Patent ID: 7012895

Claim:
A network for routing a plurality of data segments therethrough, each of the data segments containing an address information, the network comprising: a first, second, and third switch element each comprising a respective first, second and third external input for routing data segments into the network and a respective first, second and third external output for routing data segments out of the network; a first bi-directional coupling between said first and second switch elements, a second bi-directional coupling between said first and third switch elements, and a third bi-directional coupling between said second and third switch elements; a first controller for interrogating the address information of each of the data segments inbound into said first switch element, any of said inbound data segments received by said first switch element to be directed out along a selected exit pathway; whereby said exit pathway for said any inbound data segment so received is selected according to the address information of said any inbound data segment, and if a contention exists for said exit pathway, further according to a priority designator of said any inbound data segment; said exit pathway to be selected from the group consisting of: if said first switch element is an outbound destination for said any inbound data segment, said first external output; and one of said bi-directional couplings in communication with said first switch element; said external input is in direct communication with a first input-port processor; said external output is in direct communication with a first output-port processor; each said bi-directional coupling comprises an optical fiber link; and any of the data segments that arrive at said first input-port processor, do so as optical signals; said first switch element comprises a photonic wavelength converter having at least one node to correspond with each of said external first input and said external first output, and at least two nodes to correspond with each of said bi-directional couplings in communication with said first switch element; said node corresponding with said first external input is in direct communication with a respective optical wavelength demultiplexor; and said node corresponding with said first external output is in direct communication with a respective optical wavelength multiplexor.