×

WDM optical network with passive pass-through at each node

  • US 6,631,018 B1
  • Filed: 08/27/1997
  • Issued: 10/07/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A communications network employing wavelength division multiplexing comprising:

  • a plurality of nodes;

    an optical transmission medium interconnecting said nodes, said transmission medium being capable of carrying a plurality of optical signals at distinct wavelengths organized into bands; and

    an interface at each node for dropping a band associated therewith, adding a band carrying traffic for another node, and passively forwarding other bands;

    wherein said interface includes a filter that passively reflects bands other than band(s) to be dropped at the node, whereby communication can be established directly between a pair of nodes in said network sharing a common band without the active intervention of any intervening node.

View all claims
  • 14 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×