Wavelength associative addressing system for WDM type light packet steering

A method for transmitting a data sequence in an optical data transmission system having multiple data signals modulated on different selected light wavelengths, the multiple data signals being multiplexed into a single optical signal;

• the method comprising the steps of:
• providing a marker signal modulated on a selected reference wavelength;
• and
• modifying selected data signals to encode the data sequence to correspond to a single selected data signal.

An optical router for routing data signals from an optical fiber to a selected destination, the optical fiber carrying a single optical signal which has multiplexed data signals modulated at different light wavelengths, a marker wavelength signal, and a data sequence corresponding to a selected data signal encoded on the different light wavelengths of the data signals, the router comprising:

• an optical buffer having:
• an optical data detector coupled to the optical fiber, the optical data detector having detector units each sense light at a different wavelength and sense the marker wavelength signal, the detector producing an output indicative of the presence of a selected data sequence in the data sequence;
• a fiber optic delay loop which holds the optical signal;
• a data output channel;
• an optical switch which is coupled to the optical fiber and the data channel;
• wherein the fiber optic delay loop has a length sufficient to delay the optical signal for a time interval sufficient to detect the selected data code and activate the optical switch;
• and
• a processor unit coupled to the buffer and the optical switch, wherein the processor unit reads the output of the detector of the buffer and controls the optical switch to divert the light signal to the data channel on detection of the selected data sequence.

An optical code detector for detecting an information code from an optical signal carried on an optic fiber, the optical signal having a header portion containing the information code encoded with different levels of light and a data portion, the optical code decoder comprising:

• a plurality of optical storage devices coupled to the optical fiber, each of which stores a segment of the information code and emitting the light encoding the segment;
• an optical detector unit for each segment of the information code, each of the optical detector units being exposed to the segment light and each having:
• a first photo detector having an anode and a cathode;
• a second photo detector having an anode, a cathode, the anode of the second photo detector being coupled to the cathode of the first photo detector, and the cathode of the second photo detector being coupled to the anode of the first photo detector;
• and
• a light emitter array optically coupled to the optical detector units.

A method for decoding information code in an optical data transmission system having a light modulated data signal having a data portion and a header containing the information code, the method comprising the steps of:

• carrying the light signal on a fiber optic cable;
• separating the information code in the header into discrete light segments;
• comparing the discrete light segments to a predetermined pattern;
• and
• indicating a match when the predetermined pattern is the same as the discrete light segment.

An optical buffer for storing data signals from an optical fiber for further downstream processing, the optical fiber carrying data signals at different light wavelengths and a marker wavelength signal multiplexed as a single signal, and a data sequence encoded on the different light wavelengths by modifying selected data signals, the optical buffer comprising:

• an optical data detector optically coupled to the optical fiber, the optical data detector having detector units which optically sense the data sequence, the detector producing an output indicative of the presence of a selected data sequence code;
• a fiber optic output;
• an optical switch having an input coupled to the optical fiber and a first output coupled to the fiber optic output, and a second output the optical switch permitting the optical signal to be routed via the first output to the fiber optic output or to the second output;
• a buffer fiber optical loop coupled to the detector, wherein the second output of the optical switch is coupled to the fiber optical loop through the second output;
• and
• a processor unit coupled to the detector and the optical switch, wherein the processor unit reads the output of the detector and controls the optical switch to divert the optical signal to the buffer fiber loop.