Communications network with switching distributed among a central switching node and optical input and output sub-networks
US5241409A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q11/0001
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A communications network in which a central switching node (70) has at least two sets of both input ports (52) and output ports (56) coupled to respective sets of transmitters (T.sub.ij) and receivers (R.sub.ij) by passive optical networks (54) and (58) and demultiplexers (52) and multiplexers (59). The transmitters (T.sub.ij) are tunable so that each can be selectively the input ports (52). The receivers (R.sub.ij) are also tunable so the output ports (56) can be selectively coupled to the one or more of the receivers (R.sub.ij). Alternatively, the demultiplexers (55) and multiplexers (59) can be tunable. This devolves some of the switching function outside the central switching node (50) thereby reducing the component count.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.