US 6,983,109 B1 | ||
Metropolitan networks based on fiber and free space access distribution method | ||
David M. Britz, Rumson, N.J. (US); Matthew J. Sherman, Succasunna, N.J. (US); and Jeevan P. Dodley, Parsippany, N.J. (US) | ||
Assigned to AT&T Corp., New York, N.Y. (US) | ||
Filed on Oct. 18, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/981,240. | ||
Int. Cl. H04J 14/00 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 398—51 | 7 Claims |
1. A method for facilitating wavelength-specific and packet-switched routing comprising the steps of:
demultiplexing wavelengths propagating on a primary metropolitan fiber ring;
reading a packet header of a packet contained within one of said wavelengths,
said packet header having a destination address;
accessing a look-up table;
determining if said destination address matches a local address contained in said look-up table;
switching said packet based on a result of said determining step;
directing, by a switch controller circuit, said packets to a customer's premises via a distribution node;
electrically detecting optically transported data generated at said customer's premises;
packetizing said data generated at said customer's premises;
reading a packet header contained within said packetized data;
assigning said packetized data to a wavelength in such a manner so as to avoid a “crash” with a wavelength in use by other
system components;
multiplexing other locally generated packets with said packetized data;
remultiplexing said multiplexed packets into an ongoing wavelength channel; and
directing said ongoing wavelength channel downstream to a further primary distribution/aggregation node.
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