Splitterless optical broadcast switch
First Claim
1. A splitterless optical broadcast switch for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals, said splitterless optical broadcast switch comprising:
- an optical source operable to generate a plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals;
a first stage routing module optically coupled to said optical source, said first stage routing module operable to route said plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals;
a modulating module optically coupled to said first stage routing module, said modulating module operable to receive a plurality of RF input signals and operable to modulate each of said RF input signals received onto any number of said unmodulated optical carrier signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical carrier signals;
a second stage routing module optically coupled to said modulating module, said second stage routing module operable to route said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals complimentary to said first stage routing module; and
an output module operable to receive said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals, wherein each optical output from said optical source is paired to a complimentary optical input of said output module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A splitterless optical broadcast switch (110) for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals. The splitterless optical broadcast switch (110) includes an optical source (112) for generating a plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals. A first stage routing module (114) routes the plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals. A modulating module (116) receives a plurality of RF input signals and modulates each of the RF input signals onto any number of the unmodulated optical carrier signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical carrier signals. A second stage routing module (118) routes the plurality of modulated optical carrier signals complimentary to the first stage routing module (114). An output module (120) receives the plurality of modulated optical carrier signals such that the optical output from the optical source (112) is paired to a complimentary optical input of the output module (120).
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A splitterless optical broadcast switch for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals, said splitterless optical broadcast switch comprising:
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an optical source operable to generate a plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals; a first stage routing module optically coupled to said optical source, said first stage routing module operable to route said plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals; a modulating module optically coupled to said first stage routing module, said modulating module operable to receive a plurality of RF input signals and operable to modulate each of said RF input signals received onto any number of said unmodulated optical carrier signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical carrier signals; a second stage routing module optically coupled to said modulating module, said second stage routing module operable to route said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals complimentary to said first stage routing module; and an output module operable to receive said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals, wherein each optical output from said optical source is paired to a complimentary optical input of said output module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A splitterless optical broadcast switch for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals, said splitterless optical broadcast switch comprising:
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a plurality of lasers, each of said lasers operable to generate an unmodulated optical carrier signal; a first stage routing module optically coupled to said plurality of lasers, said first stage routing module operable to route each unmodulated optical carrier signal generated by said plurality of lasers; a plurality of modulators, each of said modulators optically coupled to said first stage routing module and coupled to an RF input, each of said modulators operable to modulate each unmodulated optical carrier signal routed to it by said first stage routing module with an RF input signal to generate a plurality of modulated optical carrier signals; a second stage routing module optically coupled to said plurality of modulators, said second stage routing module operable to route each of said modulated optical carrier signals generated by said plurality of modulators; and a plurality of photodetectors, each of said photodetectors optically coupled to said second stage routing module, each of said photodetectors operable to receive a modulated optical carrier signal routed to it from said second stage routing module, wherein each of said photodetectors is paired with one of said lasers to receive said optical carrier signal from said laser. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A splitterless optical broadcast switch for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals, said splitterless optical broadcast switch comprising:
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optical means for generating a plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals; first stage routing means for routing said plurality of unmodulated optical carrier signals; modulating means for receiving a plurality of RF input signals and for modulating each of said RF input signals with any number of said unmodulated optical carrier signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical carrier signals; second stage routing means for routing said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals complimentary to said first stage routing means; and output means for receiving said plurality of modulated optical carrier signals, wherein said output means is paired with said optical means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A splitterless optical broadcast switch for routing a plurality of optical carrier signals, said splitterless optical broadcast switch comprising:
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a plurality of lasers, each of said lasers paired with a photodetector, each of said photodetectors operable to receive an optical carrier signal generated by said laser paired with said photodetector; a plurality of modulators, each of said modulators operable to simultaneously modulate multiple optical carrier signals with an RF input signal; a first stage routing module operable to route each of said optical carrier signals generated by said plurality of lasers to any of said plurality of modulators; and a second stage routing module operable to route each of said optical carrier signals modulated by said plurality of modulators. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for routing an optical carrier signal in a splitterless optical broadcast switch, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating a first optical carrier signal; routing said first optical carrier signal from a first input in a first stage routing module to any of a plurality of optical modulators; modulating said first optical carrier signal with an RF input signal using one of said optical modulators; and routing said first optical carrier signal modulated with said RF input signal in a second stage routing module to a first output complimentary to said first input of said first stage routing module. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification