US 4,797,879 A · Packet switched interconnection protocols for a star configured optical lan

Abstract

The present invention relates to packet switched interconnection protocols for use in high-speed optical Star-configured Local Area Networks (LANs). In the present Star LAN, a plurality of N+1 wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) channels are provided for use by M transceivers connected to the Star coupler, where preferably M>N. N of the N+1 WDM channels are used for transmission of data packets, and the remaining WDM channel is used by all transceivers for transmitting control packets only. In the present protocols, a transmitter in an active transceiver first send a control packet over the control channel using a first protocol such as, for example, ALOHA or CSMA. The control packet includes (1) the transmitter's unique address, (2) the destined receiver's address, and (3) the address of the data channel to be used in transmitting the associated data packet. Immediately after the control packet is sent, the associated data packet is transmitted over the chosen one of the N data channels using a second protocol such as, for example, ALOHA, CSMA or N-Server Switch. In the Star network, the transceivers receive their own transmissions and detect if a collision or not has occurred, and if a collision is detected the transmission procedure is repeated until successful.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of transmitting packets of information in an optical local area network (LAN) including a plurality of M optical transceivers connected to a Star coupler, the method comprising the steps of:

in transmitting information from a first transceiver to a second transceiver,
(a) transmitting a control information packet at a random time period over a first wavelength division multiplex (WDM) channel using a first access protocol, the control information packet including information relating to (1) a unique identification of the first transceiver, (2) a unique identification of the second transceiver, and (3) an identification of a randomly chosen one of a plurality of N second WDM channels used to transmit data packets, where M>N;
and
(b) immediately after step (a), transmitting an associated data packet over the chosen one of the plurality of N second WDM channels indicated in the control information packet transmitted in step (a) using a second access protocol.

1 more element

A transceiver for use in transmitting packets of information to other transceivers in an optical Local Area Network (LAN) which includes a Star coupler, the transceiver comprising:

a receiver for receiving lightwave signals from the Star coupler and converting the lightwave signals into equivalent electrical output signals;
and
a transmitter comprising means for (a) transmitting a control information packet a random time period over a first wavelength division multiplex (WDM) channel using a first access protocol, where the control information packet includes information relating to (1) a unique identification of the transceiver, (2) a unique identification of a second transceiver of the network with which the first transceiver desires to communicate, and (3) an identification of a randomly chosen one of a plurality of N second WDM channels used for transmitting data packets, and (b) transmitting an associated data packet over the chosen one of the plurality of second WDM channels, indicated in the control information packet, immediately after the transmission of the control information packet using a second access protocol.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Packet switched interconnection protocols for a star configured optical lan

Life of this patent

Packet switched interconnection protocols for a star configured optical lan

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12