High capacity network node
First Claim
1. A network node for an optical network, comprising:
- a number of packet optical add drop multiplexers (POADMs) with an input and an output line interface to selectively add and drop optical packets into and from packet timeslots of output and input wavelength-multiplexed optical signals transmitted and received at said output and input line interfaces, respectively;
a number of dual line cards, respectively associated with said POADMs, to electrically process and buffer packets to be added and dropped, said number of dual line cards having a line interface portion for dropped packets to be forwarded on line interfaces associated with any other of said number of dual line cards and a client interface portion for packets to be added from or dropped at a client interface, wherein said line interface portion has an internal interface for said packets to be forwarded; and
a central switch matrix to configurably interconnect said internal interfaces of said number of dual line cards on a packet by packet basis, wherein said central switch matrix is an optical switch matrix, and wherein said internal interfaces are optical interfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary technique is provided for a scalable architecture for a network node that allows a very high switching capacity. The network node has a number of packet optical add drop multiplexers (POADMs), a number of dual line cards, respectively associated with the POADMs, and an optical switch matrix. Each POADM has an input and an output line interface and serves to selectively add and drop optical packets into and from packet timeslots of output and input wavelength-multiplexed optical signals transmitted and received at said output and input line interfaces, respectively. The dual line cards serve to electrically process and buffer packets to be added and dropped. The optical switch matrix configurably interconnects internal optical interfaces contained within the dual line cards on a packet by packet basis.
15 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A network node for an optical network, comprising:
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a number of packet optical add drop multiplexers (POADMs) with an input and an output line interface to selectively add and drop optical packets into and from packet timeslots of output and input wavelength-multiplexed optical signals transmitted and received at said output and input line interfaces, respectively; a number of dual line cards, respectively associated with said POADMs, to electrically process and buffer packets to be added and dropped, said number of dual line cards having a line interface portion for dropped packets to be forwarded on line interfaces associated with any other of said number of dual line cards and a client interface portion for packets to be added from or dropped at a client interface, wherein said line interface portion has an internal interface for said packets to be forwarded; and a central switch matrix to configurably interconnect said internal interfaces of said number of dual line cards on a packet by packet basis, wherein said central switch matrix is an optical switch matrix, and wherein said internal interfaces are optical interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for a network node of an optical network, comprising:
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selectively adding and dropping optical packets into and from packet timeslots of output and input wavelength-multiplexed optical signals transmitted and received at output and input line interfaces of a number of packet optical add drop multiplexers (POADMs); electrically processing and buffering packets to be added and dropped via a number of dual line cards associated with said POADMs, said number of dual line cards having a line interface portion for dropped packets to be forwarded on line interfaces associated with any other of said number of dual line cards and a client interface portion for packets to be added from or dropped at a client interface, wherein said line interface portion has an internal interface for said packets to be forwarded; and configurably interconnecting, via a central switch matrix, said internal interfaces of said number of dual line cards on a packet by packet basis, wherein said central switch matrix is an optical switch matrix, and wherein said internal interfaces are optical interfaces.
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Specification