Reconfigurable branching unit for submarine optical communication networks
US9106983B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 2, 2013 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 17, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0016
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and systems for optical communication in a submarine network are provided. An input signal is received from a terminal at a reconfigurable branching unit (BU), and the input signal is split into at least two parts, with one part being associated with one or more trunk terminals and another part being associated with one or more branch terminals. Each of one or more spectrum channels are selected and individually switched to one of a plurality of paths using at least one wavelength selective switch (WSS), with the at least one WSS being configured to transmit the one or more spectrum channels to their respective target output port and to combine signals switched to a specific port into a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) signal. Individual spectrum channels are filtered out using at least one wavelength blocker (WB).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.