STWnet: a high bandwidth space-time-wavelength multiplexed optical switching network

We propose STWnet, a self-routing high bandwidth optical network architecture for interconnecting users, grouped together as g groups with w users per group. STWnet uses the three dimensions of space, time, and wavelength by combining the advantages of space and temporal switching with the benefits of wavelength parallel data transmissions. Technologically difficult switching of individual wavelengths is avoided by prearranging transmissions in a way that they can be switched in a wavelength insensitive manner. Wavelengths are reused within the network thus allowing for a larger switching fabric. The proposed architecture can be internally expanded either in the spatial or temporal dimension to allow for multiple packets to be delivered to the same destination group. The expansion factor is determined based on the group knockout principle and given typical traffic patterns is a small number. STWnet allows easy group to group multicasting and broadcasting while system-wide multicasts and broadcasts can be achieved through repetitive group-to-group transmissions. The network uses readily available components such as opto-electronic directional couplers, fixed wavelength transmitters, and diffraction based parallel receivers while avoiding the use of relatively slow and expensive tunable components.