Patent · US Active

Optically switched communication network

US8401385B2 · kind B2 · utility

24Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2009
Grant dateMar 19, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2011/0073
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A large communication network suitable for nationwide or worldwide utilization. The present invention overthrows the conventional packet switching technologies with an all-optical network. The invention uses tunable laser sources to generate large number of highly stable narrow-band optical signals, each serving as a communication channel. With packet processing replaced by all-optical channels, the network become highly secure and scalable while harnessing the virtually unlimited capacity of fiber-optic. A large number of nodes (called area code nodes) are connected with all-fiber-optic links with all-optical switches. A routing algorithm provides one or more communication links from each area code node to every other area code node so that information never has to change carrier wavelength as it travels the network. Each area code node contains circuits that are provided to connect individual users to the network.

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