Abstract: The embodiments of the invention relate to a line switching component separable from a line card of a network node. The line switching component contains at least one input port for receiving an optical input signal from an optical transport network and at least one output port for transmitting an optical output signal to the optical transport network. The line switching component further contains at least one further output port configured to be connected to an input port of at least one optical interface of the line card and at least one further input port configured to be connected to an output port of the at least one further optical interface of the line card. The line switching component further contains a switchable optical path system configured to operate the line switching component in a first operation mode and to operate the line switching component in a second operation mode.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an apparatus for a regenerative network node between a first and a second link portion. The apparatus comprises an input configured to receive, from the first link portion, a signal impaired by the first link portion, the signal including a data packet with a Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoded payload portion and a header portion. The apparatus comprises a signal regeneration unit configured to mitigate signal impairments of the first link portion to provide a regenerated FEC encoded payload portion. The apparatus comprises a processing unit configured to extract destination information in the data packet's header portion. If extracted destination information indicates that the data packet's destination is the regenerative network node, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to a decoding unit of the regenerative network node. Else, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to the second link portion.

Abstract: The embodiments of the invention relate to a line switching component separable from a line card of a network node. The line switching component contains at least one input port for receiving an optical input signal from an optical transport network and at least one output port for transmitting an optical output signal to the optical transport network. The line switching component further contains at least one further output port configured to be connected to an input port of at least one optical interface of the line card and at least one further input port configured to be connected to an output port of the at least one further optical interface of the line card. The line switching component further contains a switchable optical path system configured to operate the line switching component in a first operation mode and to operate the line switching component in a second operation mode.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an apparatus for a regenerative network node between a first and a second link portion. The apparatus comprises an input configured to receive, from the first link portion, a signal impaired by the first link portion, the signal including a data packet with a Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoded payload portion and a header portion. The apparatus comprises a signal regeneration unit configured to mitigate signal impairments of the first link portion to provide a regenerated FEC encoded payload portion. The apparatus comprises a processing unit configured to extract destination information in the data packet's header portion. If extracted destination information indicates that the data packet's destination is the regenerative network node, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to a decoding unit of the regenerative network node. Else, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to the second link portion.

Abstract: A ring network system and a method for managing and operating the ring network system. The ring network system comprises at least two operative traffic subnetworks, a first subnetwork comprising a first set of network nodes connected by a first communication path through which signals can propagate and a second subnetwork comprising a second set of network nodes connected by a second communication path through which signals can propagate, the second set of network nodes being different from the first set of network nodes. The ring network comprises at least one shortcut comprising a first and a second switching and/or routing element being connected by a communication channel, the shortcut being part of both, the first and the second communication path.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-channel network node for routing/switching data from a number of input ports (32, 41) to a number of output ports (25, 60), wherein said data is buffered in a memory unit (20) before being passed to a destined output port. Said memory unit (20) is organized as a number of physical memory queues (22), each queue (22) being assigned to an output port (25), and the network node comprises a switching unit (30, 70) for routing said data from the input port to those memory queue (22) which is assigned to the destined output port (25). The invention further relates to a method for routing/switching data and a multi-channel routing/switching system.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optically controlled optical switching module (SM1), as well as a method of optically controlling an optical switching network, and an optical switching network. The optical switching module (SM1) is equipped with at least one optical switch (OCOSW), which is controlled through an optical control input (CONTR), which switches a useful optical signal. The optical switching module (SM1) furthermore has an optical pulse shaper (PW) that is connected to this control input (CONTR), which produces switching pulses that are suitable for the optical switch (OCOSW), from an optical control signal. The optical switching network contains at least one optical switching module (SM1). Control bits from an optical data packet are individually masked out in the optical switching network by means of optical switches (OSW), and the optical control signals corresponding to the respective control bits (CB1 to CB4) are fed to one of the optical pulse shapers (PW).