Networking with free space optical data packets using carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) protocol

We have developed a smart pixel networking scheme for distributing 3D optical data packets among nodes. The system has a large array of parallel channels operating at on-chip clock rates, allowing for a potential throughput of >1 Tb/s between VLSI chips. The use of parallel data packets results in lower latency because each parallel packet spends less time on to serial network node methods. Each implements a modified carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) media access protocol derived from the Ethernet standard and is extended to operate over ring networks that pass spatially parallel packets. To demonstrate this novel networking concept, we created an optoelectronic TRANSPAR which has nodes that communicate using 3D VLSI chip translucent smart pixel optical parallel data packets (OPDPs). An OPDP array (TRANSPAR).