Spectral encoding of an optical label or destination
AssigneeFuturewei Technologies, Inc.
InventorsPeter Ashwood-Smith, Alan Graves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine a plurality of available wavelengths that are available to transmit data over an optical network comprising a plurality of downstream nodes, select a plurality of encoding wavelengths from the available wavelengths, wherein the encoding wavelengths are a subset of the available wavelengths, apply a plurality of relative power levels to the encoding wavelengths, and encode the data using the encoding wavelengths and the relative power levels, wherein the encoding wavelengths and the relative power levels dictate the switching behavior of the downstream nodes when the data is received by the downstream nodes.
Claims17
An apparatus comprising:
- a splitter configured to split an optical signal into a first optical portion and a second optical portion;
- a polarization controller configured to separate the first optical portion into third portions based on optical polarizations;
- a plurality of resonator rings;
- a plurality of power evaluator devices directly coupled to the resonator rings and, when working with the resonator rings, configured to:
- determine whether energy peaks exist at resonated wavelengths, and
- output data values based on the determination;
- a plurality of computational logic devices configured to provide routing instructions based on the data values;
- and
- at least one switching device configured to route the second optical portion using the routing instructions.
An apparatus comprising:
- a splitter configured to split an optical signal into a first optical portion and a second optical portion;
- a Fourier transform unit (FTU) configured to perform a spectrum analysis on the first optical portion to produce power spectrum data for the first optical portion, wherein the power spectrum data comprise a plurality of energy peaks, and wherein the FTU comprises a plurality of resonator rings configured to produce the energy peaks, and wherein a first resonator ring is coupled to a first power detector and a second power detector;
- a control logic unit coupled to the FTU, wherein the control logic unit is configured to distinguish different heights in the energy peaks to provide a routing instruction, and wherein the control logic unit comprises a plurality of power detectors configured to detect the different heights in the energy peaks;
- and
- an optical switching unit coupled to the control logic unit, wherein the optical switching unit is configured to route the second optical portion using the routing instruction.
A method comprising:
- splitting an optical signal into a first optical segment and a second optical segment, wherein the optical signal is encoded with a plurality of wavelengths comprising, for each of a plurality of logical bits associated with the optical signal, a first wavelength for a logical 0 and a second wavelength for a logical 1;
- determining, using a plurality of resonator rings and a plurality of power evaluator devices directly coupled to the resonator rings, whether energy peaks exist at resonated wavelengths;
- outputting, using the resonator rings and the power evaluator devices, data values based on the determining;
- computing routing information for the second optical segment based on the data values;
- and
- routing the second optical segment using the routing information.
An apparatus comprising:
- a receiver configured to receive an optical signal encoded using wavelengths and at least three power ranges;
- at least one component comprising power detectors and resonator rings, coupled to the receiver, and configured to:
- split the optical signal into a first optical portion and a second optical portion;
- obtain power spectrum data for the first optical portion, wherein the power spectrum data comprise at least three height ranges corresponding to the at least three power ranges;
- differentiate the at least three height ranges;
- and
- generate a routing instruction for the optical signal based on the differentiation;
- and
- a transmitter coupled to the at least one component and configured to transmit an output based on the generation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.