Bidirectional Wavelength Cross Connect Architectures Using Wavelength Routing Elements
AssigneeAltera Corporation
InventorsEdward J. Bortolini, Dirk Barthel, Robert T. Weverka, Samuel Paul Weaver, Paulo E. Silveira
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Bidirectional wavelength cross connects include a plurality of ports, each configured to receive an input optical signals, each input optical signal having a plurality of spectral bands. At least one of the plurality of ports is disposed to simultaneously transmit an output optical signal having at least one of the spectral bands. A plurality of wavelength routing elements are configured to selectively route input optical signal spectral bands to output optical signals.
Claims3
1-37. (canceled)
A method of exchanging selected spectral bands of optical signals, comprising:
- directing input spectral bands to a first port of a wavelength routing element;
- directing express spectral bands to a second port of the wavelength routing element;
- directing add spectral bands to a third port;
- directing the add spectral bands to the first port of the wavelength routing element;
- optically combining the add spectral bands with the express spectral bands onto an express optical signal;
- and
- directing the express optical signal to an express port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.