Optical switch
US9560429B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 12, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jan 31, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0058
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical switch suitable for use in a ROADM of an optical network node having one or more optical fiber per direction, the fibers together carrying optical signals comprising up to N independent wavelength channels, is disclosed. The switch includes an Optical Cross-Connect (OXC) having F1 input ports and F2 output ports. At least one optical splitter, at least one optical combiner and at least two wavelength blockers are separately connected to the OXC, the input and output parts thereof defining ports of the OXC. The OXC is controllable to switch optical signals arriving at any of the F1 switch input ports to any of the F2 switch output ports via one or more of the optical splitters, wavelength blockers and/or optical combiners. A method for switching optical signals is also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.