IP Packet Routing via Optical Dominator Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP networks consume significant energy due to high power consumption of router components, particularly in routing IP packets, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
The method involves configuring core network nodes as dominator and non-dominator nodes, where non-dominator nodes route traffic to dominator nodes for optical domain processing, minimizing electronic conversions and reducing the number of IP lookups, thereby reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If IP packets are routed through traditional IP layer routers, then routing functionality is provided, but energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic IP layer routing with optical circuit switching. Specifically, IP packets are converted to optical signals at the ingress node and routed through the optical core network using wavelength-based circuit switching, eliminating the need for electronic router components (control cards, line cards, memory) at intermediate nodes. This substitution of electronic routing with optical routing dramatically reduces energy consumption while maintaining routing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical add-drop multiplexers (OADM) and wavelength conversion equipment as intermediary devices. These intermediaries enable optical packets to be routed through the core network without converting back to electrical signals, thereby maintaining the optical domain transmission and reducing energy consumption. The OADM devices act as mediators that can selectively add or drop specific wavelength channels without full electronic processing.
2Reliability
If electronic conversions are performed at each network node, then routing decisions can be made, but power usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing function into two distinct parts: (1) IP-to-optical conversion and routing decision at the ingress node only, and (2) optical circuit switching at intermediate nodes. This segmentation allows routing decisions to be made once at the ingress node using electronic processing, while intermediate nodes perform only optical switching operations that require minimal power, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining routing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary routing decisions at the ingress node before packets enter the optical core network. The ingress node determines the destination and establishes the appropriate optical circuit path in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated electronic routing decisions at intermediate nodes, reducing power consumption while ensuring reliable routing decisions are made before transmission begins.
3Use of energy by moving object
If optical circuit switching is implemented, then energy efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology that provides multi-functionality within a single optical infrastructure. The same optical fiber network can carry multiple wavelength channels simultaneously, each representing a different circuit path. This universal optical infrastructure handles both routing and switching functions, reducing the need for separate dedicated equipment for each function and thereby managing device complexity while maintaining energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes wavelength as a key parameter for circuit identification and routing. By changing the wavelength parameter, the system can establish different optical circuits through the same physical infrastructure. This parameter-based approach simplifies network configuration and management compared to physical reconfiguration, as logical circuit changes can be achieved by wavelength assignment rather than physical cable changes, thereby managing complexity while maintaining energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for energy-efficient routing of IP packets in which ingress traffic is forward from ingress nodes directly to source dominator nodes without address destination processing such that related address processing elements may be avoided in the ingress nodes. The source dominator nodes perform address destination processing and forward the packets to destination dominator nodes proximate the destination node.