Optical wavelength switching system with wavelength selective splitters and combiners
First Claim
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1. An optical wavelength switching system, comprising:
- a plurality of optical inputs each capable of receiving optical signals in a plurality of optical wavelength channels;
a plurality of splitters comprising a plurality of first-stage splitters connected to the optical inputs, the first-stage splitters each having a band-pass output to transmit optical signals in a first one of the wavelength channels and a band-reject output to transmit optical signals in at least one remaining wavelength channel;
a plurality of optical outputs each capable of transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals;
a plurality of combiners comprising a plurality of first-stage combiners connected to the optical outputs, the first-stage combiners each having a first input to receive optical signals in the first wavelength channel and a second input to receive optical signals in said at least one remaining wavelength channel; and
at least a first optical switch connected between at least one of the splitters and at least one of the combiners to switch optical signals in at least one of the wavelength channels.
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Abstract
An optical wavelength switching system utilizes wavelength selective splitters and combiners arranged in one or more stages to select one or more wavelengths for optical switching. In an embodiment, the splitters and the combiners comprise tunable optical filters which are capable of being tuned to selected wavelengths for optical switching in a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network.
15 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An optical wavelength switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of optical inputs each capable of receiving optical signals in a plurality of optical wavelength channels;
a plurality of splitters comprising a plurality of first-stage splitters connected to the optical inputs, the first-stage splitters each having a band-pass output to transmit optical signals in a first one of the wavelength channels and a band-reject output to transmit optical signals in at least one remaining wavelength channel;
a plurality of optical outputs each capable of transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals;
a plurality of combiners comprising a plurality of first-stage combiners connected to the optical outputs, the first-stage combiners each having a first input to receive optical signals in the first wavelength channel and a second input to receive optical signals in said at least one remaining wavelength channel; and
at least a first optical switch connected between at least one of the splitters and at least one of the combiners to switch optical signals in at least one of the wavelength channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical wavelength switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of optical inputs each capable of receiving optical signals in a plurality of optical wavelength channels;
a plurality of tunable wavelength channel splitters comprising a plurality of first-stage splitters connected to the optical inputs, the first-stage splitters each having a band-pass output to transmit optical signals in a first one of the wavelength channels and a band-reject output to transmit optical signals in at least one remaining wavelength channel;
a plurality of optical outputs each capable of transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals;
a plurality of tunable wavelength channel combiners comprising a plurality of first-stage combiners connected to the optical outputs, the first-stage combiners each having a first input to receive optical signals in the first wavelength channel and a second input to receive optical signals in said at least one remaining wavelength channel; and
a plurality of optical switches connected between the splitters and the combiners to switch optical signals in at least some of the wavelength channels. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optical wavelength switching system, comprising:
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a plurality of tunable wavelength channel splitters, comprising;
a plurality of first-stage splitters each having an input to receive optical signals in a plurality of optical wavelength channels, a band-pass output to transmit optical signals in a first one of the wavelength channels, and a band-reject output; and
a plurality of second-stage splitters each having an input connected to the band-reject output of a respective one of the first-stage splitters, a band-pass output to transmit optical signals in a second one of the wavelength channels, and a band-reject output;
a plurality of tunable wavelength channel combiners, comprising;
a plurality of first-stage combiners each having a first input to receive optical signals in the first wavelength channel, a second input, and an output to transmit wavelength-multiplexed optical signals; and
a plurality of second-stage combiners each having a first input to receive optical signals in the second wavelength channel, a second input, and an output connected to the second input of a respective one of the first-stage combiners;
a first optical switch connected between the first-stage splitters and the first-stage combiners to switch optical signals in the first wavelength channel; and
a second optical switch connected between the second-stage splitters and the second-stage combiners to switch optical signals in the second wavelength channel. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification