Patent ID: 7512342

Claim:
A method for transmitting labels in an optical packet network, the method comprising: encoding groups of K payload bits into blocks of N bits by using a code in which each of the groups of K payload bits is represented by a corresponding one of at least two distinct codewords of differing weights to form coded payload packet data, where K and N are integers and K<N; choosing among the at least two distinct codewords according to a value of chip data based, at least partly on label data, to produce composite packet data, wherein the chip data is formed by applying a signature sequence to the label data; and applying the composite packet data to an optical transmitter to produce an optical signal for transmission via the optical packet network, wherein the composite packet data has B blocks per chip, and wherein: each group of B blocks of the composite packet data that represent a 1 chip of the chip data includes a portion of the coded payload data encoded with a constant weight code having a first constant weight of one of W or Nâˆ’W; and each group of the B blocks of the composite packet data that represents a 0 chip of the chip data includes a portion of the coded payload data encoded with a constant weight code having a second constant weight of another of W or Nâˆ’W, where the first constant weight is different from the second constant weight.