| 摘要 |
An optical switch suitable for use in a ROADM of an optical network node having one or more optical fiber per direction, the fibers together carrying optical signals comprising up to N independent wavelength channels, is disclosed. The switch includes an Optical Cross-Connect (OXC) having F1 input ports and F2 output ports. At least one optical splitter, at least one optical combiner and at least two wavelength blockers are separately connected to the OXC, the input and output parts thereof defining ports of the OXC. The OXC is controllable to switch optical signals arriving at any of the F1 switch input ports to any of the F2 switch output ports via one or more of the optical splitters, wavelength blockers and/or optical combiners. A method for switching optical signals is also disclosed. |
| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus switching optical signals, the apparatus being configured to handle optical signals comprising up to N independent wavelength channels, the apparatus comprising:
a controllable all optical matrix switch comprising F1 switch input ports, F2 switch output ports and switch ports connected to one or more optical splitters, to two or more wavelength blockers and to one or more optical combiners; and optical signals means configured:
(a) to detect, in use, each input optical fiber carrying optical signals destined for more than one output optical fiber, and for each such optical fiber to control the switch either
(a1) to switch the optical signals from the respective switch input port of respective one of the optical splitters, and to switch the optical signals output by splitter output ports of the optical splitter to respective switch output ports, either directly, or indirectly in accordance with (a2) and (b), and(a2) where the optical signals compose n wavelength channels of which np<n are destined for a given output optical fiber, to switch the optical signals to a wavelength blocker configured to permit said np wavelength channels to pass to said given output optical fiber and block respective others of said n wavelength channels,or(a3) where the optical signals comprise n wavelength channels of which np<n are destined for a given output optical fiber, to switch the optical signals from the respective switch input port to a wavelength blocker configured to permit said np wavelength channels to pass to said given output optical fiber and block respective others of said n wavelength channels, and(a4) to switch the passed wavelength channels to a respective one of the optical splitters, and to switch the optical signals output by splitter output ports of the optical splitter to respective switch output ports, either directly, or indirectly in accordance with (b); and(b) to detect, in use, each output optical fiber defining a destination for Optical signals from at least two input optical fibers, and for each such optical fiber to control the switch to switch the optical signals to the respective output port via an optical combiner, the optical combiner being arranged to receive inputs from said at least two input optical fibers. |
