Reconfigurable wavelength division multiplex add/drop device using micromirrors
US6204946A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0041
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A WDM add/drop device for use in an optic communications system for adding and dropping optical wavelengths from a multiple-wavelength optical system. The device includes a set of lenses, a planar grating wavelength multiplexer and a micromirror array switchable for individual wavelengths of the multiple-wavelength signal between a transmit mode and a reflect mode. The grating angularly demultiplexes a multiple-wavelength optical signal in a first direction and the individual wavelengths are processed by the micromirror array and directed to the grating in a second direction. The micromirror array will either reflect select wavelengths to a first port or transmit select wavelengths to a second port. In a preferred embodiment, ports on a first multiport circulator input the multiple-wavelength optical signal to the WDM add/drop device and output the multiple-wavelength optical signal from the WDM add/drop device. A second multiport circulator provides to-be-added wavelengths to the WDM add/drop device and removes to-be-dropped wavelengths from the WDM add/drop device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.