US 2002/0159686 A1 · OPTICAL CHANNEL SELECTOR

Abstract

A channel selector which selects one or more channels from input multi-channel optical signals for routing to predetermined destinations within an optical communication system is disclosed. The channel selector selects one or more channels by first splitting portions of the input multi-channel optical signals across two or more optical paths. Thereafter, a desired phase response is applied to the split portions of the multi-channel optical signals. The desired phase response is applied to the split portions of the multi-channel optical signals so the channels therein interfere with each other either constructively or destructively when the split portions of the multi-channel optical signals are combined. The channel selector has a structure which includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, a splitter, a combiner, one or more all-pass optical filters, and a plurality of optical paths.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A channel selector useful for multi-channel optical communication systems, comprising:

a plurality of input ports;
a plurality of output ports;
a splitter coupled to the plurality of input ports and coupled to two or more optical paths, wherein the splitter is configured to split at least a portion of input multi-channel optical signals from the plurality of input ports across the two or more optical paths;
one or more all-pass optical filters coupled to at least one of the two or more optical paths, wherein each of the one or more all-pass optical filters has a filter input port, a filter output port, a splitter/combiner, and at least one feedback path, and wherein each of the one or more all-pass optical filters is configured to apply a desired phase response to the portion of the multi-channel optical signal input thereto;
and
a combiner coupled to the two or more optical paths, wherein the combiner is configured to combine the portions of the multi-channel optical signals output from the one or more all-pass optical filters for transmission through one or more of the plurality of output ports.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical channel selector

Life of this patent

Optical channel selector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20