# US 10,313,047 B2 · Optical wavelength selective switch, an optical network node, an optical network and methods therein > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,047 B2 - Document ID: US10313047B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/685,385 - Filed: 2017-08-24 - Published: 2017-12-07 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-24 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Ahmad Rostami; Björn Skubic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313047B2 ## CPC - H04J 14/0212: {using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]} - G02B 6/3518: {the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device (MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833)} - G02B 6/3548: {1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs} - H04J 14/0209: {Multi-stage arrangements, e.g. by cascading multiplexers or demultiplexers} - H04J 14/0217: {Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two} - H04J 14/022: {For interconnection of WDM optical networks} - H04Q 11/0005: {Switch and router aspects} - H04Q 11/0067: {Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring} - G02B 6/356: {in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links (switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001)} - H04Q 2011/0016: {using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing} - H04Q 2011/0026: {using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors)} - H04Q 2011/003: {using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS]} - H04Q 2011/0052: {Interconnection of switches} - H04Q 2011/0092: {Ring} - H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract A method in an optical Wavelength Selective Switch, WSS, for multidirectional switching of optical signals. The optical WSS comprises a reflective element, a first tributary port and a second tributary port. The optical WSS switches (304) an optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port with the reflective element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method in an optical Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) for multidirectional switching of optical signals, wherein the optical WSS comprises a reflective element, a first tributary port and a second tributary port, the method comprising: switching an optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port with the reflective element, wherein the optical signal is input to the first tributary port and output on the second tributary port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the switching the optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port comprises adjusting the reflective element, causing a first angle, defined by an incident beam of the optical signal, incident on the reflective element, and the normal of an effective reflective plane of the reflective element, to equal a second angle, defined by the normal and a reflected beam of the optical signal, reflected from the reflective element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: adjusting three or more third angles, to have a same magnitude, wherein each third angle is defined by two adjacent optical beams incident on, or reflected from, the reflective element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical WSS further comprises a third port and a fourth port, the method comprising: configuring the optical WSS to switch a first optical signal on a specific wavelength band, between the third port and the fourth port, with the reflective element; and the switching comprises to switch a second optical signal, within the same specific wavelength band, between the first tributary port and the second tributary port, with the reflective element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising: adjusting three or more third angles, to have a same magnitude, wherein each third angle is defined by two adjacent optical beams incident on, or reflected from, the reflective element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the third port is a third tributary port and the fourth port is a fourth tributary port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the third port is a third tributary port, and the fourth port is a common port. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising selecting the third port as the tributary port having a largest angle defined by the first angle or the second angle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first tributary port is adjacent to the common port and the second tributary port is adjacent to the third tributary port. ### Claim 10 An optical Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) for multidirectional switching of optical signals, wherein the optical WSS comprises a reflective element, a first tributary port and a second tributary port, the optical WSS is configured to: switch an optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port with the reflective element, wherein the optical signal is input to the first tributary port and output on the second tributary port. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical WSS according to claim 10, configured to switch the optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port by adjusting the reflective element, causing a first angle, defined by an incident beam of the optical signal, incident on the reflective element, and the normal of an effective reflective plane of the reflective element, to equal a second angle, defined by the normal and a reflected beam of the optical signal, reflected from the reflective element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical WSS according claim 11, further configured to adjust three or more third angles, to have the same magnitude, wherein each third angle is defined by two adjacent optical beams incident on, or reflected from, the reflective element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optical WSS according to claim 10, wherein the optical WSS further comprises a third port and a fourth port, and the optical WSS is configured to: configure the optical WSS to switch a first optical signal on a specific wavelength band, between the third port and the fourth port, with the reflective element; and switch a second optical signal, within the same specific wavelength band, between the first tributary port and the second tributary port, with the reflective element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optical WSS according claim 13, further configured to adjust three or more third angles, to have the same magnitude, wherein each third angle is defined by two adjacent optical beams incident on, or reflected from, the reflective element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The optical WSS according to claim 13, wherein the third port is a third tributary port and the fourth port is a fourth tributary port. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The optical WSS according to claim 13, wherein the third port is a third tributary port, and the fourth port is a common port. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical WSS according to claim 16, further configured to select the third port as the tributary port having a largest angle defined by the first angle or the second angle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The optical WSS according claim 16, further configured to switch the second optical signal between a tributary port adjacent to the common port and a tributary port adjacent to the third tributary port. ### Claim 19 An optical network node for multidirectional switching of optical signals in a communications network, the optical network node comprising one or more optical WSSs, wherein the optical WSSs each comprise a reflective element, a first tributary port and a second tributary port and each are configured to: switch an optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port with the reflective element, wherein the optical signal is input to the first tributary port and output on the second tributary port. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The optical network node of claim 19, wherein: the optical network node is part of an optical network comprising at least a first service node, a second service node, a client node, a first optical access ring, and a second optical access ring; the optical network node is connected to the first optical access ring and the second optical access ring; the first service node is connected to the first optical access ring; the client node is connected to the second optical access ring; the second service node is connected to any other part of the optical network, and wherein the optical network node is configured to: route a first optical signal on a first wavelength band between the first service node and the client node; and route a second optical signal on a second wavelength band between the first service node and the second service node.