Proposal of flexible time-slot assignment algorithm for sub-λ switching network

Current backbone networks using the optical cross-connect switches of λ path have the problem of granularity. To solve this problem, time synchronous optical switch networks have been studied to use as wide-area networks. In this network, all traffic are transmitted by the sub-λ path units of time to split the λ path. It is essential to solve the time-slot assignment problem, which has been studied conventionally for improving network capacity utilization in the time synchronous network. Nevertheless, the solution in precise conditions considering the time-slot structure and the propagation delay has not been addressed in previous work. Therefore, we study time-slot assignment algorithm considering the time-slot structure including transmission method. Under the realistic model that has a continuous propagation delay between two nodes, we evaluated proposed transmission method “flexible time-slot transmission method”. We confirmed by simulation results in the realistic conditions that it is possible to make good use of the network capacity by proposed transmission method.