Channel processing unit for WDM network
First Claim
1. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising:
- at least one first optical port;
a plurality of second optical ports;
a first array of mirrors disposed on a common support surface;
the first array of mirrors being optically interposed between the at least one first port and the plurality of second optical ports for redirecting optical signals transmitted therebetween;
a first spectral processing device disposed between said at least one first port and said second ports, operative for one of;
a) combining at least two signals of different channels into a single multichannel signal, and b) separating a single multichannel signal into at least two signals of different channels;
said first array being operative for receiving and redirecting at least a first signal of a first channel and a second signal of a second channel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel optical channel processing unit is disclosed that is useful for multiplexing, demultiplexing, switching and otherwise processing optical signals in a WDM network. In one embodiment, the optical channel processing unit is implemented as an optical switch (700) for interfacing any of various multichannel input ports (702) with any of various multichannel output ports (704). The illustrated switch (700) includes a two-dimensional array of input ports (702) and a two-dimensional array of output ports (704). An input signal (705) is transmitted via a spectral device (706) to an input movable mirror array (708). A signal transmitted by an output port (704) is transmitted via a spectral device (712) to mirrors (714) of an output mirror movable mirror array (716). Each mirror of each array (708 and 716) is movable to target any selected mirror of the opposing array (708 or 716). The arrays (708 and 716) thereby support full multichannel switching functionality for more than two channels. The optical channel processing unit may also allow for adding, dropping and processing single or multiple channel signals.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising:
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at least one first optical port;
a plurality of second optical ports;
a first array of mirrors disposed on a common support surface;
the first array of mirrors being optically interposed between the at least one first port and the plurality of second optical ports for redirecting optical signals transmitted therebetween;
a first spectral processing device disposed between said at least one first port and said second ports, operative for one of;
a) combining at least two signals of different channels into a single multichannel signal, and b) separating a single multichannel signal into at least two signals of different channels;
said first array being operative for receiving and redirecting at least a first signal of a first channel and a second signal of a second channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising:
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at least one first port;
a plurality of second ports;
a first spectral processing device for implementing a channel management operation relative to a multichannel signal having N channels, said channel management operation comprising one of;
a) combining at least two signals of different channels into a single multichannel signal, and b) separating a single multichannel signal into at least two signals of different channels; and
a signal redirecting system optically interposed between said spectral processing device and said plurality of second ports for redirecting signals transmitted therebetween, wherein said signal redirecting system includes a number of mirror arrays, M, each said mirror array comprising a number of mirrors mounted on a common support structure, where each of M and N are integers and N is greater than M. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising:
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at least one first port for transmitting an input signal having multiple channel components into a free space interface;
a plurality of second ports for receiving output signals from said free space interface;
a spectral processing device disposed in said free space interface between said at least one first port and said plurality of second ports for receiving said input signal and separating said input signal into at least two channel components; and
a signal redirecting system optically interposed between said at least one first port and said second ports for redirecting signals transmitted therebetween, said signal redirecting system including a first array of movable mirrors disposed on a common support surface, wherein said first array is operative to redirect at least a first signal component of a first channel and a second signal component of a second channel. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths comprising:
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an array of first ports for transmitting multiple input signals into a free space interface, each of said input signals having at least one channel component;
at least one second port for receiving at least one output signal from said free space interface;
a spectral processing device disposed in said free space signal processing interface between said at least one second port and said array of first ports for receiving said input signals and combining at least two of said input signals into a multichannel output signal; and
a signal redirecting system optically interposed between said at least one second port and said first ports for redirecting signals transmitted therebetween, said signal redirecting system including a first array of movable mirrors disposed on a common support surface, wherein said first array is operative to redirect at least a first signal component of a first channel and a second signal component of a second channel. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An optical apparatus for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising:
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a first array of optical ports;
a second array of optical ports;
a first array of mirrors;
a second array of mirrors;
first and second spectral processing devices operative for both of;
a) combining at least two signals of different channels into a single multichannel signal, and b) separating a single multichannel signal into at least two signals of different channels;
said first spectral processing device being disposed between said first array of ports and said first array of mirrors;
said second spectral processing device being disposed between said second array of mirrors and said second array of ports;
wherein said optical apparatus is configurable such that at least one of the first and second mirror arrays is operative for receiving and redirecting at least a first signal of a first channel and a second signal of a second channel. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method for use in a communications network that utilizes multiple channels associated with multiple wavelengths, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first array of movable mirrors disposed on a common support surface where each of said mirrors is operative for redirecting optical signals transmitted between an input port and an output port;
providing a channel processor between said input port and output ports wherein said channel processor directs optical signals on a wavelength dependent basis;
operating a first one of said mirrors to redirect a first signal having a first channel composition; and
operating a second one of said mirrors to redirect a signal having a second channel composition. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification