IP Library Granted Patent US 11,140,465
Granted Patent B2
US 11,140,465 · App. 17/079,948 · Granted Oct 5, 2021

Optical networking with hybrid optical vortices

Inventors: Timothy Innes (Atlanta, GA); Oliver Elliott (Atlanta, GA); Samuel Scruggs (Suwanee, GA)
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
H04Q11/0066H04B10/25H04B10/70H04Q2011/009H04Q2011/0086
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,140,465
App. No.
17/079,948
Granted
Oct 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Concepts and technologies directed to optical networking with hybrid optical vortices are disclosed herein. Embodiments can include a system that is configured to perform operations for optical networking with hybrid optical vortices. The system can include a hybrid optical switch that can communicatively couple with another network device via one or more nanofiber communication paths. The operations can include receiving, from a first nanofiber communication path, a hybrid optical vortex that carries an internet protocol packet. The operations also can include decoupling the hybrid optical vortex to extract an optical vortex that encapsulates the internet protocol packet. The operations also can include switching the internet protocol packet to a subsequent communication path based on the optical vortex that encapsulates the internet protocol packet.

Claims (40)

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising

receiving a data packet,

determining that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet,

determining a topological charge value corresponding to the data packet,

creating an optical vortex having a topological charge with the topological charge value, wherein the optical vortex encapsulates the data packet via the topological charge,

coupling the optical vortex to a single electron to create a hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet, and

releasing the hybrid optical vortex onto the nanofiber communication path.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet is based on at least one of a package size of the data packet or a latency priority indicator associated with the data packet.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet is based on a binary string generated based on the data packet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein creating the optical vortex having the topological charge with the topological charge value comprises configuring an optical vortex modulator so as to impart the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet to a photon.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein coupling the optical vortex to a single electron comprises directing the optical vortex to an electron coupler comprising a topological insulator material having a topologically protected surface comprising the single electron such that the photon of the optical vortex is coupled with the single electron to create the hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein coupling the optical vortex to a single electron comprises directing the optical vortex to an electron coupler comprising a topological insulator material having a topologically protected surface comprising the single electron.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber communication path comprises a plurality of nanofiber optical threads, and wherein each of the plurality of nanofiber optical threads comprises a topological insulator material.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a data packet;

determining, by the system, that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet;

determining, by the system, a topological charge value corresponding to the data packet;

creating, by the system, an optical vortex having a topological charge with the topological charge value, wherein the optical vortex encapsulates the data packet via the topological charge;

coupling, by the system, the optical vortex to a single electron to create a hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet; and

releasing, by the system, the hybrid optical vortex onto the nanofiber communication path.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet is based on at least one of a package size of the data packet or a latency priority indicator associated with the data packet.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet is based on a binary string generated based on the data packet.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein creating the optical vortex having the topological charge with the topological charge value comprises configuring an optical vortex modulator so as to impart the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet to a photon.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein coupling the optical vortex to a single electron comprises directing the optical vortex to an electron coupler comprising a topological insulator material having a topologically protected surface comprising the single electron such that the photon of the optical vortex is coupled with the single electron to create the hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein coupling the optical vortex to a single electron comprises directing the optical vortex to an electron coupler comprising a topological insulator material having a topologically protected surface comprising the single electron.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nanofiber communication path comprises a plurality of nanofiber optical threads, and wherein each of the plurality of nanofiber optical threads comprises a topological insulator material.

15. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a data packet;

determining that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet;

determining a topological charge value corresponding to the data packet;

creating an optical vortex having a topological charge with the topological charge value, wherein the optical vortex encapsulates the data packet via the topological charge;

coupling the optical vortex to a single electron to create a hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet; and

releasing the hybrid optical vortex onto the nanofiber communication path.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining that a nanofiber communication path should be used to route the data packet is based on at least one of a package size of the data packet or a latency priority indicator associated with the data packet.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet is based on a binary string generated based on the data packet.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein creating the optical vortex having the topological charge with the topological charge value comprises configuring an optical vortex modulator so as to impart the topological charge value corresponding to the data packet to a photon.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18 , wherein coupling the optical vortex to a single electron comprises directing the optical vortex to an electron coupler comprising a topological insulator material having a topologically protected surface comprising the single electron such that the photon of the optical vortex is coupled with the single electron to create the hybrid optical vortex carrying an instance of the data packet.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the nanofiber communication path comprises a plurality of nanofiber optical threads, and wherein each of the plurality of nanofiber optical threads comprises a topological insulator material.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: INNES, TIMOTHY; ELLIOTT, OLIVER; SCRUGGS, SAMUEL
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 054165/0722 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16707082 · Dec 9, 2019
Continuation 16105110 · Aug 20, 2018
Related Publication 20210058686A1 · Feb 25, 2021