Intelligent optical router

Details Intelligent optical router Intelligent optical router

1999-06-25

2003-01-28

Chan, Jason (Department: 2633)

Optical: systems and elements

Deflection using a moving element

Using a periodically moving element

C359S199200, C359S199200, C359S199200, C370S401000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06512612

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to optical communication systems and, more particularly, to apparatus and operating method for an intelligent optical router for combining the packets from one or more underutilized wavelengths onto another underutilized wavelength.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In electronic routers for internet applications, routers buffer incoming and/or outgoing traffic. In certain situations, routers may measure required capacity for transmission over the links in order to improve the overall network performance. In electronic routers increasing the link capacity, corresponds either to an increase in the number of time slots (in the case of TDM) or frequencies (in the case of FDM) in order to accommodate the traffic demand. Demand is measured by examining the number of entities (such as packets) at the incoming or outgoing links of the router.
In optical routers used in optical neworks, there is a preference for not having to use optical buffering at the router. This is because today there are no practically feasible all-optical buffers that can be easily implemented with existing optical technology. Consequently, if buffers are used at an optical router, that buffer must use electronic circuits requiring a signal conversion from optics to electronics and back again.
Because of the ever increasing transmission capacity demand made on optical networks, there is a continuing need to improve the capacity utilization efficiency of optical routers and fibers used in the optical network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the method and apparatus of our invention, an optical router comprises (1) a capacity utilization apparatus which determines the packet capacity utilization level of each of a plurality of wavelengths received at the optical router and (2) a packet combiner apparatus which combines packets from the two or more wavelengths onto only one wavelength for transmission from the optical router when the combined determined packet utilization level of the two or more wavelengths is less than a predetermined packet utilization level.
According to one feature, the router also determines the destination of the packets on each of the wavelengths and only combines the packets of two or more wavelengths if their packets have the same next-hop router or the same termination router destination. Moreover, the plurality of wavelengths received at the optical router may be received over the same or different optical links.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5343314 (1994-08-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5790548 (1998-08-01), Sistanizadeh et al.
patent: 6111673 (2000-08-01), Chang et al.
patent: 6374307 (2002-04-01), Ristau et al.

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