Single site for healing dual optical rings
US6407835B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 5, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 5, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3596
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for controlling transmissions over an optical signaling network include one or more traffic detectors that are connected to an optical switch to receive incidentally reflected light when the switch is in a transmissive state. The switch is in the transmissive state when a fluid fills a fluid-manipulable chamber, but is in a reflective state when the chamber is free of fluid. The apparatus includes two inputs and two outputs. Typically, the inputs and outputs are waveguides having an index of refraction which approximates the index of refraction of the fluid. The traffic detectors monitor light which is incidentally reflected at interfaces of the waveguides with the chamber. Under fault-free conditions in which signal transmissions are detected to be normal, a first input is connected to a first output and a second input is connected to a second output. However, when a fault condition is detected, the two inputs exchange outputs by reversing the state of the optical switch. In the preferred embodiment, the fault-free condition is one in which the switch is in the reflective state. However, the reflective state is disabled and the transmissive state is estab…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.