Modular optical cross-connect architecture with optical wavelength switching

An optical cross-connect node for routing and switching wavelength communications channels at high speed, comprising:

• optical fiber input links and output links, each link containing plural wavelength channels;
• optical couplers each receiving wavelength channels from the input links;
• tunable optical filters each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• optical wavelength converters each corresponding and connected to one of tunable optical filters for translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and
• optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links,
• wherein a new fiber link or a new wavelength channel is added to the optical cross-connect node without disabling the optical cross-connect node.

An optical cross-connect node for routing and switching wavelength communications channels at high speed, comprising:

• optical fiber input links and output links, each link containing plural wavelength channels;
• optical couplers each receiving wavelength channels from the input links;
• tunable optical filters each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• optical wavelength converters each corresponding and connected to one of tunable optical filters for translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and
• optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links,
• wherein one of the fiber links, optical converters, tunable optical filters, wavelength converters, or optical combiners is repaired without disabling the optical cross-connect node.

An optical cross-connect node for routing and switching wavelength communications channels at high speed, comprising:

• optical fiber input links and output links each containing a comb of plural wavelength channels;
• input wavelength converters, each connected to one of the input links being capable of converting a comb of plural wavelength channels to another comb of wavelength channels;
• optical couplers each receiving wavelength channels from the input links;
• tunable optical filters each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• output optical wavelength converters each connected to a corresponding tunable optical filter for converting the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and
• optical combiners combining wavelength channels generated by some of the wavelength converters onto corresponding ones of the optical fiber output links.

A method of adding a new fiber optic link to an existing, single stage optical cross-connect node that includes optical fiber input links and output links each containing plural wavelength channels;

• optical splitters, each optical splitter coupled to a corresponding one of the input links;
• optical star couplers coupled to each of the optical splitters, each optical star coupler having an input port for each input link;
• tunable optical filters, each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting any one of the input wavelength channels received on any of the input links;
• optical wavelength converters, each corresponding and connected to a tunable optical filter and capable of translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links, comprising the steps of:
• coupling the new link to an available input port of one of the existing optical star couplers within the single stage or to input ports of optical star couplers newly added to the single stage;
• coupling in the single stage an additional tunable filter and corresponding additional wavelength converter associated with each new wavelength channel carried on the new link to an available output port of each existing optical star coupler or to an output port of each newly added optical star coupler;
• and
• connecting an output from the additional wavelength converter to an additional optical combiner added to the single stage.

A method of adding a new wavelength channel to an existing, single stage optical cross-connect node that includes optical fiber input links and output links each containing plural wavelength channels;

• optical splitters, each optical splitter coupled to a corresponding one of the input links;
• optical star couplers coupled to each of the optical splitters, each optical star coupler having an input port for each input link;
• tunable optical filters, each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting any one of the input wavelength channels received on any of the input links;
• optical wavelength converters, each corresponding and connected to a tunable optical filter and capable of translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links, comprising the steps of:
• coupling in the single stage an additional tunable filter and corresponding additional wavelength converter associated with the new wavelength channel to an available output port of each existing optical star coupler or to an output port of each newly added optical star coupler;
• and
• connecting an output from each additional wavelength converter to a corresponding optical combiner added to the single stage.

A method of adding a new fiber optic link to an existing optical cross-connect node that includes optical fiber input links and output links each containing plural wavelength channels;

• input wavelength converters, each connected to one of the input links and capable of converting a comb of plural wavelength channels to another comb of wavelength channels;
• optical couplers having an input port for each input link;
• tunable optical filters, each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• output optical wavelength converters, each corresponding and connected to each tunable optical filter and capable of translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links, comprising the steps of:
• coupling the link through an additional input wavelength converter to an available input port of the existing optical couplers or to input ports of newly added optical couplers;
• coupling an additional tunable filter and corresponding additional output wavelength converter associated with each new wavelength channel carried on the new link to an available output port of each existing optical coupler or to an output port of each newly added optical coupler;
• and
• connecting an output from each additional wavelength converter to an additional optical combiner.

A method of adding a new wavelength channel to an existing optical cross-connect node that includes optical fiber input links and output links each containing plural wavelength channels;

• input wavelength converters, each connected to one of the input links and capable of converting a comb of plural wavelength channels to another comb of wavelength channels;
• optical couplers having an input port for each input link;
• tunable optical filters, each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• output optical wavelength converters, each corresponding and connected to each tunable optical filter and capable of translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links, comprising the steps of:
• determining that a new wavelength channel is to be added to one of the input links;
• coupling an additional tunable filter and corresponding additional output wavelength converter associated with the new wavelength channel to an available output port of the existing optical couplers or to an output port of each newly added optical coupler;
• and
• connecting an output from each additional wavelength converter to a corresponding optical combiner.

A method of servicing an optical cross-connect node that includes optical fiber input links and output links each containing plural wavelength channels;

• input wavelength converters, each connected to one of the input links and capable of converting a comb of plural wavelength channels to another comb of wavelength channels;
• optical couplers having an input port for each input link;
• tunable optical filters, each connected to one of the optical couplers for selecting a wavelength channel;
• output optical wavelength converters, each corresponding and connected to each tunable optical filter and capable of translating the selected wavelength channel to a different wavelength channel;
• and optical combiners for combining selected wavelength channels generated by the wavelength converters onto corresponding optical fiber output links, comprising the steps of:
• disabling one of the optical links, optical couplers, tunable optical filters, wavelength converters, or optical combiners;
• servicing the disabled one of the optical links, optical couplers, tunable optical filters, wavelength converters, or optical combiners;
• and
• during the servicing step, maintaining operation of the optical cross-connect node by routing information using an enabled optical link, optical coupler, tunable filter, wavelength converter, and optical combiner.