System of large- scale robotic fiber cross-connects using multi-fiber trunk reservation

A system for controllably switching optical signal carrying physical links among a variable plurality of optical fibers, the system comprising:

• a first plurality of physical link sorting modules, each including optical fibers that carry different ones of a plurality of separate input optical signals to different optical fiber outputs, each sorting module being constructed and adapted to respond individually to first command signals to interweave different physical links therein to selected ones of the optical fiber outputs;
• a plurality of signal transferring core trunk lines receiving the optical signals from the first plurality of physical link sorting modules at different ones of a plurality of multi-fiber trunk line groupings, extending to different ones of a plurality of spaced-apart outputs via variable trunk line interconnections controlled in response to a second set of command signals;
• a second plurality of physical link sorting modules constructed and adapted to receive the optical signals transported from the multi-fiber trunk lines, and also constructed and adapted to respond to third command signals to deliver optical signals received from the trunk lines to selected output terminals from each of the second plurality of physical link sorting modules;
• and
• a control system coupled to transmit command signals to control the physical link sorting modules and configure the signal transferring core trunk lines in accordance with requirements then existing for optical signal transmission along different selected physical links.

A switching system for controlling a transfer of optical signals from a plurality of optical input lines to selected optical output lines as determined by control signals, comprising:

• a plurality of optical input lines arranged in a two-dimensional array in a first plane having orthogonal input axes and extending out of the first plane to a parallel second plane wherein the lines are distributed about a first central axis, the lines between the array of the first plane and the second plane being constructed and adapted in a three-dimensional first switching mechanism to be positioned by first activators in response to first control signals in accordance with a knots, braids and strands principle and responsively moved to selectable first switching positions in the first plane;
• a second signal controlled multi-line and intermediate switching system coupled to the first switching positions and including multi-lines extending therefrom to a third plane, the intermediate switching system arranged in a two-dimensional array in the third plane having orthogonal input axes and extending out of the third plane to a parallel fourth plane wherein the multi-lines are distributed about a second central axis, the multi-lines between the array of the third plane and the fourth plane being constructed and adapted in a three-dimensional second switching mechanism to be positioned by second activators in response to second control signals in accordance with a knots, braids and strands principle and responsively moved to selectable second switching positions in the third plane;
• a third plurality of optical lines operatively coupled to the multi-lines in the intermediate switching system and receiving signals therefrom, the plurality of optical output lines arranged in a two-dimensional array in a fifth plane having orthogonal input axes and extending out of the fifth plane to a parallel sixth plane wherein the lines are distributed about a third central axis, the lines between the array of the fifth plane and the sixth plane being constructed and adapted in a three-dimensional third switching mechanism to be positioned by third activators in response to third control signals in accordance with a knots, braids and strands principle and responsively moved to selectable third switching positions in the fifth plane;
• and
• a central system generating control signals for:
• (i) the first switching mechanisms, (ii) the second switching mechanisms, and (iii) the third switching mechanisms, said control signals to control a selective transfer of optical signals through the system from input lines to output lines.