Designing an all-optical packet filtering module for WDM broadcast-and-select star networks

• Published in: Optics and laser technology Vol. 32; no. 5; pp. 317 - 321
• Main Authors: Miliou, A.N, Papadimitriou, G.I, Pomportsis, A.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: All-optical packet filtering module; Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Optical communication systems, multiplexers, and demultiplexers; Optical logic circuits; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Wavelength collisions; WDM broadcast-and-select star networks; WDM broadcast-and-select star networks; Optical logic circuits; All-optical packet filtering module; Wavelength collisions; Wavelength division multiplexing; Logic gate; Optical filter; Optical telecommunication; Tunable filter; Optical circuit
• ISSN: 0030-3992; 1879-2545
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-3992(00)00073-6

An all-optical packet filtering module for WDM broadcast-and-select star networks is introduced. At each time instant, only one packet per wavelength is allowed to pass to the star coupler. Therefore, collisions are avoided and the network performance is improved. The proposed module is based on the use of optical logic circuits for controlling the passing of the transmitted packets to the star coupler, without the need of optical to electronic translation or electronic processing of the network feedback information. In this way, the processing time is drastically reduced, while the need for slowly tunable optical filters is eliminated. Furthermore, due to the all-optical nature of the network hub, the reliability of the system is improved.