Optical cross connector apparatus

Abstract

The optical communications system is capable of increasing its scale with the use of a fewer number of wavelengths and is flexible in allowing the topology to be altered. The optical cross connector minimizes optical loss and crosstalk. The optical communications system includes a plurality of optical communications networks. The optical communications network includes a group of nodes and optical fibers connecting the nodes to each other. The optical fibers include existing optical fibers forming a predetermined topology and auxiliary optical fibers provided for altering the topology with the help of a path switching function of each node. A selected one of the nodes in each optical communications network is connected to a switchboard by one of links. The switchboard is connected at the other end to a group of subscribers. The optical cross connector includes input side units, output side units, and an optical connecter connected between the input side units and the output side units. The input side units separate an optical signal into wavelength channels which are then distributed to first output ports. The optical connector connects the first output ports of the input side units to corresponding second input ports of the output side units, respectively. The output side units combine the wavelength channels of the optical signal received at their second input ports before transmitting out from second output ports.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.