Method and system for time-sharing transmission frequencies in an optical network

An optical network, comprising;

• an optical ring;
• a plurality of local nodes coupled to the optical ring and operable to add traffic to and drop traffic from the optical ring, each of the local nodes operable to add traffic to the optical ring by:
• transmitting a request message to a hub node coupled to the optical ring, the request message requesting use of the transmitting wavelength;
• and
• in response to receiving a grant message from the hub node, transmitting traffic on the transmitting wavelength;
• and
• the hub node coupled to the optical ring and operable to:
• receive traffic over the optical ring from the plurality of local nodes on a transmitting wavelength;
• transmit traffic over the optical ring to the local nodes on a receiving wavelength;
• receive a request message from a local node;
• in response to receiving the request message, decide whether to grant the requesting local node use of the transmitting wavelength based on a priority status associated with the requesting local node and a priority status associated with a local node currently transmitting traffic on the transmitting wavelength;
• and
• in response to deciding to grant the requesting local node use of the transmitting wavelength, transmitting an interruption message to the local node currently transmitting traffic at the transmitting wavelength and a grant message to the requesting local node.

A method for communicating on an optical network, comprising:

• determining, at a source local node, whether any other local node is transmitting on an optical ring at a transmitting wavelength;
• in response to determining that no other local node is transmitting at the transmitting wavelength, transmitting a request message to a hub node, the request message requesting use of the transmitting wavelength;
• receiving a grant message from the hub node;
• and
• in response to receiving the grant message from the hub node, transmitting traffic at the transmitting wavelength.

A method for communicating on an optical network, comprising:

• transmitting, from a source local node, a request message to a hub node coupled to an optical ring, wherein the hub node is operable to receive traffic on the optical ring at a transmitting wavelength and to transmit traffic to a plurality of local nodes at a receiving wavelength, and wherein the request message requests use of a transmitting wavelength by the source local node;
• and
• in response to receiving the request message at the hub node, deciding whether to grant the source local node use of the transmitting wavelength based on a priority status associated with the source local node and a priority status associated with a local node currently transmitting traffic on the optical ring at the transmitting wavelength;
• in response to deciding to grant the requesting local node use of the transmitting wavelength, transmitting an interruption message from the hub node to the local node currently transmitting traffic and a grant message to the requesting local node;
• and
• in response to receiving a grant message from the hub node, transmitting traffic from the source local node to a destination local node on the transmitting wavelength.