Modular, scalable and extensible transparent optical packet buffer

Lead Inventors: Benjamin A. Small and Assaf SchachamProblem or Unmet Need:An optical buffer is a device that is capable of temporarily storing light. It is a storage medium that enables compensation for a difference in time of occurrence of events. While buffering in optical packet switching networks is a challenging problem, an optical buffer has the potential to significantly improve network acceptance rates and thereby increase overall throughput and efficiency. Currently implemented buffer schemes that require slowing the speed of light in exotic materials face significant challenges. More practical buffer architectures based on cascaded fiber delay line (FDL) modules and parallel FDL arrays do not allow read and write processes to be executed independently under physical timing requirements. The architecture presented in this invention overcomes these limitations, supporting both first-in first-out and last-in first-out prioritization. Furthermore, the buffer can support a priority queue implementation and a number of other schemes. The architecture embodied in this invention behaves like a complete buffer, in the sense that designers of electronic packet-switched networks and networking protocols expect: Packet read and write operations are executed independently, and the whole system manages itself. The buffer architecture maintains scalability and extensibility because of its modular structure. It also guarantees complete and independent read and write functionality without packet rejection, mis-ordering, or loss (except in the case of overflow) and can be dynamically extended to increase capacity.

* The system is scalable, modular and extensible * The system is transparent at the physical-layer, conserving optical power and signal quality without introducing significant distortion * The invention supports independent and simultaneous read and write processes without packet rejection or mis-ordering * The system can support two prioritization schemes: first-in first-out and last-in first-out * The system leverages semiconductor optical amplifiers as switching elements, allowing wideband packets to be routed transparently

* Fiber-optic or photonic based Internet or inter-connection network

The architecture embodied in this invention behaves like a complete buffer, in the sense that designers of electronic packet-switched networks and networking protocols expect: Packet read and write operations are executed independently, and the...

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