Patent · US Expired

Distributive communications network

US5559625A · kind A · utility

70Cited by
4References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 21, 1995
Grant dateSep 24, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 21, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2011/0083
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A distributive communications network includes groups of nodes at different levels. Each set of nodes at one level is connected to an associated node in the level above for transmission and reception of traffic. Traffic is assigned to one of a number of bands of wavelengths according to whether it is local or wider area traffic. At the first level of node local area traffic in the corresponding band of wavelengths is looped back and retransmitted to all of the terminals that are connected to that node. At each level of node, traffic is either passed on to a higher level, or looped back according to the band of wavelengths to which it is assigned. Thus, the wavelength band determines the node level at which the traffic is looped back, and the breadth of terminals ultimately exposed to this traffic. It is possible to re-use bands of wavelengths for communicating between terminals.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.