Optical Burst Node Bandwidth Segmentation for Power Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communications network routers face challenges with high capacity and power consumption, leading to increased costs and potential data conflicts due to lack of optical buffers in all-optical switching systems.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves dividing optical burst (OB) paths on a wavelength to reduce connection bandwidth and increase node connections, configuring OB paths to avoid data conflicts, and performing synchronization and cross-connection processes on the optical layer to simplify conversion procedures and reduce power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If wavelength cross-connection device or OTN cross-connection device is adopted to replace wavelength add/drop multiplexing device, then power consumption of the node is reduced, but the granularity of service data is large and bandwidth is excessively large when nodes are connected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption of the nodeVSAvoidbandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the wavelength path into multiple Optical Burst (OB) paths by introducing OB path division technology. This allows the original large-granularity wavelength connection to be divided into smaller OB path units, reducing the bandwidth allocated to each connection while maintaining the overall network capacity. The segmentation enables more efficient bandwidth utilization and reduces excessive bandwidth allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of nodes is increased, then the network capacity is improved, but the number of required paths increases with square relation and the volume and power consumption of the node are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacityVSAvoidvolume of the node
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple OB paths onto a single wavelength resource, allowing one wavelength to carry multiple time-division multiplexed OB paths. This consolidation reduces the number of separate physical paths and ports needed in the node, thereby reducing the node's volume and complexity while maintaining the ability to support multiple connections and network capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Use of energy by stationary object

If all-optical switching technology is adopted, then the electrical processing procedure is simplified and power consumption is reduced, but data conflict occurs on the optical layer due to lack of optical buffers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption of the nodeVSAvoiddata conflict on the optical layer
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic time-division multiplexing for OB paths, where each OB path is allocated specific time slots for transmission. This periodic structure allows the system to manage optical buffer requirements by scheduling OB path transmissions in alternating time slots, reducing the need for large optical buffers while preventing data conflicts through time-division isolation of different OB paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2293498B1Node, data processing system and data processing method
Publication Date: 2019.02.27 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2293498B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2293498B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2293498B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A node, a data processing system, and a data processing method are provided. The node includes a control module, adapted to generate synchronization information and Optical Burst (OB) configuration information; at least one synchronization processing module, adapted to perform a synchronization process on OB paths at a plurality of wavelengths according to the synchronization information; and a cross-connection module, adapted to perform, a cross-connection process on the OB paths, on which the synchronization process has been performed. The data processing system includes at least two nodes, where the nodes are connected through OB paths at one or more wavelengths, and the nodes are adapted to transfer service data through the OB paths. The technical solutions can reduce volume, power consumption, and costs of the nodes, and avoid a problem of generation of data conflict on an optical layer due to lack of optical buffers in all optical switching.