Optical channel adding/dropping filter
US5526153A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q11/0003
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical filter is formed from an optical frequency routing device having N inputs and N outputs, where N>1. A plurality of waveguides each couple one of the outputs to one of the inputs of the frequency routing device in a consecutive order to form a series of optically transmissive feedback loops. As a result of this arrangement, an input signal composed of a plurality of multiplexed optical frequencies directed to an input of the routing device is first demultiplexed to yield a sequence of demultiplexed frequency components which are directed to the outputs of the routing device. The demultiplexed frequencies may be rerouted back to the inputs of the routing device via the optical feedback loops between the outputs and the inputs. A remaining output that is not incorporated into one of the feedback loops is provided for receiving the resulting multiplexed output signal. Rather than rerouting the demultiplexed frequency components back through the routing device via optical loops, one or more of the loops may be opened up to either drop, add, or drop and add a frequency component.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.