High-throughput, low-latency next generation internet...

Details High-throughput, low-latency next generation internet... High-throughput, low-latency next generation internet...

1999-11-08

2003-02-18

Negash, Kinfe-Michael (Department: 2633)

Optical: systems and elements

Deflection using a moving element

Using a periodically moving element

C359S199200, C359S199200, C370S352000, C370S392000, C370S471000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06522435

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical communication systems and, more particularly, to an optical system which accommodates network traffic with high throughput and low latency and effects high-speed header detection and generation.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recent research advances in optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology have fostered the development of networks that are orders of magnitude higher in transmission bandwidth than existing commercial networks. While such an increase in throughput is impressive on its own, a corresponding decrease in network latency must also be achieved in order to realize the Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision of providing the next generation of ultra high speed networks that can meet the requirements for supporting new applications, including national initiatives. Towards this end, current research efforts have focused on developing an ultra-low latency Internet Protocol (IP) over WDM optical packet switching technology that promises to deliver the two-fold goal of both high throughput with low latency. Such efforts, while promising, have yet to fully realize this two-fold goal.
There are a number of challenging requirements in realizing such IP/WDM networks. First, the NGI network must inter-operate with the existing Internet and avoid protocol conflicts. Second, the NGI network must provide not only ultra low-latency, but must take advantage of both packet-switched (that is, bursty) IP traffic and circuit-switched WDM networks. Third, it is advantageous if the NGI network does not depend upon precise synchronization between signaling and data payload. Finally, a desired objective is that the NGI network accommodates data traffic of various protocols and formats so that it is possible to transmit and receive IP as well as non-IP signals without the need for complicated synchronization or format conversion.
Comparison with Other Work
The Multi-Wavelength-Optical Network (MONET) system, as reported in the article “MONET: Multi-Wavelength Optical Networking” by R. E. Wagner, et al. and published in the Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 14, No. 6, June 1996, demonstrated a number of key milestones in optical network including transparent transmission of multiwavelength through more than 12 reconfigurable network elements spread over the national scale fiber distance. The network, however, is circuit-switched and suffers inefficiency in accommodating bursty traffic. The typical connection setup time from request to switching is a few seconds, limited by capabilities of both Network Control & Management (NC&M) and hardware. Recent efforts within the MONET program to improve on the efficiency concentrated on the “Just-in-Time signaling” scheme. This method utilizes embedded 1510 nm NC&M signaling which precedes the data payload by an estimated delay time. This estimation must be accurately made for each network configuration for every wavelength in order to synchronize the signaling header and switching of the payload.
In accordance with the present invention, the optical packet header is carried over the same wavelength as the packet payload data. This approach mitigates the issue of header and payload synchronization. Furthermore, with a suitable use of optical delay at each intermediate optical switch, it eliminates the need to estimate the initial burst delay by incorporating the optical delay directly at the local switches. This makes a striking difference with Just-In-Time signaling in which the delay at each switch along the path needs to be known ahead of time and must be entered in the calculation for the total delay. Lastly, there is little time wasted in requesting a connection time and actually achieving a connection. In comparison to a few second delays seen in MONET, the present inventive subject matter reduces the delay to minimal, only limited by the actual hardware switching delays at each switch. The current switching technology realizes delays of only several microseconds, and shorter delays will be possible in the future. Such a short delay can be incorporated by using an optical fiber delay line at each network element utilizing switches. The present inventive subject matter achieves the lowest possible latency down to the fundamental limit of the hardware, and no lower latency can be achieved by any other technique.
The Optical Networks Technology Consortium (ONTC) results were reported in the article “Multiwavelength Reconfigurable WDM/ATM/SONET Network Testbed” by Chang et al. and published in the Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 14, No. 6, June 1996. Both Phase I (155 Mb/s, 4-wavelength) and Phase II (2.5 Gb/s, 8-wavelength) of the ONTC program were configured on a Multihop ATM-based network. While such an ATM based architecture added a large overhead and excluded the possibility of a single-hop network, the packet/header signaling was made possible by utilizing the isochronous ATM cell itself. This communication of NC&M information is made through the same optical wavelength, potentially offering similar benefits as with the technique of the present invention. However, the inventive technique offers a number of significant advantages over the ATM-based signaling. First, the inventive technique offers a single hop connection for the payload without the need to convert to electrical signals and buffer the packets. Second, it offers far more efficient utilization of the bandwidth by eliminating excessive overheads. Third, it allows strictly transparent and ultra-low latency connections.
The DARPA sponsored All-Optical-Network (AON) Consortium results were reported in an article entitled “A Wideband All-Optical WDM Network”, by I. P. Kaminow et al. and published in the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas of Communication, Vol. 14, No. 5, June, 1996. There were actually two parts of the AON program: WDM as reported in the aforementioned article, and TDM reported in a companion paper in the same issue. First the WDM part of the AON program is first discussed, followed by the TDM part.
The AON architecture is a three-level hierarchy of subnetworks, and resembles that of LANs, MANs, and WANs seen in computer networks. The AON provides three basic services between Optical Terminals (OTs): A, B, and C services. A is a transparent circuit-switched service, B is a transparent time-scheduled TDM/WDM service, and C is a non-transparent datagram service used for signaling. The B service uses a structure where a 250 microsecond frame is used with 128 slots per frame. Within a slot or group of slots, a user is free to choose the modulation rate and format. The B-service implemented on the AON architecture is closest to the IP over WDM which is the subject matter of the present invention. However, the separation of NC&M signaling in the C-service with the payload in the B-service requires careful synchronization between the signaling header and the payload. This requirement becomes far more stringent as the 250 microsecond frame is used with 128 slots per frame with arbitrary bit rates. Not only the synchronization has to occur at the bit level, but this synchronization has to be achieve across the entire network. The scalability and interoperability are extremely difficult since these do not go in steps with the network synchronization requirement. The present inventive subject matter requires only that the payload and the header are transmitted and received simultaneously, inter-operates with existing IP and non-IP traffic, and offers scalability.
TDM efforts are aimed at 100 Gb/s bit rates. In principle, such ultrafast TDM networks have the potential to provide truly flexible bandwidth on demand at burst rates of 100 Gb/s. However, there are significant technological challenges behind such high bit rate systems mainly related to nonlinearities, dispersion, and polarization degradations in the fiber. While the soliton technologies can alleviate some of the difficulties, it still requires extremely accurate synchronization of the network—down to a few

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