Abstract: An architecture and related systems for improving the performance of non-blocking data switching systems. In one embodiment, a switching system includes an optical switching core coupled to a plurality of edge units, each of which has a set of ingress ports and a set of egress ports. The switching system also contains a scheduler that maintains two non-blocking data transfer schedules, only one of which is active at a time. Data is transferred through the switching system according to the active schedule. The scheduler monitors the sufficiency of data transferred according to the active schedule and, if the currently active schedule is insufficient, the scheduler recomputes the alternate schedule based on demand data received from the edges/ports and activates the alternate schedule. A timing mechanism is employed to ensure that the changeover to the alternate schedule is essentially simultaneous among the components of the system.

Abstract: A non-blocking optical matrix core switching method that includes maintaining a schedule for routing data through an optical matrix core and receiving and analyzing reports from peripheral devices. The method determines whether the schedule is adequate for the current data traffic patterns and if the schedule is not adequate a new schedule is implemented. The new schedule is then transferred to the peripheral devices for implementation and the new schedule is transferred to the optical matrix core scheduler. Implementation of the new schedule as the schedule on the peripheral devices and the optical matrix core scheduler is then performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for slot deflection routing of optical data packets. The method of the present invention includes the steps of establishing a schedule pattern that includes a plurality of time slots. The schedule pattern includes at least one time slot in which an ingress edge unit can communicate with a destination egress edge unit, at least one time slot in which the ingress edge unit can communicate with a intermediate edge unit, and at least one time slot in which the intermediate edge unit can communicate with the destination egress edge unit. The present invention also includes receiving a data packet at the ingress edge unit and determining if the schedule pattern allocates sufficient bandwidth to send the data packet from the ingress edge unit to the destination egress edge unit without deflecting the data packet through an intermediate edge unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically computing a schedule defining interconnections between ports in a switching system. In one embodiment, a switching core requests demand reports from the ingress ports. In response to this request, the ingress ports generate a series of suggested port schedules, beginning with a first choice, then a second choice, and so on. The schedules are transmitted to the switching core, beginning with the first choice. The switching core receives the first choice for each of the ports and determines whether the aggregate schedule defined by the first choices is valid. If the aggregate schedule is valid, then this schedule is implemented. If the aggregate schedule is not valid, portions of it are discarded and the next choice from each of the ports is examined to identify connections to replace the discarded portions. This process is repeated until a valid schedule is obtained.

Abstract: A method for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) fiber delay line (FDL) optical buffer routing and scheduling of conflicted variable length data packets through an optical router. The method includes ordering of each conflicted variable length data packet and selecting each of the data packets in turn for routing based on the ordering sequence selected. The sequentially assigned conflicted data packet is assigned a wavelength in the FDL optical buffer from (n) available wavelengths, wherein (n)=&lgr;1, &lgr;1, . . . , &lgr;n, &lgr;1, &lgr;1, . . . , &lgr;n, . . . . Each data packet is converted to the sequentially assigned wavelength (n) and routed to an optical buffer according to the wavelength assignment. If the wavelength of the FDL optical buffer is fully occupied the data packet is dropped.

Abstract: A system and method for providing non-blocking routing of optical data through a telecommunications router that allows full utilization of available capacity. The router includes a number of data links that carry optical data packets to and from an optical router. The optical router includes a number of ingress edge units coupled to an optical switch core coupled further to a number of egress edge units. The ingress edge units receive the optical data packets from the data links and aggregate the optical data packets into “super packets” where each super packet is to be routed to a particular destination egress edge unit. The super packets are sent from the ingress edge units to an optical switch fabric within the optical switch core that routes each super packet through the optical switch fabric to the super packet's particular destination egress edge unit in a non-blocking manner (i.e., without contention or data loss through the optical switch fabric).

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for slot deflection routing of optical data packets. The method of the present invention includes the steps of establishing a schedule pattern that includes a plurality of time slots. The schedule pattern includes at least one time slot in which an ingress edge unit can communicate with a destination egress edge unit, at least one time slot in which the ingress edge unit can communicate with a intermediate edge unit, and at least one time slot in which the intermediate edge unit can communicate with the destination egress edge unit. The present invention also includes receiving a data packet at the ingress edge unit and determining if the schedule pattern allocates sufficient bandwidth to send the data packet from the ingress edge unit to the destination egress edge unit without deflecting the data packet through an intermediate edge unit.

Abstract: A system for establishing and utilizing a wireless communication system using a lens antenna having a dielectric material lens. The lens focuses output radio frequency (rf) signals into narrow beam rf signals which are directed to a specific receiving communication device. The lens focuses input rf signals onto signal processing equipment. A communication system between two or more communication devices which utilizes a dielectric material lens and signal processing equipment can be used for point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication.

Abstract: Optical logic gates are designed using inverse-scattering theory, resulting in devices which are intrinsic and passive, having high extinction ratios and large fan out. The Boolean operation is modeled by a pair of reflection coefficients, corresponding to the `1` and `0` states of the device. When inverse scattering theory is applied, each reflection coefficient yields a unique refractive index profile. The multivalued nature of the refractive index profile is achieved by introducing nonlinearity in the core region of a thin-film waveguide, which acts as the basic structure of the devices.