SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING NETWORK ROUTER EFFICIENCY AND ALLEVIATING NETWORK BOTTLENECKS AND OVERLOADS

摘要

The present invention optically marks and detects packet headers, translating at most only the headers (24) to electronics for making packet switching decisions, and keeps the rest of the packets in optical delay lines (23), so that optical switches (29) can execute the packet switching decisions (28) at fast bit rates. This solution has very high scalability and becomes even more efficient when physical addresses are used. Another optimisation described in this invention is improving routing efficiency and bandwidth utilization by grouping together identical data packets from the same source going to the same general area with a multiple list of targets connected to each copy of the data and sent together to the general target area. These grouped packets are then preferably broken down into smaller groups by the routers in the general target area and finally broken down to individual data packets for delivering to the final actual destinations.