All-Optical Time Slice Switching via Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current all-optical switching technologies, such as OCS, OPS, and OBS, face inefficiencies in bandwidth utilization and unreliable data transmission due to the lack of mature all-optical buffers and logic devices, leading to bottlenecks in optical network communication.
Innovation Solution
An all-optical time slice switching method based on time synchronization, which determines OTSS connections between nodes using wavelength links and transmits data in periodic OTSS frames with variable-length time slices, allowing for sub-wavelength granularity switching without the need for all-optical buffers or logic devices, utilizing high-precision time signals and a time-slice shift and combination algorithm to manage time slots and ensure reliable data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical circuit switching (OCS) is used, then data exchange capacity is improved, but bandwidth utilization becomes inefficient due to wavelength granularity limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wavelength channel into multiple sub-wavelength time slots, allowing data to be transmitted in discrete time slices rather than requiring full wavelength allocation. This segmentation enables finer granularity control and improves bandwidth utilization by allocating only the necessary time portions to each connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic time-division multiplexing where data streams are transmitted in periodic OTSS frames with variable-length time slices. This periodic structure allows multiple data streams to share the same wavelength channel at different time intervals, improving bandwidth utilization while maintaining high data exchange capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If optical packet switching (OPS) is used, then sub-wavelength granularity switching is achieved, but device complexity increases due to requirements for all-optical buffers and logic devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for complex all-optical buffers and logic devices with a simplified optical switch controller that operates in the electrical domain. The controller receives control signals, determines switching actions, and actuates optical switches accordingly, substituting complex all-optical processing with a hybrid electrical-optical control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical switch controller as an intermediary between the optical data plane and the switching logic. This controller acts as a mediator that translates control signals into switching actions, enabling sub-wavelength granularity switching without requiring all-optical buffers and logic devices directly in the data path.
3Device complexity
If optical burst switching (OBS) is used, then sub-wavelength granularity is achieved without all-optical buffers, but reliability deteriorates due to packet loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary buffering in the electrical domain at the optical switch controller before switching occurs. Control signals are processed and switching decisions are made in advance, allowing proper coordination of time slot allocations and preventing packet loss through proactive resource management rather than reactive buffering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes feedback mechanisms where the optical switch controller receives status information about network conditions, buffer states, and transmission quality. This feedback enables dynamic adjustment of switching parameters and time slot allocations to maintain reliable data transmission while operating without all-optical buffers.
4Loss of energy
If time slice switching is implemented, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but time synchronization precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for time synchronization errors and jitter by introducing guard times between time slices and implementing time alignment mechanisms at the optical switch controller. These counterbalancing measures offset the precision requirements, allowing practical implementation of time slice switching with standard synchronization capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An all-optical time slice switching method based on time synchronization is provided. With the method, continuous data streams in an optical network are assembled to time domain periodic optical time slices and are transmitted in an asynchronous transmission mode. Network nodes obtain high precision synchronization time via a network and control optical switches to switch arriving optical time slices to a target port at precise time points periodically, therefore all-optical switching is implemented. When a connection request arrives, an available path, a wavelength and time slots to be occupied are calculated by a source node according to information on available time slots of the optical network, and the time slots are reserved by a connection management module. After the time slots are reserved, the source node send optical time slices carrying services periodically at reserved time slots. A destination node restores the optical time slices to the data streams.