Optical Node Parallel Reception for Ring Network Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical ring networks face inefficiencies in resource utilization due to sequential processing of optical signals at receiving nodes, leading to collisions and suboptimal throughput and latency, especially when multiple nodes are termination points for multiple paths.
Innovation Solution
An optical node equipped with two optical frontends for simultaneous conversion of optical signals to electrical signals, storage, and processing by a single processing device, allowing parallel reception and sequential extraction of data from multiple optical signals, thereby optimizing resource allocation and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sequential processing of optical signals is used at receiving nodes, then collisions of optical resources are avoided, but throughput and latency are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving node is divided into multiple independent optical frontends, each capable of processing optical signals simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel reception of multiple optical paths without collision, while the shared processing device handles data extraction sequentially, resolving the contradiction between collision avoidance and throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by using a storage device to buffer signals from multiple optical frontends before sequential processing. This allows simultaneous reception in the optical domain while maintaining sequential processing in the electrical domain, improving both throughput and collision avoidance.
2Productivity
If multiple optical signals are received simultaneously, then resource utilization is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple optical frontends are merged with a single shared processing device and storage device. This combining approach allows simultaneous reception of multiple optical signals while keeping the processing complexity manageable by sharing common resources, thus improving resource utilization without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single processing device is designed to be universal, capable of processing signals from any optical frontend. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle multiple optical signals simultaneously while avoiding the need for dedicated processing paths for each signal, thereby improving resource utilization without linearly increasing complexity.
3Loss of time
If multiple optical frontends are deployed for simultaneous reception, then latency is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the receiving function into multiple optical frontends that operate in parallel to reduce latency, while sharing the processing device to minimize energy consumption. Only the optical conversion function is duplicated, while the more energy-intensive processing function is shared, thus reducing latency without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of copying the entire processing device for each optical signal path, the patent uses a single processing device that processes signals from multiple optical frontends. This copying approach at the optical frontend level (for simultaneous reception) while sharing at the processing level optimizes the trade-off between latency reduction and energy consumption.
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
This solution enables efficient simultaneous processing of multiple optical signals, improving resource utilization, reducing latency, and maintaining energy consumption constraints, thus enhancing the overall throughput and flexibility of optical ring networks.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical frontend for receiving the first optical signal and for converting from optical domain to electrical domain said first optical signal into a first raw electrical signal
Data Source
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Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
An optical node (ON1) for receiving simultaneously a first optical signal (OS1) conveying a first set of data (IS1) and a second optical signal (OS2) conveying a second set of data (IS2), the first set of data (IS1) and the second set of data (IS2) being respectively informative data, the optical node (ON1) comprising: - a first optical frontend (OF1) for receiving the first optical signal (OS1) and for converting from optical domain to electrical domain said first optical signal (OS1) into a first raw electrical signal (RS1), - a second optical frontend (OF2) for receiving the second optical signal (OS2) and for converting from optical domain to electrical domain said second optical signal (OS2) into a second raw electrical signal (RS2), - a storage device (MM) connected to the first optical frontend (OF1) and to the second optical frontend (OF2), and being adapted to store the first raw electrical signal (RS1) and the second raw electrical signal (RS2), - a processing device (PU) connected to the storage device (MM), and being provided sequentially with the stored first raw electrical signal (RS1) for extracting the first set of data (IS1), and with the stored second raw electrical signal (RS2) for extracting the second set of data (IS2).