Detector remodulator and optoelectronic switch

A detector remodulator (DRM) comprising:

• one or more detectors for converting an optical packet signal into an electrical packet signal;
• one or more modulators, each modulator configured to:
• receive a wavelength tuned laser input from a tunable laser;
• receive an electrical packet signal from one of the detectors;
• and to generate a modulated optical signal at the tuned wavelength, the modulated optical signal containing the information of the electrical signal;
• and
• an electronic circuit connecting the detector and modulator, the electronic circuit containing means for controlling the generation of the modulated optical signal based on scheduling information from an external control unit;
• wherein the modulator is separate component from the tunable laser.

A method of optical packet switching using a passive optical router having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an optoelectronic packet switch comprising:
• one or more switch input(s) for receiving optical packet signals;
• a passive optical router having input ports and output ports, the optical paths between which are wavelength dependent;
• a switch control unit;
• and
• a plurality of detector remodulators configured to receive the optical input signals and to generate modulated optical signals for transmission to the input ports of the passive optical router;
• receiving at one or more of the detector remodulators an optical packet signal from the one or more switch input(s);
• converting each optical packet signal received into an electrical packet signal using one or more detectors of the one or more detector remodulators;
• receiving at the one or more detector remodulators a wavelength tuned laser input from a separate wavelength tunable laser;
• and
• generating at a modulator of the one or more detector remodulators a modulated optical signal at the tuned wavelength, the modulated optical signal containing the information of the electrical packet signal and having a wavelength chosen to result in a desired output port of the passive optical router;
• wherein the modulator is controlled via an electronic circuit which connects it to one of the one or more detectors and which controls the generation of the modulated optical signal based on scheduling information received from the switch control unit.

An optoelectronic circuit switch comprising:

• one or more switch input(s) for receiving optical input signals;
• a passive optical router having input ports and output ports;
• a switch control unit;
• and
• a plurality of detector remodulators (DRMs) configured to receive optical signals from the switch input(s) and to generate modulated optical signals for transmission to the input ports of the passive optical router, each detector remodulator (DRM) comprising:
• one or more detectors for converting each optical signal received at the switch input(s) into an electrical signal;
• one or more modulators for generating the modulated optical signals, each modulator configured to:
• receive a wavelength tuned laser input from a tunable laser;
• receive the electrical signal from one of the detectors;
• and to generate a modulated optical signal at the tuned wavelength, the tuned wavelength chosen to select a desired output port of the passive optical router and the modulated optical signal containing the information of the electrical signal;
• and
• an electronic circuit connecting the detector and the modulator;
• wherein each of the one or more modulators is a separate component from the tunable laser that provides its wavelength tuned laser input;
• and
• wherein the switch control unit is communicably connected to the electronic circuit of each DRM, the electronic circuit configured to control the generation of the modulated optical signal by the modulator based on control information received from the switch control unit.