Patent ID: 7386202

Claim:
A method of switching in an optical switch, the optical switch comprising a plurality of output ports each associated with a respective wavelength band from among a plurality of wavelength bands, input ports each having a spectral translator for translating an input optical signal to any wavelength band in said plurality of wavelength bands, and a controller connecting to a selected output port associated with a control wavelength band and a selected input port, the method of switching comprising: transmitting from a first output port an output optical signal instructing a first edge node having a first time counter to send a first optical signal containing continuous readings of said first time counter; receiving at a first input port said first optical signal; instructing said first input port to translate said first optical signal during a designated time slot to a translated optical signal within said control wavelength band; receiving said translated optical signal at said controller; comparing at said controller a time indicator determined from said translated optical signal with a reading of a master time counter of said controller; and transmitting from said first output port a signal instructing said first edge node to adjust said first time counter according to said comparing, wherein said time indicator is a reading of said first time counter and said continuous readings comprise successive readings of said first time counter each of said successive readings occupying less than half said designated time slot.