Multi-wavelength dense wavelength division multiplexed optical switching systems

An optical add/drop multiplexer for use in a dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) optical network comprising a plurality of network elements connected by optical fiber, said add/drop multiplexer receiving input optical signals from said DWDM optical network at a first plurality of input ports and input signals at a second plurality of input ports for insertion into said DWDM optical network, and emitting output optical signals to said DWDM optical network at a first plurality of output ports and emitting output signals at a second plurality of output ports for removing from said DWDM optical network, said add/drop multiplexer comprising:

• at least one optical receiver which receives said input optical signals from said optical network at said first plurality of input ports and demodulates digital data from at least one designated wavelength of said input optical signals;
• a multiwavelength optical source which emits wavelength ordered repetitive periodic (WORP) pulse sequences within a plurality of discrete wavelength bands simultaneously at a port thereof;
• and
• at least one modulator which receives said WORP pulse sequences from said multiwavelength optical source and modulates said digital data from said at least one designated wavelength onto selected wavelengths of a WORP pulse sequence from said multiwavelength optical source so as to create said output optical signals as a WORP sequence for application to said network, whereby said first plurality of output ports contains a multiplicity of optical data channels each of which is assigned a unique wavelength from said WORP pulse sequences.

A crossconnect with an optical fiber switch core, said crossconnect receiving a first plurality of data signals at input ports on an input side and providing a second plurality of data signals at output ports on an output side, said crossconnect comprising:

• a switching control element that outputs a selection signal;
• a multiwavelength optical source which emits wavelength ordered repetitive periodic (WORP) pulse sequences within a plurality of discrete wavelength bands simultaneously at a port thereof;
• and
• at least one modulator which receives said WORP pulse sequences from said multiwavelength optical source and modulates said first plurality of data signals from said input ports onto selected wavelengths of a WORP pulse sequence from said multiwavelength optical source so as to create a modulated WORP pulse sequence for transmission over said optical fiber switch core, said modulated WORP pulse sequence containing a multiplicity of optical data channels each of which is assigned a unique wavelength from said WORP pulse sequence;
• and
• at least one optical receiver which demodulates digital data from wavelengths in said modulated WORP pulse sequence as selected by said selection signal and provides said digital data as said second plurality of data signals to said output ports.

A method of assigning a first data signal at a first wavelength to a second wavelength using a crossconnect with a fiber optic switch core, comprising the steps of:

• modulating said first data signal onto at least one selected wavelength of a wavelength ordered repetitive periodic (WORP) pulse sequence emitted by a multiwavelength optical source so as to create a modulated WORP pulse sequence;
• transmitting said modulated WORP pulse sequence over said optical fiber switch core, said modulated WORP pulse sequence containing a multiplicity of optical data channels each of which is assigned a unique wavelength from said WORP pulse sequence;
• demodulating said first data signal from wavelengths in said modulated WORP pulse sequence as selected by a selection signal;
• and
• modulating said demodulated first data signal at said second wavelength for retransmission.