ABSTRACT

SUMMARY This paper describes the implementation and demonstration of local networks for the hyper-media photonic information network (HM-PIN), a candidate for the information service platform offering broadcast and telecommunication services. In addition, the feasibility of the HM-PIN is also demonstrated using prototype local network systems. This local network adopts architecture based on wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) and broadcast-and-select (B&S) switching, and supports all HM-PIN services except inter-local-network communication. The major issues of this proposed network are the technologies that support many broadcast channels and reduce channel selection cost. This paper also considers the combination of WDM technology and three alternatives: electrical TDM, sübcarrier multiplexing (SCM or electrical FDM), and optical TDM (O-TDM). Three 128 ch (8 wavelengths × 16 channels) WDM B&S prototype systems are built to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed HM-PIN. In WDM/SCM, 30 and 20 Mb/s channels are realized as 16-QAM and 64-QAM, and 155 Mb/s channels are realized by WDM/TDM. Moreover, these three prototypes were connected to form a small HM-PIN and applications such as video distribution and IP datagram cut-through are demonstrated. Furthermore, the delay and throughput of the HM-PIN are evaluated by connecting a local network to a 200-km WDM-ring backbone network. Our discussions and demonstrations confirm the impact and feasibility of the proposed hyper-media photonic information network.