Merged Optical Packet Buffer Control Device for Dynamic Traffic Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical packet buffer control devices face challenges in dynamically responding to traffic changes while maintaining low power consumption and a compact footprint, as they often require numerous optical delay lines that increase footprint and degrade signal quality.
Innovation Solution
A merged-type optical packet buffer control device combining an optical delay line and an electronic buffer, where the electronic buffer is dynamically used to supplement the optical delay line buffer, allowing for flexible delay management and reduced power consumption by utilizing the electronic buffer only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If many optical delay lines are provided to expand buffer capacity, then buffer capacity is improved, but footprint becomes large and signal quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges optical delay lines with an electronic buffer to create a hybrid buffer system. The electronic buffer complements the optical delay lines, providing additional buffering capacity without requiring a proportional increase in optical delay line footprint. This combination allows the system to achieve greater buffer capacity while maintaining a compact footprint compared to using only optical delay lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic buffer acts as an intermediary component that bridges the limitations of pure optical delay lines. It provides flexible buffering capacity and can dynamically adjust to traffic conditions, serving as a mediator between the optical layer and the electronic processing layer. This intermediary approach allows the system to achieve high buffer capacity without proportionally increasing the optical footprint.
2Quantity of substance
If many optical delay lines are provided to expand buffer capacity, then buffer capacity is improved, but signal quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By combining optical delay lines with an electronic buffer, the system distributes the buffering function between optical and electronic domains. This reduces the burden on any single optical delay line, minimizing signal degradation that would occur with excessively long optical paths. The electronic buffer handles packets that would otherwise require extended optical delay, thereby preserving signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic buffer serves as an intermediary that relieves the optical delay lines from handling excessive delay requirements. It takes over the buffering function for packets that would cause signal quality deterioration in pure optical implementations, thereby maintaining signal integrity while providing expanded buffer capacity.
3Quantity of substance
If electronic buffer is always used to extend buffer capacity, then buffer capacity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of the electronic buffer based on traffic conditions and buffer occupancy. The electronic buffer is activated only when needed to supplement the optical delay lines, and its operational parameters are adjusted in real-time. This dynamic operation allows the system to maintain high buffer capacity when necessary while minimizing power consumption during normal operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters of the electronic buffer based on traffic load and buffer state. By adjusting parameters such as buffer occupancy thresholds, electronic buffer activation/deactivation timing, and operational mode settings, the system optimizes the balance between buffer capacity and power consumption. The electronic buffer operates at reduced power levels during partial utilization and fully activates only when maximum buffering capacity is required.
4Productivity
If optical delay line buffer is used to respond to traffic changes, then buffering function is provided, but adaptability to dynamic traffic is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid system combines the fixed, hardware-based optical delay lines with the flexible, software-controllable electronic buffer. This merging provides both the buffering function of optical delay lines and the adaptability of electronic buffers. The electronic component can dynamically adjust to varying traffic patterns, packet sizes, and congestion conditions, thereby enhancing the overall adaptability of the buffer system while maintaining robust buffering capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic buffer introduces dynamic control capabilities to the otherwise static optical delay line system. It can adapt its operational characteristics in real-time based on traffic conditions, providing flexible response to dynamic traffic changes. This dynamic element allows the system to optimize buffering performance for varying load conditions, packet distributions, and congestion scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
[Problem] To provide an optical packet buffer control device, without making device construction large in scale, that is capable of dynamically responding to traffic and suppressing power consumption.[Solution] An optical delay line and electronic buffer merged-type optical packet buffer control device having N number of input terminals (11), an optical packet information acquisition unit (13), a plurality of switches (15), a plurality of delay lines (17), an electronic buffer (19), an output terminal (21), and a buffer control unit (23), wherein the buffer control unit (23) receives packet information and analyzes packet traffic, and exerts control so as not to use the electronic buffer (19) when the packet traffic is equal to or less than a first threshold, or receives information pertaining to the use state of the delay lines and exerts control so as not to use the electronic buffer (19) when the use rate of the delay lines (the percentage of the number of used delay lines relative to the total number of delay lines) is equal to or less than a first threshold pertaining to the use rate. This device can expand capacity by utilizing the electronic buffer at the time of congestion, and can dynamically respond to changes in traffic.