OPTICAL SIGNAL DROPPER AND OPTICAL SIGNAL ADDER FOR USE IN A ROADM SYSTEM

• US 20140023373A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: TOSAKI, Akihiro
• Application Number:
  US13/917,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140023373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0204 Broadcast and select arrangements, e.g. with an optical splitter at the input before adding or dropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02122 Colourless, directionless or contentionless [CDC] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0295 Shared protection at the optical channel (1:1, n:m)

Abstract

A plurality of output units 31, each having first output ports and second output ports, output received input wavelength-specific optical signals from the output ports. Switchers 32 output the wavelength-specific optical signals output from the first output ports of the output units 31 to respective different optical paths. Output units 31 correspond respectively to a plurality of routes for transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals. Each of output units 31 receives a wavelength-specific optical signal included in the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal transmitted through a corresponding route and wavelength-specific optical signals output from the second output ports of other output units, as the input wavelength-specific optical signals, and output each of the wavelength-specific optical signals from either the first output ports or the second output ports depending on the wavelength of the wavelength-specific optical signal.

Claims

1. An optical signal dropper comprising:

a plurality of drop wavelength selection/input units, each having a first output port and a second output port, for outputting received input wavelength-specific optical signals from the output ports; and

a drop output unit for outputting wavelength-specific optical signals output from the first output ports of the drop wavelength selection/input units, to respective different optical paths;

wherein said drop wavelength selection/input units correspond respectively to a plurality of routes for transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals, and each of said drop wavelength selection/input units receives a wavelength-specific optical signal included in the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal transmitted through a corresponding route and wavelength-specific optical signals output from the second output ports of other drop wavelength selection/input units, as the input wavelength-specific optical signals, and outputs each of the wavelength-specific optical signals from either said first output port or said second output port depending on the wavelength of the wavelength-specific optical signal.

2. The optical signal dropper according to claim 1, wherein each of said drop wavelength selection/input units comprises:

a first wavelength selection switch for selecting a wavelength-specific optical signal having a particular wavelength from the input wavelength-specific optical signals and outputting the selected wavelength-specific optical signal; and

a second wavelength selection switch for outputting the wavelength-specific optical signal output from said first wavelength selection switch to either said first output port or said second output port depending on the wavelength of the wavelength-specific optical signal.

3. The optical signal dropper according to claim 2, wherein each of said drop wavelength selection/input units further comprises:

an optical amplifier for amplifying the wavelength-specific optical signal output from said first wavelength selection switch and outputting the amplified wavelength-specific optical signal to said second wavelength selection switch.

4. The optical signal dropper according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of drop output units as said drop output unit;

wherein each of said drop wavelength selection/input units has a plurality of first output ports as said first output port, said first output ports being connected respectively to said drop output units.

5. An optical signal adder comprising:

a plurality of add wavelength selection/output units which correspond respectively to a plurality of routes for transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals, each of said add wavelength selection/output units having a third output port connected to a corresponding one of the routes and a fourth output port, wherein each of said add wavelength selection/output units outputs received input wavelength-specific optical signals from the output ports; and

an add input unit for receiving wavelength-specific optical signals from a plurality of optical paths and outputting the received wavelength-specific optical signals respectively to said add wavelength selection/output units;

wherein each of said add wavelength selection/output units receives the wavelength-specific optical signals output from said add input unit and the wavelength-specific optical signals output from the fourth output ports of other add wavelength selection/output units, as the input wavelength-specific optical signals, and output each of the wavelength-specific optical signals from either said third output port or said fourth output port depending on the wavelength of the wavelength-specific optical signal.

6. The optical signal adder according to claim 5, wherein each of said add wavelength selection/output units comprises:

a third wavelength selection switch for selecting a wavelength-specific optical signal having a particular wavelength from the wavelength-specific optical signals and outputting the selected wavelength-specific optical signal; and

a fourth wavelength selection switch for outputting the wavelength-specific optical signal output from said third wavelength selection switch to either said third output port or said fourth output port depending on the wavelength of the wavelength-specific optical signal.

7. The optical signal adder according to claim 6, wherein each of said add wavelength selection/output units further comprises:

an optical amplifier for amplifying the wavelength-specific optical signal output from said third wavelength selection switch and outputting the amplified wavelength-specific optical signal to said fourth wavelength selection switch.

8. The optical signal adder according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of add output units as said add output unit;

wherein each of said add wavelength selection/input units has a plurality of input ports, said input ports being connected respectively to said add output units.