OPTICAL PACKET EXCHANGER

摘要

An optical packet exchanger is provided which, in a situation where a transmission path for an optical packet is to be switched by using an address signal, prevents the transmittable capacity for the information signal from being decreased, and which facilitates the extraction of the address signal even if the modulation speed for the information signal becomes high. An optical modulation section 102 outputs an optical packet obtained by subjecting output light from a light source 101 to an intensity modulation using an information signal and a phase modulation using an address signal corresponding to a transmission destination for the information, signal. An optical splitter section 301 splits the optical packet received via the optical transmission section 200 into two optical packets. An address reading section 302 reads the address signal from the phase of one of the optical packets output from the optical splitter section 301. Based on the address signal output from the address reading section 302, a path switching section 303 determines an output port for the other optical packet