Communication systems

• US 7,529,483 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Inventors: Stevens, Roderick Leonard Wallace, Webb, Paul Roderick, McTiffin, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Kenneth N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEUNG, WAI LUN
• Application Number:
  US10/471,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,605 Days
• Field of Search: 398/50, 398/53, 398/102
• US Class Current: 398/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0033 using time division switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/005 Arbitration and scheduling

Abstract

A communication system for the mutual interconnection of a plurality of lower traffic level (5 Terabit) switch nodes via a relatively higher traffic level (Petabit) connection bus, which system comprises in operative association with each node, a two part TDM optical data management interface, wherein a first of the two parts comprises a time slot resequencer which serves to provide for the transmission of data from its associated node to the bus, and wherein a second of the two parts comprises a time slot specific combiner which serves for the transmission of data from the bus to its associated node, each node and the bus having independent data scheduling.

Claims

1. A TDM optical communication system for the mutual interconnection of a plurality of switch nodes via an optical connection bus, wherein:

each switch node is coupled in communication with the connection bus via a two part TDM data management interface;

a first of the two parts comprises a time slot resequencer which serves to provide for the transmission of data from its associated node to the bus;

a second of the two parts comprises a time slot specific combiner which serves for the transmission of data from the bus to its associated node;

each node and the bus have independent data scheduling;

the switch nodes are operational at a lower traffic transmission level than the connection bus; and

all transmission of data between and within the switch nodes, the interface and the bus, is performed optically.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timeslot resequencer of each interface comprises:

an optical splitter fed from its associated switch node and coupled to the bus via a timeslot selector;

a time delay device; and

an optical combiner which feeds the bus.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timeslot-specific combiner of each interface comprises:

a time delay device;

a timeslot selector; and

an optical combiner via which its associated switch node is fed from the bus.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch nodes of the system each comprise:

ingress ports coupled to the timeslot resequencer of an associated interface; and

egress ports coupled via grating means and a time slot selector to the time slot-specific combiner of this associated interface.

5. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface is arranged to provide for five Terabit coupling between the switch nodes and the bus, and for Petabit coupling between the bus and the switch nodes.

6. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch nodes each comprise a 128×

128 switch fabric.

7. A communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the timeslot-specific combiner of each interface comprises:

a time delay device;

a timeslot selector; and

an optical combiner via which its associated switch node is fed from the bus.

8. A communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the switch nodes of the system each comprise:

ingress ports coupled to the timeslot resequencer of an associated interface; and

egress ports coupled via grating means and a time slot selector to the time slot-specific combiner of this associated interface.