Data center with free-space optical communications

• US 8,369,708 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Davidson, Howard Lee, Hamilton, James R., Hyde, Roderick A., Josefsberg, Arne, Jung, Edward K. Y., Kare, Jordin T., Lord, Robert W., Lustig, Kenneth, Mangione-Smith, William Henry, Manos, Michael, Mundie, Craig J., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Rashid, Richard F., Smith, Burton, Tegreene, Clarence T., Welland, Robert V., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, DZUNG D
• Application Number:
  US12/655,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20110150490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 398115-130
• US Class Current: 398/124
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information

Abstract

A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links.

Claims

1. A data center comprising:

a plurality of data center units (DCUs) disposed in a region, wherein each DCU is configured to run a part or all of a data processing application, and wherein the plurality of data center units includes a mobile DCU comprising a motion mechanism configured to move the mobile DCU within the region; and

a reconfigurable internal network of one or more free space optical communication links inter-linking one or more of the plurality of DCUs; and

an internal network controller configured to control inter-linking of one or more of the plurality of DCUs to the reconfigurable internal network, wherein the internal network controller is configured to control an inter-link of one or more of the DCUs by configuring the mobile DCU to independently move from a first position to a second position by use of the motion mechanism.

2. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller is located in or on a DCU.

3. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller is located external to the DCUs.

4. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller is configured to optically and/or wirelessly control inter-linking of one or more of the plurality of DCUs including the mobile DCU at its first and/or second locations to the reconfigurable internal network of free space optical communication links.

5. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller comprises one or more optical elements.

6. The data center of claim 5, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of an optical signal receiver/detector, an optical signal pass-through device, a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, electrical and/or optical switchgear, an optical-optical switch, an opto-electronic switch, an electronic switch, an optical beam generator, an optical beam director, an optical signal modulator, an optical router, an optical frequency convertor, an electric-to-optical convertor, an optical-to-electric convertor, an electro-optical beam steering element, an acoustic-optical beam steering element, a diffractive beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

7. The data center of claim 1, wherein the plurality of DCUs comprise one or more of data center bottles and/or data processing units, wherein the data center bottles include a plurality of data processing units, wherein the data processing units include one or more data processing circuits, and wherein the data processing circuits include one or more electronic modules, boxes, servers, cards, boards, and/or racks or free standing assemblies thereof.

8. The data center of claim 1, wherein the plurality of DCUs comprise one or more optical interface units.

9. The data center of claim 8, wherein the one or more optical interface units comprise at least one of an optical signal pass-through device, an optical beam generator, an optical beam modulator, an optical beam director, a steerable optical element, a beam-forming circuitry, an optical signal receiver/detector, an electrical-to-optical signal convertor, an optical-to-electrical signal converter, electrical and/or optical switchgear.

10. The data center of claim 8, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network corresponds to the optical interface unit of a first of the plurality of DCUs.

11. The data center of claim 8, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network is external to the plurality of data center units.

12. The data center of claim 8, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network corresponds to a network access controller arranged to interface the data center to an external data network.

13. The data center of claim 8, wherein each nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more optical elements that are configurable to establish the one or more free space optical communication links.

14. The data center of claim 13, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, an

optical router, an electro-optical beam steering element, and/or an acoustic-optical beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

15. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises a free space optical communication link that is preset for data center operations.

16. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises a dynamic free space optical communication link establishable during operation of the data center.

17. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more nodal point-to-nodal point and/or a nodal point-to-multinodal point free space optical communication links.

18. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more free space optical communication links between a first of the plurality of data center units and its proximate neighbors.

19. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more free space optical communication links between a first of the plurality of data center units and its neighbors according to a specified hierarchy.

20. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller is configured to reposition the mobile DCU from the first to the second location in the region in response to a data center application demand and/or an external process value or command.

21. The data center of claim 1, wherein the internal network controller is configured to establish a dynamic link to the mobile DCU during data center operations using a search or scanning process.

22. The data center of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the data center further comprises a router configured to route data between the data center units over the one or more free space optical communication links.

23. The data center of claim 22, wherein the router comprises at least one of a passive router, an active router, a mirror assembly, a holographic reflector, an optical switch and/or a receiver/transmitter with electronic switching.

24. The data center of claim 22, wherein the router is configured to use logical addressing for routing data between the data center units.

25. The data center of claim 22, wherein the router is configured to route data to one or more mailboxes in lieu of a physical address.

26. The data center of claim 25, wherein the router is configured to map data to and/or from the one or more mailboxes to a respective one or more of the plurality of data center units.

27. The data center of claim 25, wherein the one or more mailboxes correspond to one or more different data center applications and/or data center units.

28. The data center of claim 25, wherein the one or more mailboxes are dynamically assignable during data center operations to one or more different data center applications and/or data center units.

29. The data center of claim 1, wherein at least one of the data center units comprises a cooling unit.

30. The data center of claim 1, wherein at least one of the data center units comprises a wired, an optical, a wireless, and/or a microwave power receiver.

31. The data center of claim 1, wherein the mobile DCU comprises a power receiver, and wherein the power receiver is configured to be coupled to a power supply at the first location.

32. The data center of claim 1, wherein the mobile DCU comprises a location device including at least one of a location reporter, a beacon, a tracking unit, and a corner cube.

33. The data center of claim 32, further comprising, a tracking device configured to determine a position of the mobile DCU including one or more of intra-data-positioning system, a theodolite, a total station transit device, electronic distance measuring device or galvanometer, grids, floor markings, a bar code and/or fiducial readers.

34. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of data center units (DCUs) disposed in a region, wherein each DCU is configured to run a part or all of a data processing application, and wherein the plurality of data center units includes a mobile DCU comprising a motion mechanism configured to independently reposition the mobile DCU within the region;

providing a reconfigurable internal network of one or more free space optical communication links inter-linking of one or more of the plurality of DCUs; and

providing an internal network controller configured to control inter-linking of one or more of the plurality of DCUs wherein controlling inter-linking comprises configuring the motion mechanism of the mobile DCU to reposition the mobile DCU from a first location to a second location within the region.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the internal network controller is configured to optically and/or wirelessly control inter-linking of one or more of the plurality of DCUs including the mobile DCU at its first and/or second locations to the reconfigurable internal network of free space optical communication links.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the internal network controller includes one or more optical elements, and wherein the one or more optical elements comprise include at least one of an optical signal receiver/detector, an optical signal pass-through device, a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, electrical and/or optical switchgear, an optical-optical switch, an opto-electronic switch, an electronic switch, an optical beam generator, an optical beam director, an optical signal modulator, an optical router, an optical frequency convertor, an electric-to-optical convertor, an optical-to-electric convertor, an electro-optical beam steering element, an acoustic-optical beam steering element, a diffractive beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of DCUs include one or more optical interface units, and wherein the one or more optical interface units include comprise at least one of an optical signal pass-through device, an optical beam generator, an optical beam modulator, an optical beam director, a steerable optical element, a beam-forming circuitry, an optical signal receiver/detector, an electrical-to-optical signal convertor, an optical-to-electrical signal converter, electrical and/or optical switchgear.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network corresponds to the optical interface unit of a first of the plurality of DCUs.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network is external to the plurality of data center units.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise at least one of a reflecting mirror, a steerable telescope, a hemispherical lens, an optical router, an electro-optical beam steering element, and/or an acoustic-optical beam steering element, and/or a mechanically steerable optical element.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein a nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network corresponds to a network access controller arranged to interface the data center to an external data network.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein each nodal point in the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more optical elements that are configurable to establish the one or more free space optical communication links.

43. The method of claim 34 wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises a free space optical communication link that is preset for data center operations.

44. The method of claim 34 wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises a dynamic free space optical communication link establishable during operation of the data center.

45. The method of claim 34 wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more nodal point-to-nodal point and/or a nodal point-to-multinodal point free space optical communication links.

46. The method of claim 34 wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more free space optical communication links between a first of the plurality of data center units and its proximate neighbors.

47. The method of claim 34 wherein the internal network controller is configured to reposition the mobile DCU from the first to the second location in the region in response to a data center application demand and/or an external process value or command.

48. The method of claim 34 wherein the internal network controller is configured to establish a dynamic link to the mobile DCU during data center operations using a search or scanning process.

49. The method of claim 34 wherein the reconfigurable internal network comprises one or more free space optical communication links, and wherein the data center further comprises a router configured to route data between the data center units over the one or more free space optical communication links.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the router is configured to use logical addressing for routing data between the data center units.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the router is configured to route data to one or more mailboxes in lieu of a physical address.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the router is configured to map data to and/or from the one or more mailboxes to a respective one or more of the plurality of data center units.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the one or more mailboxes are dynamically assignable during data center operations to one or more different data center applications and/or data center units.

54. The method of claim 34, wherein the mobile DCU comprises a location device including at least one of a location reporter, a beacon, a tracking unit, and a corner cube.

55. The method of claim 34, further comprising, providing a tracking device configured to determine a position of the mobile DCU including one or more of intra-data-positioning system, a theodolite, a total station transit device, electronic distance measuring device or galvanometer, grids, floor markings, a bar code and/or fiducial readers.