Patent ID: 8073327

Claim:
A system for improving the performance of optical routers on the Internet, cellular networks or other networks, wherein packets with headers are used, comprising: a) a system comprising means for fast packet switching by dealing only with the headers, without conversion of the packets themselves to electronics and back, and means for compensating for the margin of error that occurs when the response time of the router is too slow for the bit rate, and wherein said compensation is done by means for: optically duplicating a bit stream and using one copy of the bit stream to route the even packets, so that the odd packets are used as a slack area, and another copy of the bit stream to route the odd packets, so that the even packets are used as a slack area, and means for providing a long mark at the beginning of the packet which is sufficiently larger than the margin of error, said means placing a target IP address at a constant bit distance from the beginning of the packet, and making sure the size of this mark remains long enough for the next router; b) a hierarchical system that uses geographical IP addresses and bandwidth, in which routers that are higher on the hierarchy have sufficient direct links therebetween, such that the routers can reach peer routers without having to go through lower level routers; and c) a system for grouping together at least one of identical and non-identical packets going to the same general area or direction, wherein the system is adapted such that packets that are identical are grouped together and are also condensed into a single packet with a list of multiple target addresses.