Optical wavelength cross connect architectures using wavelength routing elements
First Claim
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1. A method for distributing a plurality of spectral bands comprised by a plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of output optical signals, the method comprising:
- selectively distributing spectral bands from each of the plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of intermediate optical signals, wherein at least one of the intermediate optical signals comprises two or more of the spectral bands;
duplicating the intermediate optical signals; and
selecting spectral bands from combinations of the duplicated optical signals to provide the output optical signals.
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Abstract
An optical wavelength cross connect is provided to receive multiple input optical signals that each have multiple spectral bands and to transmit multiple output optical signals that each have one or more of those spectral bands. The optical wavelength cross connect includes multiple wavelength routing elements, which are optical components that selectively route wavelength components between one optical signal and multiple optical signals in either direction according to a configurable state.
25 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for distributing a plurality of spectral bands comprised by a plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of output optical signals, the method comprising:
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selectively distributing spectral bands from each of the plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of intermediate optical signals, wherein at least one of the intermediate optical signals comprises two or more of the spectral bands; duplicating the intermediate optical signals; and selecting spectral bands from combinations of the duplicated optical signals to provide the output optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for distributing a plurality of spectral bands comprised by a plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of output optical signals, the method comprising:
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selectively distributing spectral bands from each of the plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of intermediate optical signals, wherein selectively distributing spectral bands comprises blocking propagation of certain spectral bands, and wherein at least one of the intermediate optical signals comprises two or more of the spectral bands; and selecting spectral bands from combinations of the intermediate optical signals to provide the output optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for distributing a plurality of spectral bands comprised by a plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of output optical signals, the method comprising:
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producing a first plurality of intermediate optical signals that are equivalent to corresponding input optical signals, wherein at least one of the first plurality of intermediate optical signals comprises two or more of the spectral bands; producing a second plurality of intermediate optical signals by selectively distributing spectral bands from each of the plurality of input optical signals; combining combinations of the second plurality of intermediate optical signals to provide a portion of the output optical signals; and selecting spectral bands from each of the first plurality of intermediate optical signals to provide a remainder of the output optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for distributing a plurality of spectral bands comprised by a plurality of input optical signals onto a plurality of output optical signals, the method comprising:
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producing a first plurality of intermediate optical signals equivalent to a portion of the plurality of input optical signals, wherein at least one of the first plurality of intermediate optical signals comprises two or more of the spectral bands; producing a second plurality of intermediate optical signals by selectively distributing spectral bands from each of a remainder of the plurality of input optical signals; and combining combinations of the second plurality of intermediate optical signals with selected spectral bands from the first plurality of intermediate optical signals to produce the output optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical wavelength cross connect for receiving a plurality of input optical signals each having a plurality of spectral bands and transmitting a plurality of output optical signals each having one or more of the spectral bands, the optical wavelength cross connect comprising:
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a first plurality of elements, wherein; each of the first plurality of elements is disposed to receive one of the plurality of input optical signals; and each of the first plurality of elements comprises a first input wavelength routing element adapted for selectively routing wavelength components between a respective first optical signal and a respective plurality of intermediate optical signals according to a configurable state of such first wavelength routing element, a second plurality of elements, wherein; each of the second plurality of elements is disposed to receive one of the intermediate optical signals from each of the first plurality of elements; and each of the second plurality of elements comprises a first output wavelength routing element adapted for selectively routing wavelength components between a respective first incoming optical signal and a respective plurality of second outgoing optical signals according to a configurable state of such first output wavelength routing element, wherein a mapping of the spectral bands comprised by the plurality of input optical signals to the plurality of output optical signals is determined by states of the first input wavelength routing elements and the states of the first output wavelength routing elements, the state of at least one of the first input wavelength routing elements resulting in blocking of transmission of at least one of the spectral bands between the respective first optical signal and the respective plurality of intermediate optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An optical wavelength cross connect for receiving a plurality of input optical signals each having a plurality of spectral bands and transmitting a plurality of output optical signals each having one or more of the spectral bands, the optical wavelength cross connect comprising:
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a first plurality of elements configured to receive the input optical signals and to provide combinations of the spectral bands on a plurality of intermediate optical signals; and a second plurality of elements configured to receive the intermediate optical signals and to provide the output optical signals, wherein each of the second plurality of elements comprises a first wavelength routing element for selectively routing wavelength components between a respective first optical signal and a respective plurality of second optical signals according to a configurable state of such first wavelength routing element, wherein a mapping of the spectral bands from the input optical signals to the output optical signals is determined by states of the first wavelength routing elements, the state of at least one of the first wavelength routing elements resulting in blocking transmission of at least one of the spectral bands between the respective first optical signal and the respective plurality of second optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification