Optical packet header extraction and band conversion in a high-speed, multi-/spl lambda/ network

Summary form only given. In future optical networks, optical packets will be transported in specific wavelength bands within a wavelength routed optical transport network. One scenario is that optical packet traffic will be generated at edge nodes and then routed through core packet switches. Core packet switches will coincide with optical crossconnects but are likely to be fewer in number. Thus a key requirement is that a wavelength band supporting packet traffic can be express routed through an OXC, which has band conversion facilities. This paper proposes the use of DPSK packet headers combined with FWM band conversion to facilitate fast routing through the network, since the method is format and bit-rate (/spl sim/100 Gb/s) transparent.