Patent ID: 7496295
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An optical-inclusive dense wavelength division multiplexing network, the network comprising: a passive star coupler that serves as a network hub; one or more candidate nodes in optical communication with the passive star coupler, the one or more candidate nodes including a fast tunable transmitter and a slowly tunable receiver for receiving and transmitting optical signals, the one or more candidate nodes implementing an election algorithm to elect a scheduling entity from amongst the one or more candidate nodes; and a master node in optical communication with the passive star coupler and selected from amongst the one or more candidate nodes to serve as the scheduling entity, the master node implementing a scheduling algorithm that schedules the transmission of at least two service classes of data frames allocated between different candidate wavelengths throughout the network based on scheduling constraints imposed by at least one of the service classes for delivery of the data frames, said scheduling algorithm determining a priority for transmission of scheduled data frames from the one or more candidate nodes by 1) calculating for each candidate node a total number of data frames regardless of wavelength to be transmitted and 2) calculating for each candidate wavelength a total number of data frames regardless of node to be transmitted, wherein the node with the highest total number of data frames regardless of wavelength determines node transmission priority and the highest total number of data frames regardless of node determines wavelength transmission priority.