Optical distribution channel: an almost-all optical LAN based on the field-coding technique

Providing a single user with a very high (gigabit per second) bandwidth is a challenge that the research community is trying to address these days. The paper describes a design of an `almost-all´ optical local-area network that is capable of providing Gbps directly to the user. The network design is based on the 802.6 topology, the `field coding´ technique (in which the header and the data fields are encoded in different rates), and the principle of `almost all´ optical switching. Several of the design considerations were: cost, integration, and flexibility. By providing all of these attributes, the optical distribution channel may be an example of future high-speed local area networks, in line with the FDDI-follow on effort