Optical Spectral-Temporal Connector

摘要

An optical spectral-temporal connector, having multiple connector modules, interconnects a large number of nodes in a full-mesh structure. A wavelength-division-multiplexed link from each node is de-multiplexed into wavelength channels individually directed to different connector modules. Each connector module has a set of star couplers, each star coupler connecting to wavelength channels from a respective set of nodes through spectral translators. Each spectral translator cyclically shifts a spectral band of a wavelength channel so that, at any instant of time, spectral bands of signals at inlets of any star coupler are disjoint. A spectral router connects outlets of the set of star couplers to a respective set of nodes. A spectral-translation controller prompts each spectral translator to shift to a new spectral band. Several arrangements for time-aligning all the nodes to the connector modules are disclosed.

主权项

1. A spectral-temporal connector comprising:
a plurality of star couplers arranged into sets of star couplers, each star coupler having a number of inlets and one outlet; a plurality of spectral translators each spectral translator connecting to a respective inlet of a respective star coupler; a plurality of input spectral demultiplexers, each input spectral demultiplexer directing individual signals occupying different spectral bands of a respective input link of a plurality of input links to a respective spectral translator in each set of star couplers; and a plurality of spectral routers, each spectral router connecting outlets of an associated set of star couplers to a respective set of output links of a plurality of output links; each spectral translator cyclically shifts a spectral band of a signal received from a respective input spectral demultiplexer so that, at any instant of time, spectral bands of signals at inlets of any star coupler are non-overlapping.