Switchable optical network with improved transmission ability
AssigneeTelia AB
InventorsLars Johansen, Jonas Claesson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical network with a number of nodes. Information is transmitted and, respectively, received in the nodes. The information is transmitted over a number of frequencies. Receiving and, respectively, transmitting of frequencies in the nodes is variable. The information is only converted to electrical signals in those nodes where the information is retrieved. Optical signals are amplified and distributed in the network via optical splitters and amplifiers. The capacity in the network can be redistributed depending on the capacity requirement in different parts of the network.
Claims5
An optical system for carrying data comprising:
- a plurality of nodes;
- at least one optical channel connecting the plurality of nodes;
- contained within each of said nodes a plurality of independent optical transmitters/receivers each of which is adjustable so as to be tunable to operate on different frequencies;
- a plurality of splitters for said optical channel(s) so as to provide independent optical paths to said plurality of nodes;
- and
- means to selectively switch each of said splitters independently from each other and in response to traffic on the system.
A method of utilizing an optical system having a plurality of nodes, at least one optical channel connecting the plurality of nodes, contained within each of said nodes a plurality of independent optical transmitters/receivers each of which is adjustable so as to be tunable to operate on different frequencies, a plurality of splitters for said optical channel(s) so as to provide independent optical paths to said plurality of nodes comprising the steps of:
- selecting an unused frequency by a node;
- tuning at least one of the tunable transmitter/receivers for said node to the unused frequency selected;
- transmitting data on said transmitter/receiver and an optical channel using the at least one tunable transmitter/receiver;
- and
- selectively switching each of said splitters independently from each other and responsively to traffic on the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.