Abstract: The invention relates to a communications node (10) for routing an optical signal 5 comprising at least one data packet, the node (10) having an input optic fiber (12) and an output optic fiber (14) in communication with each other, the input optic fiber (12) in communication with an optical splitter (20) which is arranged to split an incoming optical signal into at least two substantially identical optical signals, the optical splitter (20) further arranged to pass one of the optical signals to an optical correlator (22) and the other of the optical signals to an input optical switch (24), the optical correlator (22) being arranged to compare an address of the packet with a reference address (40) and to generate a trigger if the reference address (40) matches the address of the packet, the input optical switch (24) being arranged to route the data packet to an optical to electrical converter (28) in response to the trigger.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communications node (10) for routing an optical signal 5 comprising at least one data packet, the node (10) having an input optic fibre (12) and an output optic fibre (14) in communication with each other, the input optic fibre (12) in communication with an optical splitter (20) which is arranged to split an incoming optical signal into at least two substantially identical optical signals, the optical splitter (20) further arranged to pass one of the optical signals to an optical correlator (22) and the other of the optical signals to an input optical switch (24), the optical correlator (22) being arranged to compare an address of the packet with a reference address (40) and to generate a trigger if the reference address (40) matches the address of the packet, the input optical switch (24) being arranged to route the data packet to an optical to electrical converter (28) in response to the trigger.