Optical add-drop multiplexer
US7010228B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 3, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J14/0213
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical add-drop multiplexer comprises an optical switch (10) for selection of a desired wavelength channel to be extracted, a pre-processing channel assembly (20), an optical reflector (50), an optical extractor (60), a post-processing channel assembly (30), and an optical coupler (40) aligned with the post-processing channel assembly. The pre-processing channel assembly transmits a multiplexed signal stream containing a plurality of channels. The optical reflector directs light rays emitted from the pre-processing channel assembly into the optical extractor. The optical extractor comprises a narrow bandpass filter (62) that allows a desired channel to pass therethrough and reflects other unextracted channels. The desired channel can be dropped by switching to a corresponding output port of the optical switch. The optical reflector directs light rays reflected from the optical extractor to the post-processing channel assembly. The optical coupler combines the unextracted channels and an insertion channel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.