Apparatus and method for optical switching at an optical switch fabric
First Claim
1. An optical switch fabric, comprising:
- at least one optical switching matrix comprisinga plurality of input links;
a plurality of output links, wherein each of the plurality of input links intersects with each of the plurality of output links;
a plurality of path switches with one path switch located at each intersection of an input link and an output link;
a core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded;
a plurality of ingress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of input links;
a plurality of egress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of output links;
a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links; and
a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units,wherein each of the plurality of path switches is operable to communicate optical data from intersecting input link to an intersecting output link, andwherein each of the plurality of path switches is configurable to close or open to create a plurality of unique paths in a given switching time interval for transporting the optical data through the optical switching matrix without contention or congestion.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for providing non-blocking routing of optical data through an optical switch fabric.
The optical switch fabric can include an optical switching matrix with a plurality of inputs intersecting with a plurality of outputs. A path switch can be located at each intersection that is operable to switch data arriving on an input to a particular output. The path switches can be configurable to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical switching matrix to allow routing in a non-blocking manner.
Another aspect of the present invention can provide a system and method for providing non-blocking routing through an optical cross-bar switch. The optical cross-bar switch includes a plurality of input links, a plurality of output links and a plurality of switching elements. Each switching element can include a plurality of path switches connecting each of the input links to at least one of the output links and the plurality of switching elements can be configured to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical cross-bar switch.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. An optical switch fabric, comprising:
at least one optical switching matrix comprising a plurality of input links; a plurality of output links, wherein each of the plurality of input links intersects with each of the plurality of output links; a plurality of path switches with one path switch located at each intersection of an input link and an output link; a core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded; a plurality of ingress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of input links; a plurality of egress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of output links; a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links; and a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units, wherein each of the plurality of path switches is operable to communicate optical data from intersecting input link to an intersecting output link, and wherein each of the plurality of path switches is configurable to close or open to create a plurality of unique paths in a given switching time interval for transporting the optical data through the optical switching matrix without contention or congestion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical switching core comprising:
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a plurality of switching matrices, each switching matrix further comprising; a plurality of inputs; a plurality of outputs, wherein at least one input at a switching matrix intersects with at least one output at the switching matrix; and a plurality of path switches, wherein a path switch is located at each intersection between an input and an output and wherein the path switch at each intersection is operable to communicate data from the intersecting input to the intersecting output, core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded; a plurality of ingress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of inputs; a plurality of egress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of outputs; a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links; a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units, and a plurality of cross links linking each of the plurality of switching matrices to at least one other switching matrix. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optical cross-bar switch comprising:
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a plurality of input links; a plurality of output links; a plurality of switching elements, each switching element further comprising a plurality of path switches connecting at lest one of the plurality of input links to at least one of the plurality of output links; core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded; a plurality of ingress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of input links; a plurality of egress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of output links; and a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units, wherein the plurality switching elements are configured to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical cross-bar switch in a given switching time interval. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An optical switch for providing a concurrent unique switch path from any of a plurality of input links to any of a plurality of output links comprising:
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an array of N to 1 switching elements, where N is equal to the number of the plurality of input links, each switching element further comprising a plurality of path switches connecting each of the N input links to one output link; core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded; a plurality of ingress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of input links; a plurality of egress edge units linked to the core controller via the plurality of output links; and a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units, wherein the plurality of switching elements are configurable to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical cross-bar switch in a given switching time interval. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An optical router comprising:
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a plurality of ingress edge units; a plurality of egress edge units; an optical switch core further comprising; an optical switching matrix further comprising; a plurality of inputs; a plurality of outputs, wherein at least one input intersects with at least one output; a plurality of path switches with at least one path switch at each intersection between an input and an output operable to communicate data from the intersecting input to the intersecting output, wherein the plurality of path switches is configurable to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical switching matrix in a given switching time interval; a core controller further comprising; a packet scheduler that establishes a schedule pattern for the optical switching matrix; core controller to ensure the capacity of the plurality of the output links is not exceeded, a switch controller that coordinates switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units, wherein the switch controller in communication with the packet scheduler operable to configure the optical switching matrix according to the schedule pattern, wherein the plurality of ingress edge units are linked to the switch controller via the plurality of inputs, and the plurality of egress edge units are linked to the core controller via the plurality of outputs; and a packet scheduler to receive and process a plurality of control packet data links, and a plurality of switch links connecting the switch controller to each of the path switches, wherein the switch links communicate signals from the switch controller to the path switches to open or close the path switches according to the schedule pattern. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of routing optical data packets comprising:
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determining patterns for delivery of optical data packets from a plurality of ingress edge units of an optical router to a plurality of egress edge units of the optical router; according to the patterns, coordinating closing and opening path switches within an optical switching matrix to create a plurality of unique paths through the optical switching matrix in a given switching time interval; ensuring capacity of the plurality of output links is not exceeded with core controller; receiving and processing a plurality of control packet data links with a packet scheduler; coordinating switching based on information processed from the plurality of ingress edge units with a switch controller; and routing each optical data packet to an output or outputs via the plurality of unique paths within the optical switching matrix, wherein the plurality of ingress edge units are linked to the core controller via a plurality of input links and the plurality of egress edge units are linked to the core controller via a plurality of output links. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification