Optical Switch Interconnect Sub-system for Data Center Network Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical switches in data center networks face limitations in transmission rate, consume high power due to frequent optical-electrical and electrical-optical conversions, and require significant computation for packet routing, leading to increased latency and cooling costs, making them difficult to upgrade for higher performance and scalability.
Innovation Solution
An intelligence-defined optical tunnel network system with optical switch interconnect sub-systems, comprising receiving, output, and interconnection fabric modules, along with an optical switching module, to manage and route optical signals efficiently, reducing the need for frequent upgrades and lowering power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional electrical switches are used for data exchanging, then the network structure can support various applications and services, but the transmission rate is limited by data exchanging capability of the switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional electrical switches with optical switches that directly transmit optical signals without electrical conversion. The optical switching fabric uses optical components such as optical switches, optical couplers, and optical attenuators to route data signals optically, eliminating the bottleneck of electrical data exchanging capability and enabling higher transmission rates limited only by optical bandwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental transmission medium from electrical to optical, transitioning the operating parameters from electrical domain (voltage, current) to optical domain (light intensity, wavelength). This parameter change enables transmission rates beyond the limitations of electrical switches by utilizing the higher bandwidth capacity of optical signals.
2Reliability
If conventional electrical switches are used, then data transmission can be achieved, but heavy power consumption occurs due to Optical-Electrical conversions and Electrical-Optical conversions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates Optical-Electrical and Electrical-Optical conversion processes by implementing end-to-end optical transmission. Data signals remain in optical domain throughout the network, using optical switches and optical routing components, thereby removing the energy-intensive conversion processes while maintaining reliable data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the problematic conversion stages from the data transmission path. By taking out the Optical-Electrical and Electrical-Optical conversion processes entirely and replacing them with pure optical switching, the system eliminates the associated power consumption while preserving transmission functionality.
3Ease of operation
If conventional electronic switches perform computation to determine packet routing, then data transmission can be managed, but significant computation consumes power and increases latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces computational packet routing with optical circuit switching. Instead of electronically processing packets and making routing decisions through computation, the system uses optical switches configured to directly route optical signals based on pre-established paths, eliminating computation time and reducing latency while maintaining routing management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention skips the computational processing stage entirely by implementing direct optical switching. Data signals are routed through the optical fabric without being stopped for computation, analysis, or decision-making processes, allowing signals to rush through the network infrastructure with minimal delay.
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional electronic switches are used, then the system structure can be formed, but it is difficult to upgrade the system structure to support more racks or servers with higher performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a modular optical network architecture where the system is divided into independent optical switch modules, optical add-drop modules, and optical line modules. Each module can be independently upgraded or replaced without affecting the entire system, enabling incremental expansion to support more racks or servers while maintaining system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical switching fabric provides dynamic reconfigurability through software-controlled optical switches that can adapt routing paths and bandwidth allocation in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the system structure to evolve and upgrade to support higher performance requirements without physical reconfiguration, maintaining stability while increasing adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An intelligence-defined optical tunnel network system includes multiple Optical Switch Interconnect Sub-systems (OSIS). Any one of the OSIS includes a receiving sub-module, an output sub-module, an interconnection fabric module and an optical switching sub-module. The receiving module is configured to receive multiple first and third upstream optical signals from first and second Optical Add-Drop Sub-systems (OADS) corresponding to the first and the second pods. The output sub-module is configured to output multiple second and fourth downstream optical signals to the first and second OADS. The interconnect circuit sub-module is configured to connect adjacent two of the OSISs and any two of the OSISs transmit a corresponding lateral transmission optical signal via a first line correspondingly. The optical switching sub-module is configured to transmit optical signals between the receiving sub-module, the output sub-module, and the interconnection fabric module.