Method and apparatus for optically switching data
AssigneeMarconi Communications, Inc.
InventorWilbur Christian Vogley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based. The switch a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers. The switch an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected as many times as necessary until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination. A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network. The method the steps of receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network. There is the step of reflecting the data in the chassis until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data. There is the step of sending the data out the output port onto the network.
Claims24
A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based, comprising:
- a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers;
- an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected as many times as necessary until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination, the element includes a chassis having a plurality of mirrors that the data reflects off of until the output port becomes available, each of the mirrors can be oriented into a desired position;
- and
- a mirror controller connected to each mirror which orients each mirror to create a desired reflective path for the data so the data is reflected until the output port becomes available, the mirror controller keeps track of the destination of the data when it is received, and when the output port corresponding to the destination of the data will be available for the data, and determines the desired reflective path for the data from when the data is received and when the output port is available for the data.
A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:
- receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network;
- determining a desired reflective path for the data from when the data is received and when the output port is available for the data;
- keeping track with a mirror controller of the destination of the data when it is received, and when the output port corresponding to the destination of the data will be available for the data;
- orienting mirrors in the chassis into a desired position with the mirror controller to create the desired reflecting path for the data so the data is reflected until the output port becomes available;
- reflecting the data off of the mirrors in the chassis until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data;
- and
- sending the data out the output port onto the network.
A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based, comprising:
- a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers;
- an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected along a desired reflective path as many times as necessary until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination;
- and
- a mirror controller which identifies the destination of the data and establishes the desired reflective path for the data in the element from the data.
A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:
- receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network;
- identifying a desired reflective path for the data in the chassis from the data;
- reflecting the data in the chassis along the desired reflective path until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data;
- and
- sending the data out the output port onto the network.
A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based, comprising:
- a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers;
- an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected as many times as necessary to delay the data in the element for a delay until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination;
- and
- a mirror controller for delivering the delay for the data in the element until the output port of the switch becomes available to the data.
A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:
- receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network;
- determining a delay for the data in the chassis until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data from the data;
- reflecting the data in the chassis to delay the data in the chassis for the delay until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data;
- and
- sending the data out the output port onto the network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.