Abstract
Optical bus parallel computing models have gained research interest in recent years. Two types of models have emerged, the fiber-based models are theoretically relatively mature and used for algorithm design whereas free space models are more architecture-oriented but less theoretically mature. This paper proposes a framework model for describing attributes necessary for a viable free space bus architecture. Subsequently, the framework guides the design of a basic free space optical bus architecture that is based on a particular fiber-based model. In this way, the maturity of fiber-based models is combined with the advantages provided by free space optics.