The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 27, 1991
Thomas J Cloonan, Downers Grove, IL (US);
John R Erickson, Grover, MO (US);
Anthony L Lentine, St. Charles, IL (US);
Frederick B McCormick, Jr, Lisle, IL (US);
Gaylord W Richards, Lisle, IL (US);
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A network arrangement and control method where, before any transmission of data occurs for a particular communication, a network controller determines an unused path to provide a connection, advantageously all the way through the network from a given inlet to a given outlet. Once the identity of the unused path is known, the controller determines control information for use in activating that path and transmits that control information into the network, significantly via the network inlets. The network responds by activating the determined path and communication is enabled via the activated path, but only for the single connection and no buffering of information is required within the network. The network is particularly well suited for optical implementation and control is effected without the use of spatial light modulators but rather by means of control elements embedded within the network itself.