This paper presents a token-based channel access protocol for wavelength division multiplexed optically interconnected multiprocessors. Our empirical study of access protocols based on slotted time division multiplexed data and control channels reveals that such protocols typically suffer from excessive slot synchronization latency due to static slot preallocation. The proposed token-based time division multiple access protocol minimizes latency by allowing dynamic allocation of slots to use

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... nnels efficiently. Simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme can significantly increase the performance of protocols based on preallocation and those based on preallocation-controlled reservation of multiple channels.