WDM network with control wavelength
US5864414A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0092
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A wavelength division multiplex communication system comprises a head station (2) and a plurality of terminal stations (1) interconnected by an optical fibre cable (3). The head station (2) transmits continuous wave modulated wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1 -.lambda..sub.k), and a signalling wavelength (.lambda..sub.0) which is used to indicate, in each time slot, which wavelengths in the following time slot are available for transmission. Each terminal station (1) is arranged to receive the signalling wavelength, to determine therefrom whether the next time slot contains any data packets for that terminal station and, if so, to receive the packets. The terminal station (1) is arranged, if it has a data packet to transmit, to determine from the signalling wavelength whether the next time slot already contains data packets for the destination station and, if so, to avoid data collision by not transmitting its own data packet. The terminal station (1) then determines a free wavelength (.lambda..sub.q) from the signalling wavelength (.lambda..sub.0), modulates the free wavelength with the data packet it is to transmit, and modifies the signalling wavelength.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.