Method and system for shortening the length of time gaps between data units in a data switching network

• US 8,594,130 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jang Partners LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jang Partners LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Li, Chun-Yin, Wai, Alexander Ping-Kong, Li, Victor On-Kwok
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jianye
• Application Number:
  US13/541,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/002 using optical delay lines or optical buffers or optical recirculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0045 Synchronisation

Abstract

A group of K data units received consecutively is arranged by a first device. The arranged K data units are sent to the inputs of M devices, and a group of H_j data units of the arranged K data units are transferred by a device j of the M devices. The data units sent to the devices of the M devices are arranged such that no two inputs of the devices of the M devices transferring receive the same data unit at any moment. A second device combines and arranges the K data units from the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units appear at the output of the second device consecutively, and a length of time gap between data units in a data switching network is shortened.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

arranging a group of K data units received consecutively at an input of the computing device in a time period of K units, wherein K is a positive integer, and wherein a time period of one unit is a period of time necessary for receiving one data unit at the input of the computing device; and

sending the arranged K data units to the inputs of M devices, wherein M is a positive integer, wherein a group of H_j data units of the arranged K data units are transferred by a device j of the M devices from its inputs to its outputs within a time period T_x, wherein the time period T_x is less than or equal to one unit, and wherein H_j is a positive integer and the sum of H_j for j=1 . . . M is equal to K, where H_j≦

K; and

arranging the data units sent to the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T_x such that no two inputs of the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T_x receive the same data unit at any moment, wherein a second device combines and arranges the K data units from the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units appear at the output of the second device consecutively, and a length of time gap between data units in a data switching network is shortened.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data switching network is one of a slotted network, a packet switching network, or an optical network.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computing device is an optical splitter or an optical switch, with K outputs connecting to the inputs of the M devices such that K data units are sent to the M devices for each K unit time period.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the computing device by an optical delay element before the computing device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the M devices by an optical delay element after the outputs of the computing device and before the inputs of the M devices.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the optical delay elements at the inputs of the devices of the M devices are transferring data units within the same predefined time unit T_x have different delay values such that no two inputs of the devices receive the same data unit at any time.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second device is an optical combiner or an optical switch with K inputs connecting to the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units are combined and sent via the output of the second device consecutively.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the inputs of the second device by optical delay elements at the outputs of the M devices, and the delay elements have different delay values such that the K data units from the outputs of the M devices appear consecutively at the output of the second device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a pilot message channel connected to a third device describes the K data units sent to the inputs of the M devices such that the M devices are configured by the third device before the arrival of the K packets.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the K time units required for the computing device to receive the K data units comprise a time period of length L, where L is a positive real number.

11. A system comprising:

a first device comprising;

an input configured to receive an arranged group of K data units consecutively in a time period of K units, wherein K is a positive integer, and wherein a time period of one unit is a period of time necessary for receiving one data unit at the input of the first device; and

one or more processors configured to;

send the arranged K data units to the inputs of M devices, wherein M is a positive integer, wherein a group of data units of the arranged K data units are transferred by a device j of the M devices from its inputs to its outputs within a time period T_x, wherein the time period T_x is less than or equal to one unit, and wherein is a positive integer and the sum of H_j for j=1 . . . M is equal to K, where H_j≦

K; and

arrange the data units sent to the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T_x such that no two inputs of the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T_x receive the same data unit at any moment, wherein a second device combines and arranges the K data units from the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units appear at the output of the second device consecutively, and a length of time gap between data units in a data switching network is shortened.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data switching network is one of a slotted network, a packet switching network, or an optical network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first device is an optical splitter or an optical switch, with K outputs connecting to the inputs of the M devices such that K data units are sent to the M devices for each K unit time period.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the first device by an optical delay element before the first device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the M devices by an optical delay element after the outputs of the first device and before the inputs of the M devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the optical delay elements at the inputs of the devices of the M devices are transferring data units within the same predefined time unit T_x have different delay values such that no two inputs of the devices receive the same data unit at any time.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the second device is an optical combiner or an optical switch with K inputs connecting to the outputs of the M devices such that the K data units are combined and sent via the output of the second device consecutively.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the K data units are delayed before entering the inputs of the second device by optical delay elements at the outputs of the M devices, and the delay elements have different delay values such that the K data units from the outputs of the M devices appear consecutively at the output of the second device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein a pilot message channel connected to a third device describes the K data units sent to the inputs of the M devices such that the M devices are configured by the third device before the arrival of the K packets.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the K time units required for the first device to receive the K data units comprise a time period of length L, where L is a positive real number.