WAVELENGTH PATH MULTIPLEXING/DEMULTIPLEXING APPARATUS AND WAVELENGTH PATH MULTIPLEXING/DEMULTIPLEXING METHOD

• US 20130188950A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sakauchi, Masahiro, Nakamura, Shigeru, Hino, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0208 Interleaved arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0213 Groups of channels or wave bands arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0284 WDM mesh architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0052 Interconnection of switches

Abstract

In order to connect a path and a transponder with low loss, reduce an apparatus cost, reduce an apparatus size, and improve a reliability of an apparatus, a wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus comprises multiplexing/demultiplexing unit having a multiplexing port through which a wavelength multiplexed light is inputted and outputted and a demultiplexing port in which the wavelength multiplexed light is demultiplexed into the lights included in the wavelength multiplexed light based on the wavelength and through which the light is inputted and outputted and first switch unit which have a first port to which the demultiplexing port is connected and a second port and connect the second port to one of the first ports; and the demultiplexing port is connected to the first port of each of the first switch unit and the first port is connected to the demultiplexing port of each of the multiplexing/demultiplexing unit.

Claims

1. A wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus comprising:

a multiplexing/demultiplexing unit that has a multiplexing port through which a wavelength multiplexed light is inputted and outputted, and a demultiplexing port in which said wavelength multiplexed light is demultiplexed into the lights included said wavelength multiplexed light based on the wavelength and through which the light is inputted and outputted; and

a first switch unit that has a first port to which said demultiplexing port is connected and a second port and in which said second port is connected to one of said first ports, wherein

said demultiplexing port is connected to said first port of each of said first switch unit and said first port is connected to said demultiplexing port of each of said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit.

2. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit includes:

a first wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit that has a multiplexing port through which the wavelength multiplexed light is inputted and outputted and a demultiplexing port through which the lights included in said wavelength multiplexed light are inputted and outputted while corresponding to the wavelength; and

a second switch unit that has a third port and a fourth port and in which a connection relationship between said third port and said fourth port can be changed in said second switch unit, wherein

said demultiplexing port is connected to said third port and said fourth port is connected to said first port.

3. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein when the number of said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit is N, the total number of the wavelengths used in said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit is M, and a value of log₂ (M/N) is an integer,

said first switch unit and said second switch unit include a single M×

N optical matrix switch in which N stages of said 2×

2 optical switching element is connected to log₂ (M/N) stages of said 2×

1 optical switching element.

4. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit is AWG (Arrayed Waveguide Grating).

5. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus further includes second wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit and third switch unit that have a fifth port and a sixth port and in which a connection relationship between said fifth port and said sixth port can be changed in said third switch unit,

said first wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit is cyclic AWG of which a wavelength of the light inputted and outputted through said demultiplexing port shows a periodicity,

said second wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit is disposed between said second port and said fifth port,

said second wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing unit transmits/receives the light inputted and outputted through said second port to/from said fifth ports that are different for each wavelength, and

said third switch unit connects one of said fifth ports to one of said sixth ports.

6. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when a maximum value of the number of the wavelengths of the light inputted and outputted through said demultiplexing port is K (K is a positive integer), and a maximum value of the number of the wavelengths of said wavelength multiplexed light is M (M is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and a multiple of K), the number m of the ports of said cyclic AWG is represented by a formula m=(M/K)+1.

7. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of said second wavelength-multiplexing/demultiplexing units are connected to said fifth port.

8. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising optical coupler unit that divides a light into a plurality of lights,

wherein a branch port of said optical coupler unit is connected to said multiplexing port of said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit.

9. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a control unit for controlling said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit and said first switch unit, wherein

said control unit

specifies said second port to which a wavelength path is set,

specifies the wavelength of the wavelength path that is set between said multiplexing port and said second port, and said multiplexing port including said wavelength path,

specifies said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit connected to said multiplexing port from said specified multiplexing port,

specifies said demultiplexing port which can be connected to said second port via said first switch unit,

sets said multiplexing/demultiplexing unit so that said specified multiplexing port is connected to said specified demultiplexing port, and

performs a switching of said first switch unit so that said specified second port is connected to said first port to which said specified demultiplexing port is connected.

10. An optical reception apparatus in which an optical reception unit for receiving a light signal is connected to said second port of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1.

11. An optical transmission apparatus in which an optical transmission unit for transmitting a light signal is connected to said second port of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. An optical transmission apparatus in which an optical transmission unit for transmitting a light signal is connected to said second port of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said control unit shuts down said optical transmission apparatus during a period for setting said wavelength path.

13. An optical transmission/reception apparatus in which a transponder for transmitting and receiving a light signal is connected to said second port of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 1.

14. An optical transmission/reception apparatus in which an optical transmission/reception unit for transmitting and receiving a light signal is connected to said second port of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said control unit stops transmission of the light signal during a period for setting said wavelength path.

15. A wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing method comprising:

inputting and outputting a wavelength multiplexed light through a multiplexing port, demultiplexing said wavelength multiplexed light into lights included in said wavelength multiplexed light based on the wavelength, and inputting and outputting the light through a demultiplexing port,

connecting a second port to one of first ports to which said demultiplexing port is connected,

connecting said demultiplexing port to said first port that is different for each wavelength, and

connecting said first port to said demultiplexing port that is different for each wavelength.

16. The wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing method according to claim 15, comprising:

specifying said second port to which a wavelength path is set,

specifying the wavelength of the wavelength path that is set between said multiplexing port and said second port, and said multiplexing port including said wavelength path,

specifying multiplexing/demultiplexing means connected to said multiplexing port from said specified multiplexing port,

specifying said demultiplexing port which can be connected to said second port via first switch means,

specifying said demultiplexing port from a relation between the wavelength of said wavelength path and said demultiplexing port,

setting said multiplexing/demultiplexing means so that said specified multiplexing port is connected to said specified demultiplexing port, and

performing a switching of said first switch means so that said specified second port is connected to said first port to which said specified demultiplexing port is connected.

17. A recording medium for recording a control program of a wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus which causes a computer of the wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus comprising multiplexing/demultiplexing means having a multiplexing port through which a wavelength multiplexed light is inputted and outputted, and a demultiplexing port in which said wavelength multiplexed light is demultiplexed into the lights included in said wavelength multiplexed light based on the wavelength and through which the light is inputted and outputted and first switch means which have a first port to which said demultiplexing port is connected and a second port and connect said second port to one of said first ports to perform:

a procedure for specifying said second port to which a wavelength path is set,

a procedure for specifying the wavelength of the wavelength path that is set between said multiplexing port and said second port and said multiplexing port including said wavelength path,

a procedure for specifying said multiplexing/demultiplexing means connected to said multiplexing port from said specified multiplexing port,

a procedure for specifying said demultiplexing port which can be connected to said second port via said first switch means,

a procedure for specifying said demultiplexing port from a relation between the wavelength of said wavelength path and said demultiplexing port,

a procedure for setting said multiplexing/demultiplexing means so that said specified multiplexing port is connected to said specified demultiplexing port, and

a procedure for performing a switching of said first switch means so that said second port is connected to said first port to which said specified demultiplexing port is connected.

18. A wavelength path multiplexing/demultiplexing apparatus comprising:

multiplexing/demultiplexing means having a multiplexing port through which a wavelength multiplexed light is inputted and outputted, and a demultiplexing port in which said wavelength multiplexed light is demultiplexed into the lights included said wavelength multiplexed light based on the wavelength and through which the light is inputted and outputted; and

first switch means which has a first port to which said demultiplexing port is connected and a second port and in which said second port is connected to one of said first ports, wherein

said demultiplexing port is connected to said first port of each of said first switch means and said first port is connected to said demultiplexing port of each of said multiplexing/demultiplexing means.