Wavelength division multiplexed optical channel switching

A switching method for use in optically communicating data between a plurality of nodes, wherein a bidirectional optical backbone provides an optical pathway between the plurality of nodes, wherein data is communicated between the plurality of nodes using wavelength division multiplexing, the method comprising:

• bidirectionally transmitting arbitration information onto the optical pathway, from each node of a plurality of nodes, at an arbitration wavelength during an arbitration cycle representative of at least a request to write data to or read data from another node of the plurality of nodes;
• receiving the transmitted arbitration information at each node during the arbitration cycle from the plurality of nodes;
• selecting, at each of one or more of the plurality of nodes, a transmission wavelength of a plurality of wavelengths at which to transmit data to one or more other nodes based on the transmitted arbitration information, wherein the plurality of wavelengths are different than the arbitration wavelength;
• bidirectionally transmitting data onto the optical pathway, from each of one or more nodes to another node of the plurality of nodes, at a selected transmission wavelength during a data cycle;
• receiving transmitted data at each of one or more nodes tuned to a selected transmission wavelength;
• and
• changing the selected transmission wavelength to another wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths for transmitting data onto the optical pathway to another node during another data cycle based on transmitted arbitration information of another arbitration cycle.

An optical communication system for use in communicating data between a plurality of nodes using wavelength division multiplexing, the communication system comprising:

• an optical backbone to provide an optical pathway between the plurality of nodes, wherein the optical backbone is a bidirectional optical backbone;
• arbitration optical transmitter means, at each node, for transmitting arbitration information on the optical pathway at an arbitration wavelength during an arbitration cycle representative of at least a request to write data to or read data from another node of the plurality of nodes, wherein the arbitration information is bidirectionally transmitted onto the optical pathway from the node;
• arbitration optical receiver means, at each node, tuned to the arbitration wavelength for receiving transmitted arbitration information from the optical pathway during the arbitration cycle from one or more of the plurality of nodes, wherein transmitted arbitration information is received bidirectionally by the node from the optical pathway;
• data optical transmitter means tunable to a plurality of wavelengths for transmitting data on the optical pathway to another node of the plurality of nodes, the plurality of wavelengths being different than the arbitration wavelength, wherein the data is bidirectionally transmitted onto the optical pathway from the node;
• data optical receiver means tunable to one of the plurality of wavelengths for use in receiving data from the optical pathway, wherein data is received bidirectionally by the node from the optical pathway;
• and
• selection means, at each node, operable to analyze the transmitted arbitration information of an arbitration cycle from a plurality of nodes, select a wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths at which to transmit data to another node during a data cycle based on the transmitted arbitration information of the arbitration cycle, and change the wavelength to another wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths at which to transmit data to another node during another data cycle based on transmitted arbitration information of another arbitration cycle.