Patent ID: 7260655

Claim:
In a communication system comprising a plurality of line cards coupled to a star switching fabric, a method of routing optical signals, comprising: receiving at a first line card a first optical packet comprising a payload and having a first duration; generating, based on the first packet, an optical output packet comprising the payload and having a second duration shorter than the first duration, the optical output packet having a first wavelength and wherein the optical output packet comprises a substantially continuous spectrum centered at the first wavelength; communicating the optical output packet to a star switching fabric; communicating the optical output packet from the star switching fabric to each of a plurality of filters each associated with a separate output link from the communication system; and communicating a control signal to at least a selected filter associated with a communication path to a destination element, the control signal operable to cause the selected filter to accept the optical output packet and to facilitate communicating at least the payload of the optical output packet toward the destination element, wherein the control signal is centered at the first wavelength.