Packet and optical routing equipment and method

An optical network of wavelength multiplexing type, comprising a plurality of packet and optical routing equipment and a plurality of optical connections extending between pairs of packet and optical routing equipment, each said packet and optical routing equipment comprising:

• an optical input connected to a first of said optical connections and receiving input multiplexed signals;
• an optical output connected to a second of said optical connections and supplying output multiplexed signals;
• a non-packet optical port exchanging branch non-packet signals;
• a packet optical port exchanging branch packet signals;
• optical forwarding and multiplexing stage coupled between said optical input and said optical output;
• a packet forwarding stage connected between said optical packet port and said optical forwarding and multiplexing stage;
• each said packet and optical routing equipment comprising:
• a non-packet optical /electric converter connected to said non-packet optical port and converting said branch non-packet signals into and from non-packet electrical signals;
• a packet optical/electric converter connected between said optical packet port and said packet forwarding stage, said packet optical/electric converter converting said branch packet signals into and from electric packet signals exchanged with said packet forwarding stage;
• an electric switching unit connected to said non-packet optical/electric converter and said packet forwarding stage for exchanging therewith said electric non-packet and packet signals;
• and
• an interface converter coupled between said electric switching unit and said optical forwarding and multiplexing stage for converting said electric non-packet and packet signals into and from optical signals supplied to and from said optical forwarding and multiplexing stage,
• wherein the packet forwarding stage comprises a packet and optical control plane configured to generate control signals for said optical input and output, said optical forwarding and multiplexing stage, said interface converter, said electric switching unit, and said non-packet and packet optical/electric converters.

A method for packet and optical signal routing, comprising:

• receiving, at an optical forwarding and multiplexing stage, input multiplexed optical signals;
• receiving, at a non-packet optical/electric converter, branch non-packet optical signals;
• receiving, at a packet optical/electric converter, branch packet optical signals;
• forwarding, by the optical forwarding and multiplexing stage, first selected of said input multiplexed optical signals as output multiplexed optical signals;
• extracting second selected of said input multiplexed optical signals and adding said branch non-packet and packet optical signals to said output multiplexed optical signals;
• said adding said branch non-packet and packet optical signals to said output multiplexed optical signals comprising:
• converting said received branch non-packet and packet optical signals into non-packet and packet electric signals;
• switching, by an electric switching unit, said non-packet and packet electric signals according to available resources;
• converting, by an interface converter, the switched non-packet and packet electric signals into optical signals;
• and
• adding, by the optical forwarding and multiplexing stage, said optical signal to said output multiplexed signals;
• wherein the extracting second selected of said input multiplexed optical signals and adding said branch non-packet and packet optical signals to said output multiplexed optical signals are executed in a single packet and optical routing node;
• generating, at a packet and optical control plane, control signals for an optical input and output, the optical forwarding and multiplexing stage, the interface converter, the electric switching unit, and the non-packet and packet optical/electric converters.

A method for packet and optical signal routing, comprising:

• receiving input multiplexed optical signals;
• receiving branch non-packet optical signals;
• receiving branch packet optical signals;
• forwarding first selected of said input multiplexed optical signals as output multiplexed optical signals;
• extracting second selected of said input multiplexed optical signals and adding said branch non-packet and packet optical signals to said output multiplexed optical signals;
• said adding said branch non-packet and packet optical signals to said output multiplexed optical signals comprising:
• converting said received branch non-packet and packet optical signals into non-packet and packet electric signals;
• switching said non-packet and packet electric signals according to available resources;
• converting the switched non-packet and packet electric signals into optical signals;
• and
• adding said optical signal to said output multiplexed signals;
• generating control signals in a first packet and optical routing equipment;
• transmitting said control signals onto a first optical connection line;
• receiving said control signals at a second packet and optical routing equipment;
• checking the destination of said control signals at a second packet and optical routing equipment and, if said second packet and optical routing equipment is not a destination equipment,
• routing said control signals onto a second optical connection line toward a further packet and optical routing equipment, and
• repeating the previous step at the further packet and optical routing equipment until a destination packet and optical routing equipment for the control signals is reached, so as to establish a path for said control signals including the packet and optical routing pieces of equipment between said first and said destination packet and optical routing equipment;
• checking a traffic condition to detect a low or high traffic condition for said branch packet signals;
• and
• in case of low traffic condition, implementing a base connectivity for said branch packet optical signals including the packet and optical routing pieces of equipment between said first and said destination packet and optical routing equipment;
• and
• in case of high traffic condition, implementing a direct connectivity for said branch packet optical signals between said first and said destination packet and optical routing equipment.