Optical transmission equipment and optical network

• US 8,041,213 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakano, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Park; Kinam
• Application Number:
  US12/275,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20090142057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 398/50, 398/48, 398/43, 398/83
• US Class Current: 398/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0206 Express channels arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0209 Multi-stage arrangements, e.g. by cascading multiplexers or demultiplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0213 Groups of channels or wave bands arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/022 For interconnection of WDM optical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0283 WDM ring architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0286 WDM hierarchical architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0079 Operation or maintenance aspects

Abstract

In order to insert a regenerator into a wavelength cross-connect equipment, there is provided at least one port that demultiplexes one wavelength among the wavelength multiplexed signals that are input to a wavelength selective switch. An output of the port that demultiplexes one wavelength is input to the regenerator, and an output of the regenerator is again input to the WSS. The wavelength output from the regenerator is converted into another wavelength different from the wavelength that is input to the regenerator and can be processed by the WSS in advance. The output from the regenerator is input to the WSS through an optical coupler or another input port of the WSS.

Claims

1. An optical transmission equipment comprising:

a first wavelength selective switch having a first input port and a plurality of first output ports; and

a regenerator that regenerates an optical signal,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch inputs an optical signal of a first wavelength to the regenerator, and

wherein the regenerator converts the optical signal of the first wavelength into an optical signal of a second wavelength, and inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength to the first wavelength selective switch.

2. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 1, further comprising a second wavelength selective switch having a plurality of second input ports and a second output port,

wherein one of the plurality of first output ports and one of the plurality of second input ports are connected to each other.

3. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 1, wherein a transmitter of the regenerator has a variable wavelength.

4. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 2, wherein a transmitter of the regenerator has a variable wavelength.

5. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 1,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a third input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the third input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

6. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 2,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a third input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the third input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

7. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 3,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a third input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the third input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

8. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 4,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a third input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the third input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

9. An optical transmission equipment, comprising:

a first wavelength selective switch having a first input port and first to third output ports;

a second wavelength selective switch having a second input port connected to the first output port, a third input port, and a fourth output port; and

a regenerator that regenerates an optical signal,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch receives a first wavelength multiplexed optical signal at the first input port, inputs the optical signal of the first wavelength included in the first wavelength multiplexed signal from the third output port to the regenerator, and transmits a drop optical signal from the second output port,

wherein the second wavelength selective switch receives an add optical signal at the third input port, and transmits the second wavelength multiplexed optical signal from the fourth output port, and

wherein the regenerator converts the optical signal of the first wavelength into an optical signal of a second wavelength, and inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength to the first wavelength selective switch.

10. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 9, wherein a transmitter of the regenerator has a variable wavelength.

11. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 9,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a fourth input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the fourth input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

12. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 10,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a fourth input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the fourth input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

13. An optical network, comprising:

a first ring network having a plurality of optical branching equipments mutually connected;

a second ring network having a plurality of optical branching equipments mutually connected; and

a wavelength cross-connect equipment that connects the first ring network with the second ring network,

wherein the wavelength cross-connect equipment includes a first wavelength selective switch having a first input port and first to third output ports, a second wavelength selective switch having a second input port connected to the first output port, a third input port, and a fourth output port, and a regenerator that regenerates an optical signal,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch receives a first wavelength multiplexed optical signal at the first input port, inputs the optical signal of the first wavelength included in the first wavelength multiplexed signal from the third output port to the regenerator, and transmits a drop optical signal from the second output port,

wherein the second wavelength selective switch receives an add optical signal at the third input port, and transmits the second wavelength multiplexed optical signal from the fourth output port, and

wherein the regenerator converts the optical signal of the first wavelength into an optical signal of a second wavelength, and inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength to the first wavelength selective switch.

14. The optical network according to claim 13, wherein a transmitter of the regenerator has a variable wavelength.

15. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 13,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a fourth input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the fourth input port to the first wavelength selective switch.

16. The optical transmission equipment according to claim 14,

wherein the first wavelength selective switch further includes a fourth input port, and

wherein the regenerator inputs the optical signal of the second wavelength from the fourth input port to the first wavelength selective switch.