Optical switching in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) fiber access nodes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical switching system, comprising:
- a plurality of input optical channels capable of receiving optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of output optical channels capable of transmitting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the output optical channels;
a plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix.
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Abstract
An optical switching system which includes an optical switch matrix for communications between internet protocol (IP) routers in a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical network allows available wavelengths to be dynamically assigned to the IP routers for inbound or outbound traffic, with partial or full wavelength translation.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of input optical channels capable of receiving optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of output optical channels capable of transmitting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the output optical channels;
a plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of input optical channels capable of receiving optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of output optical channels capable of transmitting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the output optical channels;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the outbound receive-transmit laser modules, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of internet protocol (IP) routers each having an input port and an output port;
a plurality of input optical channels each connected to the output port of a respective one of the IP routers;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers each connected to the input port of a respective one of the IP routers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the inbound wideband receivers;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the receive-transmit laser modules, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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27. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a first plurality of optical channels capable of transporting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of ports;
a first plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the first plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the first plurality of optical channels respectively through the inbound wideband receivers;
a second plurality of optical channels capable of transporting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators;
a second plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the second plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the second plurality of optical channels respectively through the fixed wavelength laser modulators; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and a plurality of single-wavelength ports, the single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of optical channels.
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39. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a first plurality of optical channels capable of transporting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of ports;
a first plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the first plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the first plurality of optical channels respectively through the inbound wideband receivers;
a second plurality of optical channels capable of transporting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules;
a second plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the second plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the second plurality of optical channels respectively through the receive-transmit laser modules; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and a plurality of single-wavelength ports, the single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of optical channels.
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47. An optical switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of internet protocol (IP) routers;
a first plurality of optical channels connected to the IP routers to transport wideband optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of ports;
a first plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the first plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the first plurality of optical channels respectively through the inbound wideband receivers;
a second plurality of optical channels capable of transporting single-wavelength optical signals;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules;
a second plurality of optical switches capable of connecting the second plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to the second plurality of optical channels respectively through the receive-transmit laser modules; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and a plurality of single-wavelength ports, the single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of optical channels.
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54. An optical network, comprising:
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first and second optical switching nodes in communication with each other, each of the optical switching nodes comprising;
a plurality of input optical channels capable of receiving optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of output optical channels capable of transmitting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers disposed along the output optical channels;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the output optical channels;
a plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the fixed wavelength laser modulators, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix, wherein the multiple-wavelength ports of the wavelength multiplexers in the first and second optical switching nodes are connected to each other. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 58, 59)
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57. An optical network, comprising:
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first and second optical switching nodes in communication with each other, each of the optical switching nodes comprising;
a plurality of input optical channels capable of receiving optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of output optical channels capable of transmitting optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers disposed along the output optical channels;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of input ports and first and second pluralities of output ports, the first plurality of input ports connected to the input optical channels, the first plurality of output ports connected to the output optical channels;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules connected to the second plurality of output ports of the optical switch matrix; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and first and second pluralities of single-wavelength ports, the first plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the receive-transmit laser modules, the second plurality of single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of input ports of the optical switch matrix, wherein the multiple-wavelength ports of the wavelength multiplexers in the first and second optical switching nodes are connected to each other.
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60. An optical network, comprising:
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first and second optical switching nodes in communication with each other, each of the first and second optical switching nodes comprising;
a first plurality of optical channels capable of transporting wideband optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of ports;
a first plurality of optical switches capable of connecting a respective one of the first plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to a respective one of the first plurality of optical channels either directly or through a respective one of the inbound wideband receivers;
a second plurality of optical channels capable of transporting single-wavelength optical signals;
a plurality of fixed wavelength laser modulators;
a second plurality of optical switches capable of connecting a respective one of the second plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to a respective one of the second plurality of optical channels either directly or through a respective one of the fixed wavelength laser modulators; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and a plurality of single-wavelength ports, the single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of optical channels, wherein the multiple-wavelength ports of the wavelength multiplexers in the first and second optical switching nodes are connected to each other. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
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63. An optical network, comprising:
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first and second optical switching nodes in communication with each other, each of the first and second optical switching nodes comprising;
a first plurality of optical channels capable of transporting wideband optical signals carrying internet traffic;
a plurality of inbound wideband receivers;
an optical switch matrix having first and second pluralities of ports;
a first plurality of optical switches capable of connecting a respective one of the first plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to a respective one of the first plurality of optical channels either directly or through a respective one of the inbound wideband receivers;
a second plurality of optical channels capable of transporting single-wavelength optical signals;
a plurality of receive-transmit laser modules;
a second plurality of optical switches capable of connecting a respective one of the second plurality of ports of the optical switch matrix to a respective one of the second plurality of optical channels either directly or through a respective one of the receive-transmit laser modules; and
a wavelength multiplexer having a multiple-wavelength port and a plurality of single-wavelength ports, the single-wavelength ports connected to the second plurality of optical channels, wherein the multiple-wavelength ports of the wavelength multiplexers in the first and second optical switching nodes are connected to each other. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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Specification