nodes having; an optical switch fabric; and a core controller; wherein at least one of said edge nodes is time-locked to said at least one of said core nodes; and wherein said core controller is operable to; receive requests for transfer of time-limited signals from said at least one of said edge nodes; compute a transfer schedule for said time-limited signals; and allocate a continuous path from said at least one of said core nodes to carry time-limited signals destined to a plurality of edge nodes subtending to another of said core nodes. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A meshed network comprising a plurality of optical core nodes each having:
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an optical switch fabric; a plurality of inward ports receiving optical signals from other core nodes; and a plurality of outward ports transmitting optical signals to other core nodes; a plurality of edge nodes each subtending to at least one of said core nodes and connecting to data sources and data sinks; wherein at least one of said core nodes further includes; a plurality of inlet ports receiving optical signals from subtending edge nodes; and a plurality of outlet ports transmitting optical signals to subtending edge nodes; wherein at least one outward port of each core node has a core channel connecting to an inward port of another core node; and at least one of said inward ports is provided with a buffer and a buffer controller for time aligning signals received at said buffer. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A meshed network comprising a plurality of optical core nodes each having:
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an optical switch fabric; a plurality of inward ports receiving optical signals from other core nodes; and a plurality of outward ports transmitting optical signals to other core nodes; a plurality of edge nodes each subtending to at least one of said core nodes and connecting to data sources and data sinks; wherein at least one of said core nodes further includes; a plurality of inlet ports receiving optical signals from subtending edge nodes; and a plurality of outlet ports transmitting optical signals to subtending edge nodes; wherein at least one outward port of each core node has a core channel connecting to an inward port of another core node; and at least one of said outward ports is provided with a buffer; wherein said buffer is associated with a buffer controller for time locking said buffer to an external node. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification