OPTICAL WAVELENGTH CROSS CONNECT ARCHITECTURES USING WAVELENGTH ROUTING ELEMENTS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING IN-SERVICE UPGRADES

摘要

An optical wavelength cross connect is provided to receive multiple input optical signals that each have multiple spectral bands and to transmit multiple output optical signals that each have one or more of those spectral bands. The optical wavelength cross connect includes multiple wavelength routing elements, which are optical components that selectively route wavelength components between one optical signal and multiple optical signals in either direction according to a configurable state.