Optical bridge
First Claim
1. An optical bridge for switching between a plurality of electrical chips, the optical bridge comprising:
- a passive optical router, an optical path through which is wavelength dependent; and
a plurality of Bridge Interface Chips optically connected to the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip being connectable to one of the plurality of electrical chips to form a connection between that electrical chip and the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip including a wavelength tunable laser input and a modulator configured to convert unmodulated light, received at the tunable laser input, into modulated light, according to electrical signals from the electrical chip, for transmission to the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip including a photodiode configured to convert optical signals from the passive optical router into electrical signals to be received by the electrical chip,a first Bridge Interface Chip of the plurality of Bridge Interface Chips being connected directly to a second Bridge Interface Chip of the plurality of Bridge Interface Chips through the passive optical router, andthe passive optical router consisting of one or more arrayed waveguide grating chips.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical bridge for switching between a plurality of electrical chips, the optical bridge comprising: a passive optical router; and a plurality of Bridge Interface Chips optically connected to the passive optical router; each Bridge Interface Chip being connectable to one of the plurality of electrical chips to form a connection between that electrical chip and the passive optical router at which electrical signals from the electrical chip are converted into wavelength tunable modulated optical signals for transmission to the passive optical router and at which an optical signals from the passive optical router are converted into electrical signals to be received by the electrical chip; wherein each Bridge Interface Chip includes a wavelength tunable laser input and a modulator for modulating the wavelength tunable laser input to provide the wavelength tunable modulated optical signals.
15 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An optical bridge for switching between a plurality of electrical chips, the optical bridge comprising:
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a passive optical router, an optical path through which is wavelength dependent; and a plurality of Bridge Interface Chips optically connected to the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip being connectable to one of the plurality of electrical chips to form a connection between that electrical chip and the passive optical router;each Bridge Interface Chip including a wavelength tunable laser input and a modulator configured to convert unmodulated light, received at the tunable laser input, into modulated light, according to electrical signals from the electrical chip, for transmission to the passive optical router; each Bridge Interface Chip including a photodiode configured to convert optical signals from the passive optical router into electrical signals to be received by the electrical chip, a first Bridge Interface Chip of the plurality of Bridge Interface Chips being connected directly to a second Bridge Interface Chip of the plurality of Bridge Interface Chips through the passive optical router, and the passive optical router consisting of one or more arrayed waveguide grating chips. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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15. An optical switch system comprising:
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an optical bridge for switching between a plurality of electrical chips, the optical bridge comprising; a passive optical router, an optical path through which is wavelength dependent; and a plurality of Bridge Interface Chips optically connected to the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip being connectable to one of the plurality of electrical chips to form a connection between that electrical chip and the passive optical router;each Bridge Interface Chip including a wavelength tunable laser input and a modulator configured to convert electrical signals from the electrical chip into wavelength tunable modulated optical signals for transmission to the passive optical router; and each Bridge Interface Chip including a photodiode configured to convert optical signals from the passive optical router into electrical signals to be received by the electrical chip; and a plurality of electrical chips, each electrical chip being connected to the optical bridge via one or more Bridge Interface Chips, wherein each electrical chip is connected to two Bridge Interface Chips.
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17. An optical switch system comprising:
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an optical bridge for switching between a plurality of electrical chips, the optical bridge comprising; a passive optical router, an optical path through which is wavelength dependent; and a plurality of Bridge Interface Chips optically connected to the passive optical router;
each Bridge Interface Chip being connectable to one of the plurality of electrical chips to form a connection between that electrical chip and the passive optical router;each Bridge Interface Chip including a wavelength tunable laser input and a modulator configured to convert electrical signals from the electrical chip into wavelength tunable modulated optical signals for transmission to the passive optical router; and each Bridge Interface Chip including a photodiode configured to convert optical signals from the passive optical router into electrical signals to be received by the electrical chip; and a plurality of electrical chips, each electrical chip being connected to the optical bridge via one or more Bridge Interface Chips, wherein a controller configured to control switching between electrical chips via control of the wavelength of the wavelength tunable laser inputs is located externally to the Bridge Interface Chips and is connected to a controller bus, the controller bus being communicably connected to each of the Bridge Interface Chips.
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Specification