Multiple-access optical network architecture employing a wavelength-and-network-division technique: MANDALA

A novel multiple-access optical network architecture is presented that employs not only the WDM technique but also division of networks. The subnetworks are connected to each other via a wavelength-dependent interconnection network, and pairs of subnetworks are optically linked with different combinations for each wavelength. Through an analysis of the throughput and delay for the slotted ALOHA protocol, the architecture is confirmed to be improved from the conventional one that employs only the WDM technique. For example, the improvement ratio of the throughput for a four-wavelength network is 2.4, and that for an eight-wavelength network is 4.4.<<ETX>>