Optimizing unslotted deflection routing

Slotted optical time division multiplexing deflection networks make use of the synchronous arrival of the packets to the routers in order to optimize locally the number of deflections. We propose a system and an algorithm for routing that allows one to benefit from such local optimization even in unslotted networks. We show that, in the experimental context considered in this paper, our system enhances unslotted routing almost at the same level as slotted routing. It makes unslotted deflection routing a competitive alternative to slotted deflection routing for OTDM networks