We consider the problem of realizing several common communication structures in the all-optical Partitioned Optical Passive Stars (POPS) topology. We show that, often, the obvious or "natural" method of implementing a communication pattern in the POPS does not efficiently utilize its communication capabilities. We present techniques which distribute the communication load uniformly in the POPS for four of the most common communication patterns (all-to-all personalized, global reduction operations, ring, and torus). We prove that these techniques provide optimal performance in the sense that they minimize the time required to deliver the messages from each node to its neighbors.

Modern computer buses are typically organized by the three functions of data transfer, addressing, and arbitration/control. In this paper we present a fiber-based bus design which provides optical solutions for each of these functions. The design includes an all-optical addressing system, based on coincident pulse addressing, which eliminates the latency contribution and bandwidth limitation associated with electronic address decoding. The control system uses time-of-flight relationships between a priority chain and a feedback waveguide to implement fully distributed asynchronous and self-timed bus arbitration.>