Optical Burst Switching System Using Tunable Lasers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current high-capacity switches face limitations in connection distance and physical arrangement due to high-speed electrical connections, which require a single chassis and consume significant power, especially with the use of serializer/deserializer technology in crossbar switch fabrics.

Innovation Solution

A switching system utilizing a centralized arbitrator, tunable lasers, and an optical switch fabric to assemble packets into bursts and switch them optically, eliminating the need for high-speed electrical connections and allowing for flexible physical layouts and increased switching capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high-speed electrical connections are used in crossbar switch fabric, then switching capacity is improved, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching capacityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the electrical switching system with an optical switching system. Specifically, it uses optical cross-connect (OXC) fabric instead of electrical crossbar switch fabric, and employs optical burst switching technology to transfer data packets optically without electrical conversion, thereby eliminating the high power consumption of SerDes and electrical crossbar switches while maintaining high switching capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of signal transmission from electrical to optical domain. By using optical carriers instead of electrical signals, the system achieves high-speed switching without the power consumption penalties of electrical systems, particularly eliminating the need for high-power SerDes components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If high-speed electrical connections are used, then switching capacity is improved, but connection distance is limited and physical arrangement is constrained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching capacityVSAvoidconnection distance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes electrical interconnects with optical interconnects using fiber optic cables. This replacement enables long-distance connections without the signal degradation and distance limitations inherent in electrical systems, allowing switch components to be physically separated while maintaining high-speed optical communication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If electrical SerDes and crossbar switch fabric are used, then switching function is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching functionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex electrical SerDes components and electrical crossbar switch fabric with optical burst switching technology and optical cross-connect fabric. This substitution simplifies the system by eliminating the need for electrical-optical-electrical conversions and associated complex control logic, while maintaining switching functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the electrical conversion components (SerDes) from the switching system. By implementing end-to-end optical burst switching, the system eliminates the electrical domain components that add complexity, keeping only the essential optical switching functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system achieves lower costs, reduced power consumption, and greater flexibility with long connection distances and scalable switching, avoiding the need for high-power serializer/deserializers and crossbar switch fabrics while maintaining high switching capacity.

Implementation Method 1

modulates the bursts of packets into the specific wavelength to reach a destination

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectModulation: Phase Modulation

Data Source

PatentUS9544667B2Burst switching system using optical cross-connect as switch fabric

Publication Date: 2017.01.10 NEC CORP

AI summary

A switching system includes one or more line card for input processing, forwarding, queuing, and scheduling data, the line card having a tunable laser to select a wavelength according to the packets' destination for a given burst of packets, so that the burst is switched to a desired destination and sent all-optically to a connected interface; an all-optical switch fabric coupled to the line card to perform wavelength switching; and a centralized arbitrator that resolves the contention from different input ports.