A collisionless multiple access protocol for a wavelength division multiplexed star-coupled configuration: architecture and performance analysis

A collisionless wavelength-division multiple-access (WDMA) protocol for a passive star-coupled photonic network is introduced and shown to possess significant performance and flexibility advantages. A performance modeling technique based on a semi-Markov analytic model, which eliminates many of the unrealistic assumptions of past approaches, is introduced. The performance of the protocol is analyzed using this model and discrete-event simulation. Control channel access arbitration is achieved through time-division multiplexing (TDM), enabling all active nodes to transmit once every control cycle. The long synchronization delays typical of TDM systems are significantly reduced, because the control cycle length is proportional to the control packet size rather than the data packet size. The protocol eliminates packet collision and variable-sized data packets are supported without utilization degradation