Wavelength selective switch (WSS) based multiplexing architecture

• US 9,660,752 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infinera Corp.
• Original Assignee: Infinera Corp.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello, Agustin
• Application Number:
  US14/585,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20160191189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 398 45- 57
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0221 Power control, e.g. to keep the total optical power constant
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02218 Centralized control
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0298 with sub-carrier multiplexing [SCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0071 Use of interleaving interleaving per se H03M13/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0032 using static wavelength routers (e.g. arrayed waveguide grating router [AWGR] )

Abstract

An apparatus may include a plurality of wavelength selective switches (WSSs). The apparatus may include a plurality of transmitters. The transmitters may transmit a plurality of super-channels. The apparatus may include a plurality of passive power splitters corresponding to the plurality of transmitters. The plurality of passive power splitters may receive the plurality of super-channels. The plurality of passive power splitters may generate a respective set of power-split super-channels for each super-channel of the plurality of super-channels. The plurality of passive power splitters may transmit each power-split super-channel of the respective set of power-split super-channels to a corresponding WSS of the plurality of WSSs. A WSS, of the plurality of WSSs, may receive a plurality of power-split super-channels, of the respective sets of power-split super-channels, from the plurality of passive power splitters. The WSS may selectively route a portion of the plurality of power-split super-channels toward a receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of wavelength selective switches;

a plurality of transmitters configured to;

transmit a plurality of super-channels;

a plurality of passive power splitters, corresponding to the plurality of transmitters, configured to;

receive the plurality of super-channels,

generate a respective set of power-split super-channels for each super-channel of the plurality of super-channels, and

transmit each power-split super-channel of the respective set of power-split super-channels to a corresponding wavelength selective switch of the plurality of wavelength selective switches;

a wavelength selective switch, of the plurality of wavelength selective switches, being configured to;

receive a plurality of power-split super-channels, of the respective sets of power-split super-channels, from the plurality of passive power splitters;

selectively route a portion of the plurality of power-split super-channels toward a receiver;

a plurality of combiners; and

a plurality of receivers;

another wavelength selective switch, of the plurality of wavelength selective switches, being configured to;

receive a particular super-channel,

selectively route a portion of the particular super-channel to a corresponding combiner of the plurality of combiners,

a combiner, of the plurality of combiners, being configured to;

receive a plurality of particular super-channels from two or more of the plurality of wavelength selective switches;

combine each of the plurality of particular super-channels into a combined super-channel;

route the combined super-channel to a corresponding receiver of the plurality of receivers;

a particular receiver, of the plurality of receivers, being configured to;

receive a particular combined super-channel from a corresponding combiner of the plurality of combiners; and

determine information being transmitted via the particular combined super-channel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate; and

where the plurality of transmitters include a plurality of lasers mounted on the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where one of the plurality of combiners includes at least one of:

a power-combiner;

a wavelength selective switch;

an arrayed waveguide grating;

or

a fixed passive spectral filter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the wavelength selective switch includes:

an optical filter configured to;

filter a set of optical signals associated with the portion of the plurality of power-split super-channels from a plurality optical signals; and

direct the set of optical signals toward the receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the wavelength selective switch includes:

a port configured to;

route the portion of the plurality of power-split super-channels to another wavelength selective switch of the plurality of wavelength selective switches.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where:

a passive power splitter, of the plurality of passive power splitters, is configured to;

receive a particular super-channel of the plurality of super-channels,

generate a particular set of power-split super-channels of the respective sets of power-split super-channels,

a particular power-split super-channel, of the particular set of power-split super-channels, having a transmission power proportional to a quantity of power-split super-channels associated with the particular set of power-split super-channels.

7. A system comprising:

a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer including;

a set of passive power-splitters connected to a set of optical transmitters;

a first set of wavelength selective switches,

each wavelength selective switch, of the first set of wavelength selective switches, being connected to the set of passive power splitters;

a set of power combiners connected to a set of optical receivers; and

a second set of wavelength selective switches,

each wavelength selective switch, of the second set of wavelength selective switches, being connected to the set of power combiners,

where a particular wavelength selective switch, of the second set of wavelength selective switches, is configured to;

receive a set of super-channels from a node of an optical network;

route a first super-channel, of the set of super-channels, to a particular wavelength selective switch of the first set of wavelength selective switches; and

route a second super-channel, of the set of super-channels, to a particular power combiner of the set of power combiners.

8. The system of claim 7, where:

a first wavelength selective switch, of the first set of wavelength selective switches, connects to a first wavelength selective switch, of the second set of wavelength selective switches, and

a second wavelength selective switch, of the first set of wavelength selective switches, connects to a second wavelength selective switch of the second set of wavelength selective switches.

9. The system of claim 7, where:

the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer is configured to;

receive a set of super-channels from a source of the set of super-channels;

route a first super-channel, of the set of super-channels, to a first node of an optical network; and

route a second super-channel, of the set of super-channels, to a second node of the optical network.

10. The system of claim 7, where:

a passive power splitter, of the set of passive power-splitters, is configured to;

receive an optical signal from a particular optical transmitter of the set of optical transmitters;

generate a set of power-split portions of the optical signal corresponding to the first set of wavelength selective switches; and

transmit each power-split portion of the optical signal, of the set of power-split portions of the optical signal, to a corresponding wavelength selective switch of the first set of wavelength selective switches.