Patent ID: 7529267
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. An optical node comprising: a data interface operable to receive data for transmission to a destination node; a buffer operable to store the data; a transmitting unit operable to couple to an optical transmission medium having a plurality of data channels and to selectively transmit optical signals on the data channels; and a controller operable to receive a first token authorizing transmission on one of the data channels, to generate a transmission control message identifying the destination node and the authorized data channel, to communicate the transmission control message to a next node, to communicate a second token to the next node authorizing secondary transmissions on the authorized data channel, to transmit the data on the authorized data channel using the transmitting unit after communicating the transmission control message, and to communicate the first token to the next node after communicating the second token to the next node.