System and method for modularly scalable architecture for optical networks
First Claim
1. A node for an optical network, comprising:
- a plurality of in-line switches connected to an optical ring and operable in a first state to both pass an optical signal received from the optical ring to an associated coupler and pass an optical signal received from the associated coupler to the optical ring, the optical signal carrying traffic in a plurality of channels;
a drop coupler coupled to a first in-line switch and operable to receive an optical signal from the in-line switch where the switch is in the first state, pass a first copy of the optical signal back to the in-line switch for passing to the optical ring, and drop a second copy of the optical signal to a distributing element;
the distributing element operable to receive the second copy and pass traffic in one or more channels of the second copy;
a filter operable to reject one or more channels of the first copy to generate a passthrough signal;
a combining element operable to receive traffic in one or more channels to be added to the optical ring and to combine the received traffic to generate an add signal; and
an add coupler coupled to a second in-line switch and operable to receive the passthrough signal from the second in-line switch when the switch is in the first state, add the add signal to the passthrough signal to generate a combined signal, and pass the combined signal to the second in-line switch for passing to the optical ring.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for modularly scalable architecture for optical networks are provided. In one embodiment, a node for an optical network comprises a plurality of in-line switches connected to an optical ring and operable in a first state to both pass an optical signal received from the optical ring to an associated coupler and pass an optical signal received from the associated coupler to the optical ring. The optical signal carries traffic in a plurality of channels. A drop coupler is coupled to a first in-line switch and is operable to receive an optical signal from the in-line switch where the switch is in the first state, pass a first copy of the optical signal back to the in-line switch for passing to the optical ring, and drop a second copy of the optical signal to a distributing element. The distributing element is operable to receive the second copy and pass traffic in one or more channels of the second copy. A filter is operable to reject one or more channels of the first copy to generate a passthrough signal. A combining element is operable to receive traffic in one or more channels to be added to the optical ring and combine the received traffic to generate an add signal. An add coupler is coupled to a second in-line switch and is operable to receive the passthrough signal from the second in-line switch when the switch is in the first state, add the add signal to the passthrough signal to generate a combined signal, and pass the combined signal to the second in-line switch for passing to the optical ring.
102 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A node for an optical network, comprising:
-
a plurality of in-line switches connected to an optical ring and operable in a first state to both pass an optical signal received from the optical ring to an associated coupler and pass an optical signal received from the associated coupler to the optical ring, the optical signal carrying traffic in a plurality of channels;
a drop coupler coupled to a first in-line switch and operable to receive an optical signal from the in-line switch where the switch is in the first state, pass a first copy of the optical signal back to the in-line switch for passing to the optical ring, and drop a second copy of the optical signal to a distributing element;
the distributing element operable to receive the second copy and pass traffic in one or more channels of the second copy;
a filter operable to reject one or more channels of the first copy to generate a passthrough signal;
a combining element operable to receive traffic in one or more channels to be added to the optical ring and to combine the received traffic to generate an add signal; and
an add coupler coupled to a second in-line switch and operable to receive the passthrough signal from the second in-line switch when the switch is in the first state, add the add signal to the passthrough signal to generate a combined signal, and pass the combined signal to the second in-line switch for passing to the optical ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An optical network, comprising:
-
an optical ring; and
a plurality of nodes, each node comprising;
a plurality of in-line switches connected to an optical ring and operable in a first state to both pass an optical signal received from the optical ring to an associated coupler and pass an optical signal received from the associated coupler to the optical ring, the optical signal carrying traffic in a plurality of channels;
a drop coupler coupled to a first in-line switch and operable to receive an optical signal from the in-line switch where the switch is in the first state, pass a first copy of the optical signal back to the in-line switch for passing to the optical ring, and drop a second copy of the optical signal to a distributing element;
the distributing element operable to receive the second copy and pass traffic in one or more channels of the second copy;
a filter operable to reject one or more channels of the first copy to generate a passthrough signal;
a combining element operable to receive traffic in one or more channels to be added to the optical ring and to combine the received traffic to generate an add signal; and
an add coupler coupled to a second in-line switch and operable to receive the passthrough signal from the second in-line switch when the switch is in the first state, add the add signal to the passthrough signal to generate a combined signal, and pass the combined signal to the second in-line switch for passing to the optical ring. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A node for an optical network, comprising:
-
a plurality of in-line switches connected to an optical ring and operable in a first state to both pass an optical signal received from the optical ring to an associated distributing element and pass an optical signal received from the associated distributing element to the optical ring, the optical signal carrying traffic in a plurality of channels;
a distributing element coupled to a first in-line switch in the first state and operable to receive an optical signal from the in-line switch, pass traffic in a first set of one or more channels of the optical signal back to the in-line switch for passing to the optical ring, and pass traffic in a second set of one or more channels to output leads of the distributing element; and
a combining element coupled to a second in-line switch in the first state and operable to receive the traffic in the first set of channels from the second in-line switch and traffic in at least one of the second set of channels from input leads of the combining element, add the traffic in the first and second sets of channels to generate a combined signal, and pass the combined signal to the second in-line switch for passing to the optical ring. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
-
29. A node for an optical network, comprising:
-
a drop coupler coupled to an optical ring and operable to receive an optical signal from the optical ring, pass a first copy of the optical signal through to the optical ring, and drop a second copy of the optical signal to a first wavelength-selective switch;
the first wavelength-selective switch operable to receive the second copy from the drop coupler, pass traffic in at least a first channel or subband of the second copy to a second wavelength-selective switch, and pass traffic in at least a second channel or subband of the second copy to a third wavelength-selective switch, wherein the first and second channels and subbands are different;
the second wavelength-selective switch operable to pass one or more channels of the first subband; and
the third wavelength-selective switch operable to pass one or more channels of the second subband.
-
Specification