Communication method for a cluster of network hosts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016134375-A1
Application number	US-201414534840-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

We disclose communication methods using which a cluster of network nodes is interconnected via an optical interconnect and an electrical switch engine. A communication method executed at a master optical transceiver coupled to one side of the optical interconnect enables that transceiver to establish an optical communication link with any one of a plurality of slave optical transceivers coupled to the other side of the optical interconnect. A communication method executed at a slave optical transceiver enables that transceiver to communicate with the master optical transceivers without having its own light source and, instead, modulating data onto previously un-modulated signaling dimensions of the incoming optical waveforms, which are then turned around and broadcast back to the master optical transceivers. Some embodiments enable the slave optical transceivers to establish a temporary fully switchable network for the corresponding network nodes, wherein the switching is performed by electrically switching the electrical switch engine.

First claim

1 . At a first optical transceiver, a communication method comprising:
generating a first optical carrier wave using a laser located at the first optical transceiver; generating a first modulated optical signal by modulating first data to be transmitted to a second optical transceiver onto the first optical carrier wave while leaving unmodulated a selected signaling dimension of the first optical carrier wave in the first modulated optical signal; receiving from the second optical transceiver a second modulated optical signal having the first optical carrier wave, wherein the selected signaling dimension has been modulated with second data at the second optical transceiver; and recovering the second data by optically detecting the second modulated optical signal while using a portion of the first optical carrier wave generated using the laser as a local oscillator signal for said optically detecting.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising tuning the laser located at the first optical transceiver to generate a second optical carrier wave instead of the first optical carrier wave, wherein the second carrier wave has a carrier wavelength that is different from a carrier wavelength of the first carrier wave.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
generating a third modulated optical signal by modulating third data to be transmitted to a third optical transceiver onto the second optical carrier wave while leaving unmodulated a selected signaling dimension of the second optical carrier wave in the third modulated optical signal; receiving from the third optical transceiver a fourth modulated optical signal having the second optical carrier wave, wherein the selected signaling dimension has been modulated with fourth data at the third optical transceiver; and recovering the fourth data by optically detecting the fourth modulated optical signal while using a portion of the second optical carrier wave generated using the laser as a local oscillator signal for said optically detecting the fourth modulated optical signal.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the first modulated optical signal comprises modulating the first data onto a first polarization of the first optical carrier wave while leaving unmodulated a second polarization of the first optical carrier wave of the first modulated optical signal.

5 . The method of claim 4 ,
wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving from the second optical transceiver the second modulated optical signal having the first optical carrier wave, wherein the second polarization has been modulated with the second data at the second optical transceiver; and wherein the step of recovering comprises recovering the second data using the second polarization of the second modulated optical signal.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first polarization of the second modulated optical signal carries a portion of the first optical carrier wave previously modulated with the first data at the first optical transceiver.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the first modulated optical signal comprises modulating the first data onto the first optical carrier wave in a manner that causes:
a first spatial mode in an optical fiber or a fiber-optic cable to carry a portion of the first optical carrier wave modulated with the first data; and a second spatial mode in the optical fiber or the fiber-optic cable to carry an unmodulated portion of the first optical carrier wave.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving from the second optical transceiver, through the optical fiber or the fiber-optic cable, the second modulated optical signal having the first optical carrier wave, wherein:
the second spatial mode is configured to carry a portion of the first optical carrier wave of the second modulated optical signal that has been modulated with the second data at the second optical transceiver; and the first spatial mode is configured to carry a portion of the first optical carrier wave of the second modulated optical signal that has been previously modulated with the first data at the first optical transceiver.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of recovering comprises recovering the second data using the portion of the first optical carrier wave of the second modulated optical signal that has been modulated with the second data at the second optical transceiver.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the first modulated optical signal is part of a preset broadcast sequence, wherein the first optical transceiver is configured to transmit pilot data as the first data when the first optical transceiver has no payload data to transmit to the second optical transceiver.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the preset broadcast sequence is configured to guarantee that the second optical transceiver is to receive an optical transmission within a predetermined finite time interval regardless of whether or not there are payload data to transmit to the second optical transceiver.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a portion of the first data through an electrical input port coupled to an electrical switch engine from an electrical output port of a third optical transceiver coupled to the electrical switch engine.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving another portion of the first data through the electrical input port from an electrical output port of a fourth optical transceiver coupled to the electrical switch engine.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the first, second, and third optical transceivers is coupled to a different respective optical port of an optical interconnect.

15 . The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the step of receiving the second modulated optical signal comprises receiving the second modulated optical signal through the optical interconnect; and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the first modulated optical signal to the second optical transceiver through the optical interconnect.

16 . At a second optical transceiver, a communication method comprising:
receiving from a first optical transceiver a first optical signal modulated with first data in a manner that causes a selected signaling dimension of the first optical signal to be unmodulated with data; optically splitting the first optical signal to generate a first split portion and a second split portion; recovering the first data by optically detecting the first split portion; generating a second optical signal by modulating second data onto the selected signaling dimension of the second split portion; transmitting the second optical signal back to the first optical transceiver; receiving from a third optical transceiver a third optical signal modulated with third data in a manner that causes a selected signaling dimension of the third modulated optical signal to be unmodulated with data; optically splitting the third optical signal to generate a first split portion and a second split portion thereof; recovering the third data by optically detecting the first split portion of the third optical signal; generating a fourth optical signal by modulating fourth data onto the selected signaling dimension of the second split portion of the third optical signal; and transmitting the fourth optical signal back to the third optical transceiver.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the fourth optical signal is also transmitted to t

Assignees

• Alcatel Lucent Usa Inc

Inventors

• Kakande Joseph K

Classifications

• H04B10/503

  Laser transmitters · CPC title

• H04B10/40 Primary

  Transceivers · CPC title

• H04J14/0307

  Multiplexers; Demultiplexers · CPC title

• H04B10/43 Primary

  using a single component as both light source and receiver, e.g. using a photoemitter as a photoreceiver · CPC title