Synchronization apparatus for an optical communications network

A synchronization apparatus for an optical communications network, the apparatus comprising:

• a comparator receiving, firstly, signals to be synchronized, the signals being received in a optical form, and, secondly, reference instants;
• a delay member applying delays to the optical signals to be synchronized, and supplying delayed optical signals via respective outputs;
• and
• a selection member for selecting one of said outputs of said delay member, said comparator controlling the selection member so that the signals supplied by the selected one output are synchronized on the reference instants;
• wherein said comparator supplies selection signals in a binary encoded form constituted by a succession of S selection bits that collectively define a value of each signal and that are supplied via respective outputs of the comparator, said selection member being in the form of a matrix having N rows and S columns, each row being constituted by an optical waveguide connecting a respective output of said delay member to the output of said apparatus via a concentrator, each row including, in series, a succession of optical gates, each of which can be opened or closed so that each row is open if all of its gates are open, and each row is closed if at least one of its gates is closed, each of said optical gates being controlled in binary form by receiving a bit and by being adapted to respond to zero bits or to one bits so as to be open only when it receives a zero bit or so as to be open only when it receives a one bit, each column of said matrix being fed via a respective output of said comparator, and feeding, in parallel, a succession of N of said optical gates via one of said selection bits, the succession of N optical gates belonging to respective ones of the N rows, the adaptations of said optical gates showing up a respective correspondence between said rows and the values of said selection signal, each of said rows being the only one to be opened by a selection signal whose value has said correspondence with the row.