Technique for photonic switching
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsDominic Goodwill, Mirjana Vukovic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for photonic switching is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for photonic switching. The method may comprise receiving at least one optical signal at a photonic line card, wherein the at least one optical signal comprises one or more wavelength channels and the photonic line card comprises at least one integrated optical switch. The method may also comprise routing at least one of the one or more wavelength channels through the at least one integrated optical switch to a photonic bus, wherein the photonic bus comprises a plurality of optical paths and each of the plurality of optical paths is capable of carrying multiple wavelength channels.
Claims23
A method for photonic switching, the method comprising:
- receiving at least one optical signal at a photonic line card, wherein the at least one optical signal comprises one or more wavelength channels and the photonic line card comprises at least one integrated optical switch;
- and
- routing at least one of the one or more wavelength channels through the at least one integrated optical switch to a photonic bus, wherein the photonic bus comprises a plurality of optical paths and each of the plurality of optical paths is capable of carrying multiple wavelength channels.
A photonic line card for photonic switching, the photonic line card comprising:
- at least one first interface to an optical medium;
- at least one integrated optical switch;
- and
- at least one second interface to a photonic bus, wherein the photonic bus comprises a plurality of optical paths and each of the plurality of optical paths is capable of carrying multiple wavelength channels.
A system for photonic switching, the system comprising:
- a photonic bus, wherein the photonic bus comprises a plurality of optical paths and each of the plurality of optical paths is capable of carrying multiple wavelength channels;
- and
- a plurality of photonic line cards, wherein a first photonic line card comprises at least one integrated optical switch, and exchanges one or more optical signals with a second photonic line card through the photonic bus.
A system for photonic switching, the system comprising a plurality of photonic line cards and a photonic bus, wherein an optical channel passes through said system encounters in sequence at least the following components:
- a first optical switch integrated in a first photonic line card;
- a wavelength multiplexer integrated in the first photonic line card;
- the photonic bus;
- a wavelength demultiplexer integrated in a second photonic line card;
- and
- a second optical switch integrated in the second photonic line card.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.