OPTICAL PACKET SWITCHING APPARATUS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. An optical packet switching method for use at a switching node that receives a first optical packet on a first input path at a first bit-rate and a second optical packet on a second input path at a second bit-rate, the method comprising:
- routing the first optical packet to a destination over a first channel wavelength and the second optical packet to the destination over a second channel wavelength if a magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate exceeds a bit-rate difference threshold, androuting the first optical packet and the second optical packet to the destination at a separate time slots over a single channel wavelength if the magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate does not exceed the bit-rate difference threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical packet switch switches optical packets according to bit-rates at which the optical packets are provided. For example, optical packets that are received at similar bit-rates may be routed to a destination at separate time slots over a single channel wavelength, and optical packets that are received at different bit-rates may be routed to the destination over separate channel wavelengths. When optical packets are provided at different bit-rates on a plurality of input paths, optical packets provided at low bit-rates may be compacted before switching to the destination. Alternatively or additionally, the bit-rates of the optical packets may be balanced before switching to the destination. Bandwidth contention among optical packets may be resolved by polarizing optical packets originating from separate input paths in different polarization directions, and merging optical packets having different polarization directions onto a single switched channel wavelength. Compaction of optical packets may alternatively be employed for resolution of bandwidth contention. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
80 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An optical packet switching method for use at a switching node that receives a first optical packet on a first input path at a first bit-rate and a second optical packet on a second input path at a second bit-rate, the method comprising:
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routing the first optical packet to a destination over a first channel wavelength and the second optical packet to the destination over a second channel wavelength if a magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate exceeds a bit-rate difference threshold, and routing the first optical packet and the second optical packet to the destination at a separate time slots over a single channel wavelength if the magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate does not exceed the bit-rate difference threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An optical packet switching method for use at a switching node that receives a first optical packet on a first input path at a first bit-rate and a second optical packet on a second input path at a second bit-rate, the method comprising:
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determining a magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate; and if the magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate exceeds a bit-rate difference threshold; switching the first optical packet to a destination via a first optical communication switch that is operatively associated with the destination and the second optical packet to the destination via a second optical communication switch that is operatively associated with the destination. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An optical packet switching method for use at a switching node that receives N series of optical packets on N input paths at N bit-rates respectively, where N is an integer greater than two, the method comprising:
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arranging the N series optical packets as K groups of series of optical packets, where K≦
N and the K groups are characterized in that each group includes series of optical packets having substantially similar bit-rates, and bit-rates of series in each group differ from bit-rates of series in other groups; androuting optical packets in each K group to a destination on a respective channel wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12-33. -33. (canceled)
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34. A method of switching or routing optical packets, comprising:
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receiving a first optical packet on a first input path at a first bit-rate; receiving a second optical packet on a second input path at a second bit-rate; determining a magnitude of a difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate; and routing the first optical packet to a destination over a first channel wavelength and the second optical packet to the destination over a second channel wavelength in response to the difference between the first bit-rate and the second bit-rate exceeding a particular value. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification