Fault tolerant optical switch architecture

An arrangement adapted for optical communication with a first node comprising:

• a first optical switch having first-switch transmit and receive channels and a second optical switch having second-switch transmit and receive channels, at least one of the first and second optical switches adapted to conduct a self-test and indicate whether the self-test has failed;
• an optical coupler adapted to receive the first-switch and second-switch transmit channels and to provide an output for transmit to the first node;
• an optical splitter adapted to receive an optical signal coupled from the first node and to provide an output coupled to the first-switch and second-switch receive channels;
• and
• a control circuit configured and arranged to activate one of the first and second optical switches in response to the other of the first and second optical switches conducting the self-test.

An arrangement adapted for optical communication between first and second nodes, the optical communication arrangement comprising:

• first optical communication means having first-switch transmit and receive channels and second optical communication means having second-switch transmit and receive channels, each of the transmit and receive communication means for respectively sending and receiving optical signals and at least one of the first and second optical communication means for conducting a self-test and indicating whether the self-test has failed;
• optical coupling means for receiving the first-switch and second-switch transmit channels and for providing an output to transmit to at least one of the first and second nodes;
• optical splitting means for receiving an optical signal coupled from at least one of the first and second nodes and for providing an output coupled to the first-switch and second-switch receive channels;
• and
• control means for activating one of the first and second optical communication means in response to the other of the first and second optical communication means conducting the self-test.

In an arrangement for optical communication between first and second nodes, a first node comprising:

• a first optical switch having first-switch transmit and receive channels and a second optical switch having second-switch transmit and receive channels, at least one of the first and second optical switches adapted to conduct a self-test and indicate whether the self-test has failed;
• an optical coupler adapted to receive the first-switch and second-switch transmit channels and to provide an output for transmit to the first node from a second node;
• an optical splitter adapted to receive an optical signal coupled from the first node and to provide an output coupled to the first-switch and second-switch receive channels for the second node;
• and
• a control circuit configured and arranged to activate one of the first and second optical switches in response to the other of the first and second optical switches conducting the self-test.

In an arrangement for optical communication between first and second nodes, a first node comprising:

• first optical communication means having first-switch transmit and receive channels and second optical communication means having second-switch transmit and receive channels, each of the transmit and receive communication means for respectively sending and receiving optical signals and at least one of the first and second optical communication means for conducting a self-test and indicating whether the self-test has failed;
• optical coupling means for receiving the first-switch and second-switch transmit channels and for providing an output to transmit to the first node from the second node;
• optical splitting means for receiving an optical signal coupled from the first node and for providing an output coupled to the first-switch and second-switch receive channels for the second node;
• and
• control means for activating one of the first and second optical communication means in response to the other of the first and second optical communication means conducting the self-test.