Compound optical circuit switch with shared optical power measurements

摘要

Compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be configured to make selectable optical connections between a plurality of 1st-tier inputs and a plurality of 1st-tier outputs. Each 1st-tier switch may include input and output power meters to measure optical powers of signals received at the 1st-tier inputs and optical powers of signals output from the 1st-tier outputs, respectively. At least one 2nd-tier switch may include plural 2nd-tier inputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier outputs, plural 2nd-tier outputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier inputs, and plural 2nd-tier rotatable mirror elements to make selectable optical connections from the 2nd-tier inputs to the 2nd-tier outputs. A 2nd-tier switch controller may control positions of at least some of the 2nd-tier mirror elements based on optical power measurement data from the input power meters and the output power meters of the 1st-tier switches.

主权项

1. A compound optical circuit switch, comprising:
two or more 1st-tier switches, each 1st-tier switch including one or more power meters to measure optical powers of signals received at inputs to the 1st-tier switch and signals output from outputs of the 1st-tier switch; and a 2nd-tier switch having plural inputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier switch outputs and plural outputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier switch inputs, wherein the 2nd-tier switch does not contain a power meter, and positions of rotatable mirror elements used to make selectable optical connections from the inputs of the 2nd-tier switch to the outputs of the 2nd-tier switch are controlled based on optical power measurement data from the power meters within the two or more 1st-tier switches.