Combined wavelength router and switch apparatus for use in a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system

Patent 5623356 Issued on April 22, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date:

February 9, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Multi-star fiber optic network with improved access time
Patent #: 4654889
Issued on: 03/31/1987
Inventor: Shutterly

Time and wavelength division switching system
Patent #: 5005166
Issued on: 04/02/1991
Inventor: Suzuki, et al.

Wavelength division switching system with reduced optical components using optical switches
Patent #: 5194977
Issued on: 03/16/1993
Inventor: Nishio

All-optical network architecture
Patent #: 5351146
Issued on: 09/27/1994
Inventor: Chan, et al.

Wavelength division multiplexed optical communication transmitters Patent #: 5394489
Issued on: 02/28/1995
Inventor: Koch

Inventors

Application

No. 386239 filed on 02/09/1995

US Classes:

398/46, Hybrid398/48, Wavelength398/49, Router398/50, Crossconnect398/55, space398/56Crossconnect

Examiners

Primary: Pascal, Leslie

Foreign Patent References

0096893 JP 05/10/1986
0248347 JP 09/10/1987
0050194 JP 03/10/1988
0013900 JP 01/10/1989

International Class

H04J 014/00

Abstract

A combined wavelength router and switch apparatus for use in an optical communication system is disclosed. The apparatus includes arrays of optical signal demultiplexers, wavelength division switches, space division switches and multiplexers, arranged in a manner that can increase the connectivity of an optical system using wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals. In several embodiments, time-multiplexed wavelength division switches and time-multiplexed space division switches may be used to increase further the degree of connectivity of the system or to reduce the number of wavelength division switches and space division switches required. Additional arrays of wavelength division switches or time-multiplexed wavelength division switches may be included to allow carrier frequencies to be shifted to meet the channel ordering requirements of the optical system.

Other References

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Glance, B., et al., "Applications of the Integrated Waveguide Grating Router," Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 12, No. 6, Jun. 1994, pp. 957-962
Glance, B., et al., "High Performance Optical Wavelength Shifter," Electronics Letters, vol. 28, No. 18, Aug. 27, 1992, pp. 1714-1715
Perino, J.S., et al., "Fibre Transmission of 10Gbit/s Signals Following Wavelength Conversion Using a Travelling-wave Semiconductor Optical Amplifier," Reprinted from Electronics Letters, vol. 30, No. 3, Feb. 3, 1994, pp. 256-257
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