Abstract: An optical network scheduling device (10) including a plurality of schedulers (16) each corresponding to a respective channel in the optical burst switch network and configured to maintain a transmission schedule for the respective channel; and a controller (12) configured to receive a burst transmission request and to select at least one of the schedulers as a selected scheduler schedule a burst transmission.

Abstract: Optical burst switch network system and method with Just-in-Time (JIT) signaling and advanced data transmission and memory access and management. The system and method allow concurrent data transmission having arbitrary signal types, such as analog and digital signal types, in which the JIT signaling allows for subsequent simultaneous transmission of optical signals that do not require electro-optical conversion. The system includes an optical signal bus having a passive star coupler. A plurality of network adapters that are in optical communication with the optical signal bus and in network communication with network terminal devices are provided. The network adapters include receivers, transmitters and control logic that allows for bi-directional movement of data signals as bursts between the terminal equipment and the network system. The transmitter and receiver may be fixed or tunable.