Optical Interconnection System with Electrical Control Packets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional optical interconnection systems face inefficiencies due to the need for frequent optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical conversions at each switching node, leading to increased delay and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The system converts data into optical signal packets with accompanying control packets in electrical form, allowing switching nodes to determine next hops and open optical paths directly, eliminating the need for conversions during transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical conversions are performed at each switching node, then routing information can be obtained and routing can be performed, but transmission delay increases and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting information extractionVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data transmission process into control plane and data plane. Control packets (containing routing information) are handled separately from data packets. Control packets are converted to electrical signals for routing information extraction at switching nodes, while data packets remain in optical form and are forwarded without conversion. This segmentation allows routing functionality to be maintained while eliminating unnecessary conversions for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by extracting routing information from control packets before data packets arrive at switching nodes. Control packets are converted to electrical signals, processed to obtain routing information, and used to set up optical paths in advance. This allows data packets to be forwarded directly over pre-established optical paths without requiring conversion at each node.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical conversions are performed at each switching node, then routing information can be obtained and routing can be performed, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting information extractionVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data transmission process into control plane and data plane. Control packets (containing routing information) are handled separately from data packets. Control packets are converted to electrical signals for routing information extraction at switching nodes, while data packets remain in optical form and are forwarded without conversion. This segmentation allows routing functionality to be maintained while eliminating unnecessary conversions for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical conversion system with a purely optical forwarding system for data packets. Instead of converting data packets to electrical signals for processing and then back to optical signals, the system uses optical switching based on routing information extracted from control packets. This substitution eliminates the energy-consuming conversion processes while maintaining routing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If data is transmitted in optical signal form through multiple switching nodes, then bandwidth is large and power consumption is low, but routing control becomes difficult without electrical signal conversion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidrouting control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data transmission process into control plane and data plane. Control packets (containing routing information) are handled separately from data packets. Control packets are converted to electrical signals for routing information extraction at switching nodes, while data packets remain in optical form and are forwarded without conversion. This segmentation allows routing functionality to be maintained while eliminating unnecessary conversions for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces control packets as intermediaries that carry routing information. These control packets are converted to electrical signals at switching nodes to extract routing information, which is then used to set up optical paths for data packet transmission. The control packets serve as a mediator between the electrical control plane and optical data plane, enabling routing control without requiring conversion of data packets themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2981004B1Interconnection system and apparatus, and data transmission method
Publication Date: 2018.01.10 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2981004B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP2981004B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~3
  • EP2981004B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose an interconnection system, an apparatus, and a data transmission method. In the interconnection system, to-be-transmitted data is converted into a data packet in an optical signal form for transmission, and a control packet corresponding to the data packet is transmitted in an electrical signal form and includes routing information of the data packet. When the control packet passes through a switching node, the switching node directly determines, according to the routing information in the control packet, a neighboring node that serves as a next hop, and opens, in the switching node, an optical path used to transmit the data packet for transmitting the data packet. Because no optical-to-electrical or electrical-to-optical conversion needs to be performed on the control packet and the data packet during an entire transmission procedure, problems of an extra delay and power consumption caused by electrical-optical-electrical conversion can be reduced, thereby improving data transmission efficiency.