WAVELENGTH SELECTIVE SWITCH AND RECONFIGURABLE OPTICAL ADD/DROP MULTIPLEXER

• US 20190327015A1
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xieon Networks S.A.R.L. (Infinera Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xieon Networks S.A.R.L. (Infinera Corp.)
• Inventors: SCHIMPE, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,862,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2793 Controlling polarisation dependent loss, e.g. polarisation insensitivity, reducing the change in polarisation degree of the output light even if the input polarisation state fluctuates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29305 as bulk element, i.e. free space arrangement external to a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2931 Diffractive element operating in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29382 including at least adding or dropping a signal, i.e. passing the majority of signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29395 configurable, e.g. tunable or reconfigurable switching G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• 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: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing

Abstract

A wavelength selective switching device comprises a plurality of input paths for receiving optical signals, a plurality of output paths for emitting the optical signals, and a switching unit for selectively directing the optical signals from the input paths to the output paths. The switching unit comprises a reflective area adapted to be concurrently illuminated by a first optical signal from a first input path among the plurality of input paths, and by a second optical signal from a second input path among the plurality of input paths, the second input path being different from the first input path, and to concurrently direct the first optical signal to a first output path among the plurality of output paths and the second optical signal to a second output path among the plurality of output paths, the second output path being different from the first output path. Said first output path and said second output path are spatially separated by said first input path and said second input path, or vice-versa.

Claims

1. A wavelength selective switching device comprising:

a plurality of input paths for receiving optical signals;

a plurality of output paths for emitting said optical signals; and

a switching unit for selectively directing said optical signals from said input paths to said output paths;

wherein said switching unit comprises a reflective area adapted to be concurrently illuminated by a first optical signal from a first input path among said plurality of input paths, and by a second optical signal from a second input path among said plurality of input paths, said second input path being different from said first input path, and to concurrently direct said first optical signal to a first output path among said plurality of output paths and said second optical signal to a second output path among said plurality of output paths, said second output path being different from said first output path;

wherein said first output path and said second output path are spatially separated by said first input path and said second input path or vice versa.

2. The wavelength selective switching device according to claim 1, wherein said first output path and said second output path sandwich said first input path and said second input path, or vice versa.

3. The wavelength selective switching device according to claim 1, wherein said reflective area comprises a first plurality of director units adapted to direct said first optical signal to said first output path, and further comprises a second plurality of director units adapted to direct said second optical signal to said second output path.

4. The wavelength selective switching device according to claim 3, wherein said second plurality of director units are adapted to direct said first optical signal to a third output path different from said first and second output paths wherein said wavelength selective switching device is adapted to selectively deactivate said third output path.

5. The wavelength selective switching device according to claim 3, wherein said first director units and said second director units are spatially interleaved on said reflective area.

6. A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer device, comprising a wavelength selective switching device, said wavelength utilizing device comprising:

a plurality of input paths for receiving optical signals;

a plurality of output paths for emitting said optical signals; and

a switching unit for selectively directing said optical signals from said input paths to said output paths;

wherein said switching unit comprises a reflective area adapted to be concurrently illuminated by a firm optical signal from a first input path among said plurality of input paths, and by a second optical signal from a second input path anions said plurality of input paths, said second input path being different From said first input path, and to concurrently direct said first optical signal to a first output path among said plurality of output paths and said second optical signal to a second output path among said plurality of output paths, said second output path being different from said first output path;

wherein said first output path and said second output path are spatially separated by said first input path and said second input path, or vice versa.

7. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer device according to claim 6, wherein said first input path and said second input path correspond to add ports, or wherein said first output path and said second output path correspond to drop ports.

8. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer device according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of wavelength selective switching devices wherein a first wavelength selective switching device among said plurality of wavelength selective switching devices comprises a first input path corresponding to an add port and a second input path optically coupled to a transmission path and a first output path optically coupled to an input path of a second wavelength selective switching device among said plurality of wavelength selective switching devices.

9. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer device according to claim 8, wherein said second wavelength selective switching device comprises an output path corresponding to a drop port.

10. The reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer device according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of wavelength selective switching devices wherein a first wavelength selective switching device (90₁, 90₃) among said plurality of wavelength selective switching devices comprises a first input path optically coupled to a first transmission path and a second input path optically coupled to a second transmission path and a first output path optically coupled to an input path of a second wavelength selective switching device among said plurality of wavelength selective switching devices.

11. A method for wavelength selective switching, comprising:

receiving a first optical signal at a first input path and a second optical signal at a second input path different from said first input path,

illuminating a reflective area concurrently both with said first optical signal and said second optical signal; and

controlling said reflective area to concurrently direct said first optical signal from said reflective area to a first output path and said second optical signal from said reflective area to a second output path different from said first output path;

wherein said first output path and said second output path are spatially separated by said first input path and said second input path or vice versa.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first output path and said second output path sandwich said first input path said second input path, or vice versa.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first optical signal is added at said first input path and said second optical signal is added at said second input path.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first optical signal is added at said first input path and said second optical signal is received at said second input path from a first optical transmission path, and in particular said method further comprises a step of transmitting said first optical signal and/or said second optical signal in a second optical transmission path.

15. A computer program comprising computer-readable instructions, wherein said instructions, when read on a computer to implement a method comprising:

receiving a first optical signal at a first input path and a second optical signal at a second input path different from said first input path;

illuminating a reflective area concurrently both with said first optical signal and said second optical signal; and

controlling said reflective area to concurrently direct said first optical signal from said reflective area to a first output path and said second optical signal from staid reflective area to a second output path different from said first output path;

wherein said first output path and said second output path are spatially separated by said first input path and said second input path;

or vice versa.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said first output path and said second output path sandwich said first input path and said second input path, or vice versa.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said first optical signal is added at said first input path and said second optical signal is added at said second input path.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said first optical signal is added at said first input path and said second optical signal is received at said second input path from a first optical transmission path, and in particular said method further comprises a step of transmitting said first optical signal and/or said second optical signal in a second optical transmission path.