Tunable add/drop optical filter providing arbitrary channel arrangements
US5566014A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0032
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A novel add/drop optical filter providing arbitrary channel arrangements between two input WDM signals and two output WDM signals is presented. The device consists of two WGR's connected by a plurality of 2.times.2 optical switches and 3 db coupling devices in each WGR branch. Through use of the inventive device, the second of the two input WDM signals can be added to the transmission path, while the second of the two output WDM signals is dropped. The added and dropped signals are of the same frequency, but can carry different information. The same circuit can also be used as a 2.times.2 wavelength-space switch for WDM signals. In both cases N.sup.2 channel arrangements between the two outputs are possible when the two input signals each support N channels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.