A hybrid electro-optic switching system

This paper describes the architecture of a hybrid switching system for interconnection of high-performance processors. The switching system consists of two distinct switching planes, one an electronic crossbar and the second an all-optical crossbar. Data can be switched through any one of the planes. The electronic plane provides fast reconfiguration while the optical plane provides slower reconfiguration but higher bandwidth. Control of both planes is through a central electronic controller. Communication through the system can be performed using either message switching or circuit switching. The choice of the protocol can be made to minimize the overall transfer time. © 1989 SPIE.