Making lightless connections in an optical circuit switch
First Claim
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1. A method for making a connection in an optical circuit switch, comprising:
- receiving a command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port;
upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determining whether or not input signal light is present at the first port;
when light is present at the first port, making an optical connection between the first port and the second port;
when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before making the optical connection; and
after making the optical connection, adjusting a rotation angle of at least one mirror element within the optical circuit switch to reduce an insertion loss of the optical connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. A command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port may be received. A determination whether or not input signal light is present at the first port may be made. When light is present at the first port, an optical connection may be made between the first port and the second port. When light is not present at the first port, the optical circuit switch may wait until light is present at the first port before making the connection.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for making a connection in an optical circuit switch, comprising:
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receiving a command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port; upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determining whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, making an optical connection between the first port and the second port; when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before making the optical connection; and after making the optical connection, adjusting a rotation angle of at least one mirror element within the optical circuit switch to reduce an insertion loss of the optical connection.
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2. A method for making a connection in an optical circuit switch, comprising:
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receiving a command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port; upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determining whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, making an optical connection between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before making the optical connection, wherein making an initial optical connection comprises; identifying a rotatable first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and a rotatable second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port; and rotating the first and second mirror elements to make the optical connection from the first port to the second port. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for making a connection in an optical circuit switch, comprising:
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receiving a command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port; upon receiving the command to make an optical connection between the first port and the second port, determining whether or not input signal light is present at the first port and provisioning the connection by making the first port and the second port unavailable for any other connection, independent of the presence of input signal light at the first port; when light is present at the first port, making an optical connection between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before making the optical connection.
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8. A method for making a connection in an optical circuit switch, comprising:
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receiving a command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port; upon receiving the command to make the optical connection between the first port and the second port, determining whether or not both the first port and the second port are both available; and if at least one of the first port and the second port are not available, rejecting the command without performing any other actions of the method; and when both the first port and the second port are available; determining whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, making an optical connection between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before making the optical connection.
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9. An optical circuit switch, comprising:
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a first port; a second port; a controller configured to; receive a command to make an optical connection between the first port and the second port, upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determine whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, cause an optical connection to be made between the first port and the second port; when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before causing the optical connection to be made; and after causing the optical connection to be made, adjust a rotation angle of at least one mirror element within the optical circuit switch to reduce an insertion loss of the optical connection. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An optical circuit switch, comprising:
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a first port; a second port; a controller configured to; receive a command to make an optical connection between the first port and the second port, upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determine whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, cause an optical connection to be made between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before causing the optical connection to be made, wherein the controller is further configured to; identify a rotatable first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and a rotatable second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port; and to cause the first and second mirror elements to rotate to make the optical connection from the first port to the second port. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical circuit switch, comprising:
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a first port; a second port; a controller configured to; receive a command to make an optical connection between the first port and the second port, upon receiving the command to make an optical connection, determine whether or not input signal light is present at the first port and provision the connection by making the first port and second port unavailable for any other connection, independent of the presence of input signal light at the first port; when light is present at the first port, cause an optical connection to be made between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before causing the optical connection to be made.
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17. An optical circuit switch, comprising:
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a first port; a second port; a controller configured to; receive a command to make an optical connection between the first port and the second port, upon receiving the command to make the optical connection between the first port and the second port, determine whether or not the first port and the second port are available; and if at least one of the first port and the second port are not available, reject the command without performing any other actions when both the first port and the second port are available; determine whether or not input signal light is present at the first port; when light is present at the first port, cause an optical connection to be made between the first port and the second port; and when light is not present at the first port, waiting until light becomes present at the first port before causing the optical connection to be made.
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Specification