Unified associative memory of data channel schedulers in an optical router
OwnerSi Q. Zheng, Yijun Xiong +1inventors
InventorsSi Q. Zheng, Yijun Xiong, Steve Y. Sakalian
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Abstract
An optical switch network (4) includes optical routers (10), which route information in optical fibers (12). Each fiber carries a plurality of data channels (20), collectively a data channel group (14), and a control channel (16). Data is carried on the data channels in data bursts and control information is carried on the control channel (18) in burst header packets. A burst header packet includes routing information for an associated data burst (28) and precedes its associated data burst. Parallel scheduling at multiple delays may be used for faster scheduling. In one embodiment, unscheduled times and gaps may be processed in a unified memory for more efficient operation.
Claims13
An optical burst-switched router, comprising:
- an optical switch for routing optical information from an incoming optical transmission medium to one of a plurality of outgoing optical transmission media, each outgoing media able to transmit optical information over a plurality of channels;
- a delay buffer coupled to said optical switch for providing a plurality of different delays for delaying selected information between said incoming transmission medium and one of said outgoing optical transmission media;
- scheduling circuitry associated with each respective outgoing medium, comprising an associative processor for storing information on both unscheduled time for each channel on the respective outgoing medium and time gaps on each channel on the respective outgoing medium.
A method of routing optical information through an optical burst-switched router including an optical switch for routing optical information from an incoming optical transmission medium to one of a plurality of outgoing optical transmission media, each outgoing media able to transmit optical information over a plurality of channels, and a delay buffer coupled to said optical switch for providing a plurality of different delays for delaying selected information between said incoming transmission medium and one of said outgoing optical transmission media, comprising the steps of:
- for each respective outgoing optical transmission medium, storing information on both unscheduled time for each channel and time gaps on each channel in an associative memory;
- and
- searching said associative memories for available periods to schedule an optical burst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.