Method and apparatus for implementing and networking a semiconductor-based optical burst switching module within optical networks

A system for use in an optical switching network, the system comprising:

• converter means for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal;
• generator means for generating an optical signal;
• switch means, couplable between a plurality of optical input lines and a plurality of optical output lines, for routing a control signal and a data signal received via the plurality of optical input lines to the converter means and the plurality of optical output lines, respectively, the data signal being a time division multiplexed (TDM) signal, the plurality of optical output lines for providing propagation paths for a plurality of TDM channels, and
• control means for causing the switch means to route at least a portion of the data signal to a first TDM channel of the plurality of TDM channels based on routing information contained in the control signal.

A method for use in an optical switching network, the method comprising:

• receiving an input optical signal with a plurality of time division multiplexed (TDM) channels, the input optical signal including a control signal and a data signal respectively in a first TDM channel and a second TDM channel of the plurality of TDM channels converting the control signal to an electrical signal routing at least a portion of the data signal to a third TDM channel of an output optical signal based on routing information contained in the control signal;
• converting the electrical signal to an optical signal to form a new control signal;
• and
• sending the new control signal in a fourth TDM channel of the output optical signal.

An apparatus for use in an optical switching network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving an optical input signal with a plurality of time division multiplexed (TDM) channels, the optical input signal including a control signal and a data signal respectively in a first TDM channel and a second TDM channel of the plurality of TDM channels;
• means for converting the control signal to an electrical signal;
• means for routing at least a portion of the data signal to a third TDM channel of an optical output signal, wherein the routing is based on routing information contained in the control signal;
• means for converting the electrical signal to an optical signal to form a new control signal;
• and
• means for sending the new control signal in a fourth TDM channel of the optical output signal.

An apparatus for use in an optical switching network, the apparatus comprising:

• an optical port to receive an optical signal, the optical signal including a first and a second time division multiplexed (TDM) channels respectively propagating a control signal and a data signal;
• an optical converter coupled to receive the control signal and to convert the control signal to an electrical signal;
• a control unit coupled to the optical converter to process the electrical signal;
• an optical signal generator coupled to the control unit to convert the processed electrical signal to an optical signal to form a new control signal;
• a switch unit coupled to an output port, wherein the switch unit is configurable to output at least a portion of the data signal to a third TDM channel of an optical output signal based on routing information contained in the control signal and to output the new control signal in a fourth TDM channel of the optical output signal.

An optical switching network, comprising:

• an ingress module;
• an egress module;
• and
• a plurality of core modules coupled to the ingress and egress modules, wherein each core module of the plurality of core modules includes:
• an optical receiver to convert an optical signal to an electrical signal,
• an optical transmitter to generate an output optical signal;
• a switch unit to respectively route a control signal and a data signal received via a plurality of optical input lines to the optical receiver and to a plurality of output lines providing propagation paths for a plurality of TDM channels, the data signal being a time division multiplexed (TDM) signal, and
• a control unit coupled to the switch unit, wherein the control unit is configurable to cause the switch unit to route at least a portion of the data signal to a first TDM channel of the plurality of TDM channels based on routing information contained in the control signal.

A method for use in an optical switching network, the method comprising:

• receiving packets from a source external to the optical switching network, the optical switching network having an ingress node, an egress node and a plurality of core switching nodes, the packets being received at the ingress node;
• forming a label and corresponding payload from received packets;
• reserving bandwidth in the optical switching network on a time slot basis;
• and
• transporting the label and the payload via the plurality of core switching nodes to the egress node, the label and payload being transported in the reserved time slots.

An optical switching network, comprising:

• means for receiving packets from a source external to the optical switching network;
• means for forming a label and corresponding payload from received packets;
• means for reserving bandwidth in the optical switching network on a time slot basis;
• and
• means for optically transporting the label and the payload through the optical switching network, the label and payload being transported in the reserved time slots,.

An optical switching network, comprising:

• a plurality of local area networks (LANs);
• a wide area network (WAN);
• and
• an optical metropolitan area network (OMAN), coupled between the WAN and the plurality of LANs, having a plurality of modules that each include:
• an optical receiver to convert an optical signal to an electrical signal,
• an optical transmitter to generate an optical signal,
• a switch unit, coupled to the optical receiver and the optical transmitter, to respectively route a control signal and a data signal received via a plurality of optical input lines to the optical receiver and a plurality of optical output lines providing propagation paths for a plurality of TDM channels, the data signal being a time division multiplexed (TDM) signal, and
• a control unit, coupled to the switch unit, to cause the switch unit to route at least a portion of the data signal to a first TDM channel of the plurality of TDM channels based on routing information contained in the control signal.