US 5,774,245 A · Optical cross-connect module

Abstract

An all optical cross-connect module is described that, in addition to routing optical signals, provides signal monitoring and signal path identification capabilities. In one embodiment, each bidirectional cross-connect module comprises two four-port wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) filters. One filter has a transmit-signal input (Tx-In) port, a transmit-signal (Tx-Out) output port, a transmit-monitor output (Tx-Mon-Out) port, and a path identification output (Path-ID-Out) port. The second filter has a receive-signal input (Rx-In) port, a receive-signal output (Rx-Out) port, a dual function path identification input/receive-signal monitor output (Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out) port, and one port that is optically terminated to prevent signal reflections. Each of the two filters are designed to couple selected frequencies to the appropriate port. In alternative embodiments, a combination of standard couplers and three-port WDM filters are combined to provide substantially the same functionality.

Claims51

Dependent claims

An optical cross-connect module comprising:

(a) a first filter having
(i) a transmit-signal input (Tx-In) port,
(ii) a transmit-signal output (Tx-Out) port,
(iii) a transmit monitor output (Tx-Mon-Out) port,
(iv) a path identification output (Path-ID-Out) port,
(v) wherein said Tx-In port is optically coupled to the Tx-Out port and to the Tx-Mon-Out port at a first wavelength, and
(vi) wherein said Tx-Out port is optically coupled to the Path-ID-Out port at a second wavelength;
and
(b) a second filter having
(i) a receive-signal input (Rx-In) port,
(ii) a receive-signal output (Rx-Out) port,
(iii) a path identification input/receive-signal monitor output (Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out) port,
(iv) wherein said Rx-In port is optically coupled to the Rx-Out port and to the Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out port at a third wavelength, and
(v) wherein said Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out port is optically coupled to the Rx-In port at a fourth wavelength.

11 more elements

An optical cross-connect module comprising:

(a) a first four-port wavelength division multiplexing filter having
(i) a transmit-signal input (Tx-In) port,
(ii) a transmit-signal output (Tx-Out) port,
(iii) a transmit monitor output (Tx-Mon-Out) port,
(iv) a path identification output (Path-ID-Out) port,
(v) wherein said first four-port filter, upon receiving a first signal having a first wavelength, optically couples the first signal input to said Tx-In port to the Tx-Out port and to the Tx-Mon-Out port, and
(vi) wherein said first four-port filter, upon receiving a second signal having a second wavelength, optically couples substantially all of the second signal input to the Tx-Out port to the Path-ID-Out port;
and
(b) a second four-port filter having
(i) a receive-signal input (Rx-In) port,
(ii) a receive-signal output (Rx-Out) port,
(iii) a path identification input/receive-signal monitor output (Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out) port,
(iv) an optically terminated port,
(v) wherein said second four-port filter, upon receiving a third signal having a third wavelength, optically couples the third signal input to said Rx-In port to the Rx-Out port and to the path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out port, and
(vi) wherein said second four-port filter, upon receiving a fourth signal having a fourth wavelength, optically couples substantially all of the fourth signal input to said Path-ID-In/Rx-Mon-Out port to the Rx-In port.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical cross-connect module

Life of this patent

Optical cross-connect module

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51